Combat Engineers

[geo]

(ohhh... the infantry )  (JK)

 

[Towards_the_gap]

As far as culture shock, I'm not sure what your day-to-day pace was/is in the RE, but in garrison in a CER, sometimes life is VERY slow with not much to do depending on time of year, taskings, courses, etc., but once we're in the field or on Op, we're busier than hell to the point you wish you were in the breezeway shooting the sh!t with the troops with nothing to do. ;D

Yeah, doesn't sound too different to be honest. Our daily pace is pretty hectic at times, sentry duty in a cemetary at other times. Thing that annoys me most is if there is nothing on, we sit in the G1098 store (troop equipment store) and either play euchre, watch paint dry, or oil shovels/clean shackles/photocopy pams, despite the efforts of myself and other JNCOs to get out and do any kind of training, even just cutting away to do some phys training for a couple of hours and coming back after lunch.

And then of course when we're on tour and working 14 hour days, 7 days a week, we yearn to be back in the G10 playing euchre/oiling shovels etc etc  ;D

Thanks again for the info! Much appreciated!

 

[Stout]

  I am currently deciding between Engineer or Infantry as my CF Career.  I am joining as a Non-Commisioned.  Currently I have been working as a Carpenter/Scaffolder for the Carpenters Local 1325.  I've decided that I need a bigger challenge in my life and naturally this led me to the Canadian Forces.  I am 23 years old and have worked outdoors since I was a child and I love it.  My question for you Engineers is if you guys get alot of combat in the field or is it mostly building/labor work. Its not that I don't like hard labor I just want to join the army for more of a challenge.

 

[aesop081]

Things have changed since i left the trade but its not called "combat engineer" for nothing

 

[Stout]

  Are there any Engineers here that were in Afghanistan that give a short rundown of some of the operations you undertook.  Just general stuff. :warstory:

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Now this is pretty generic info pulled from the Recruiting site at www.forces.ca/v3/engraph/home/home.aspx?bhcp=1 , hope it helps.

ARMY
COMBAT ENGINEER

Your job is to ensure that friendly troops can live, move and fight on the battlefield, and deny the same abilities to enemy troops.

WHAT THEY DO

Combat Engineers are members of the Military Engineer branch of the Canadian Forces. Their job is to ensure that friendly troops can live, move and fight on the battlefield, and deny the same abilities to enemy troops. They also perform duties in aid of the civil power and civil authority; participate in peace-support operations; perform construction and maintenance tasks in support of the CF and other government organizations; drive and operate vehicles and equipment in support of Engineer Operations; and maintain field installations and facilities.

Combat Engineers have the following primary duties:

  Construct and maintain roads, airfields, heliports, bridges, causeways, rafts, permanent and temporary buildings;

  Construct field defences and obstacles;

  Provide drinking water by testing, purifying and filtering local supplies and by constructing local distribution systems;

  Detect and dispose of mines, booby traps and bulk explosives;

  Deny mobility to the enemy on the battlefield by demolishing roads and bridges, and laying minefields and booby traps;

  Maintain and operate engineering equipment, including weapons, vehicles, heavy equipment and supplies;

  Provide engineer communications on the battlefield; and

  When necessary, fight as infantry (includes use of personal weapons, reconnaissance and section-level tactics).


AIR FORCE

CONSTRUCTION TECHNNICIAN

You will provide structural engineering support to operational units at home and abroad. You will construct, repair and maintain buildings for the protection of personnel and equipment, produce related structural drawings and construct field defenses.

WHAT THEY DO

The Construction Technician (CONST TECH) provides structural engineering support to operational units at home and abroad. During peacetime, CONST TECHs maintain their skills while employed at home units or on humanitarian and United Nations operational assignments. The CONST TECH occupation is one of seven Construction Engineering occupations involved in the supply of all construction, civil, electrical and mechanical engineering services in support of Canadian Forces operations worldwide.

  Construct, repair and maintain buildings for the protection of personnel and equipment

  Produce related structural designs and specifications

  Produce related structural drawings

  Construct field defenses

  Harden field structures

  Erect prefabricated structures

  Conduct reconnaissance related to the above

  Assist other Construction Engineering tradespersons

 

[392]

  Are there any Engineers here that were in Afghanistan that give a short rundown of some of the operations you undertook.  Just general stuff. :warstory:

Ummmmm....no. That would fall under Opsec.

As to your original question, Combat Engineers are basically the labourers of the Army. We are constantly busy, and have to support every unit in the brigade, whether it's with construction, destruction, explosive, mine, water crossing, bridging, water supply, defensive, etc, etc. support, all the time. While I cannot speak for my Infantry brethren, I can tell you that regardless if we're in the field or not, we are continuously busy, most of the time at short notice.

