Combat Engineers in Afghanistan

[misfit]

I'm joining as a Combat Engineer, and I was hoping somebody with experience could answer a few questions:

Do Sappers design the FOBs and build them? How many Sappers would you think are in Afghanistan right now?

Do Sappers go on patrol with infantry? What would the ratio of Sappers to Infanteers be on a typical patrol? Do Sappers ever drive LAV-IIIs?

What is it generally like on the job as a Combat Engineer? Do they go to shoot at the range and practice infantry skills? Or are they always building roads and looking for IEDs?

Any feedback from an experienced Combat Engineer would be great!  :warstory:

 

[Nfld Sapper]

I'm joining as a Combat Engineer, and I was hoping somebody with experience could answer a few questions:
Good for you, and maybe
Do Sappers design the FOBs and build them? How many Sappers would you think are in Afghanistan right now?
Depends. That's OPSEC so no one will answer that
Do Sappers go on patrol with infantry? What would the ratio of Sappers to Infanteers be on a typical patrol? Do Sappers ever drive LAV-IIIs?
Maybe. OPSEC. Yes
What is it generally like on the job as a Combat Engineer? Do they go to shoot at the range and practice infantry skills? Or are they always building roads and looking for IEDs?
Depends wether you are in garrison or in the field that particular month. Yes we do ranges have to keep up our solider skills. Maybe
Any feedback from an experienced Combat Engineer would be great!  :warstory:
Sure someone has some.

 

[geo]

Any feedback from an experienced Combat Engineer would be great!  :warstory:

Combat Engineers have the following primary duties:
    Construct and maintain roads, airfields, bridges, rafts and buildings;
    Construct field defences and obstacles;
    Provide drinking water and constructing local distribution systems;
    Detect and dispose of mines, IEDs, booby traps and bulk explosives;
    Deny mobility to the enemy on the battlefield
    Maintain and operate equipment, (weapons, vehicles, heavy equipment); and
    When necessary, fight as infantry (personal weapons, section-level tactics)

 

[geo]

Do we do ranges?..... yup, who do you think built em in the 1st place
Building roads?.......... Afghan roads are beyond repair... but we try. we also fill in holes after IEDs have gone off.
Do sappers drive LAVs.... sure, but you have to understand that the LAV is just a means to get to where you're going. Same as the Nyalah, the GWagon or a HLVW.
ratio of Sappers to Engineers?.... will vary from one patrol to the next. We respond - based on needs and what's available

 

[misfit]

Great, thank you for taking the time to respond. I'm really looking forward to starting this career. I'm just waiting for the call to swear in and then I'm hopefully going to start BMQ in June. I 've done as much research as I can think of...but I still have so many questions. I guess only "time in" will answer a lot of them!

In your (Sappers) opinion, what is the best job that Sappers get to do? What is the least appealing job that you have to do? Approximately what % of Sappers get to take the combat diver course?

Cheers

 

[aesop081]

Great, thank you for taking the time to respond. I'm really looking forward to starting this career. I'm just waiting for the call to swear in and then I'm hopefully going to start BMQ in June. I 've done as much research as I can think of...but I still have so many questions. I guess only "time in" will answer a lot of them!

In your (Sappers) opinion, what is the best job that Sappers get to do? What is the least appealing job that you have to do? Approximately what % of Sappers get to take the combat diver course?

Cheers

First off....read this : http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/41979.0.html

Ten worry about completing BMQ/SQ and DP1.......i'm sure thats enough to worry about for now....combat diver you can think of later

CHIMO !!

 

[misfit]

OK thanks. I have read that thread several times, but was looking for some fresh answers I guess. I know combat diver is not in the near future, but I'm still curious. Anybody know how many get trained a year?

Do combat engineers have a slow rate of promotion? I was seeing some guys with 10-15 years in and still corporals...

Any Sappers care to talk about the best parts of their job? Favorite courses available...best work out in the field...favorite thing to blow up  ;D

 

[043]

Do combat engineers have a slow rate of promotion? I was seeing some guys with 10-15 years in and still corporals...

Those guys are usually the creme of the crop and kept at that rank level for so long because to promote them would mean that no work would get done. Actually the rate of advancement is on par with the other Cbt Arms.

Chimo!

 

[misfit]

Ok, so its about the same.

Why don't more people want to be Combat Engineers? Are there different recruiting requirements to be a Combat Engineer?
Are the CFAT score requirements the same across the Combat Arms?

It seems there is a shortage of engineers....
why?

cheers

 

[geo]

Selection standards are higher
The engineer family is much smaller than the infantry BUT whenever an infantry and / or armoured unit goes out, they need engineers..... so we are a prized commodity that is much in demand...... end result is that the Sapper goes out more frequently (IMHO) than the other guys... so there's more wear & tear, etc....

But again, it's more an issue that we're a smaller family

 

[392]

I know combat diver is not in the near future, but I'm still curious. Anybody know how many get trained a year?

There's one course per year with between 10-20 (if we're lucky) students total from all 4 Regiments. Those 10-20 are the few that have endured and passed the two week prelim run at the unit level by the Regimental Dive Teams....

 

[misfit]

Wow that's not very many. How many Combat Engineers does the entire Canadian Army have? Does anybody know how many they hire a year?

 

[misfit]

Those 10-20 are the few that have endured and passed the two week prelim run at the unit level by the Regimental Dive Teams....

What are Regimental Dive Teams?

 

[392]

What are Regimental Dive Teams?

Please tell me you are joking  :

 

[misfit]

Well I wish I was joking...  ???

Are they combat divers? I just got confused when I saw this:
"Those 10-20 are the few that have endured and passed the two week prelim run at the unit level by the Regimental Dive Teams...."
So are they just qualified combat divers within the regiment?

 

[geo]

The unit has a specific group of qualified divers who are tasked as divers.....
they'll conduct the evaluation - as part of their taskings

 

[armybuck041]

Do Sappers design the FOBs and build them?

Approved generic FOB or Tented Camp designs already exist and vary