So if you want to be challenged, either trade would be of interest to you, but if you want to be able to apply some of the skillsets you already possess, then perhaps you would be suited more to Engr. I'm not sure if you've visited a recruiting centre yet, but perhaps you should as they will be able to answer most, if not all of your questions WRT which trade you would be most suited to.

 

[kj_gully]

Ummmmm....no. That would fall under Opsec

Please,Engineer exploits are routinely reported on by the press, and typical historic operations are hardly opsec. Stout, Engineers are employed in A-stan doing kick as$ tasks in support of what is termed combat operations, ie. shooting it out with bad guys. Engineers employ explosives to enhance friendly positions, to gain access to enemy positions, and to hinder enemy escape. They operate Armoured heavy eqipment to breach (knock down or get past) enemy positions. they are mine clearance experts, and are busy making safe both mines, and improvised explosives (ie roadside bombs) .They also help construct and maintain camps, schools, roadways & bridges, and hospitals in theatre. They are significant "combat multipliers" (army term for enhanced killing power) who are called upon to perform their secondary duty "fight as Infantry when required" as well as fight in self defense. Engineers are termed "Infanteers with a hobby" and if you are torn between the 2 trades, take engineer.

 

[Stout]

;D Thanks KJ_gully, that is the information I have been looking for.  I am sure I am going for Engineer now and with my construction background I don't think I should have much of a problem.  I have been training now for a few months, and my job as a carpenter keeps me pretty strong, so I don't think I will have a problem with the strength testing(up to 50 consecutive push ups, 75 sit-ups and lots of chin ups, I don't really count them) however I am a smoker and I can barely pass the minimum requirements for the running but i am working on quitting, I am down to 4 smokes a day.  I think once I am confident with my track endurance and I kick that dirty habit I will put my application through.  Engineer sounds like the most exciting trade in the forces and I can't wait to begin training.

 

[kj_gully]

Good luck with the quitting smoking, it is hard to kick, I know. Don't make excuses to stall your application, you are in better shape than 75% of applicants, and even vif you quit, I am sad to say that the military culture, even these days, makes it tough to stay an ex smoker. If you are serious, apply, and continue your training while you wait. Having your application in will only serve to motivate you that much more. BTW for your basic recruit fitness test, your aerobic fitness need only be enough to basically remain standing upright after a brisk walk!

(edited to add motivating info with regards to the low standard of fitness required to apply for today's Canadian forces)

 

[geo]

;D Thanks KJ_gully, that is the information I have been looking for.  I am sure I am going for Engineer now and with my construction background I don't think I should have much of a problem.  I have been training now for a few months, and my job as a carpenter keeps me pretty strong, so I don't think I will have a problem with the strength testing(up to 50 consecutive push ups, 75 sit-ups and lots of chin ups, I don't really count them) however I am a smoker and I can barely pass the minimum requirements for the running but i am working on quitting, I am down to 4 smokes a day.  I think once I am confident with my track endurance and I kick that dirty habit I will put my application through.  Engineer sounds like the most exciting trade in the forces and I can't wait to begin training.

Uhhh.... why wait? what are you going to do that you can't do while at recruit school?
tehre are no PT tests prior to recruiting (not any more anyway).  They will test you once you get to "school" if you pass - well & fine, if you don't, you get some personal attention for up to 90 days to bringyou up to scratch.

Do it now!

IMHO

 

[Stout]

  I guess I thought that if you don't cut it at Basic they cut you or something :-[  but I guess if not then I will submit my application ASAP. By the way geo you say there is no PT tests prior to recruiting, I dont't want to sound like a bag of doorknobs but what do you mean by "PT" 

 

[17thRecceSgt]

PT=physical training

or in some cases....

personal torture

 

[Stout]

  So are you saying I don't have to do the pushups and running and stuff for my application process? Because I kinda thought you had to.

 

[geo]

up till October 1st you had to do something like 20 of each but, no more.
They'll do it soon enough when you start recruit school.

If you have a couple of extra pounds, start working on em now but we'll take care of the rest

 

[Lager and Ale]

If you have a couple of extra pounds, start working on em now but we'll take care of the rest

Since when did you start working at St.Jean??? :dontpanic:

 

[Stout]

If you have a couple of extra pounds, start working on em now but we'll take care of the rest

hehe well I am 5'8" and 135-140 depending on the day, I have a very fast metabolism.  So I am more concerned about gaining weight and increasing strength.  It's on of the many reasons I am joining the army. 8)

 

[geo]

Since when did you start working at St.Jean??? :dontpanic:

(Imperial "we")

 

[NL_engineer]

Since when did you start working at St.Jean??? :dontpanic:

He is god or it comes with his rank  ;D

 

[Chimo]

Stout,
Good luck with your choosen profession, it's not for everyone but those that pick it generally love it. We are in the fight a lot and do the hard things well.

CHIMO!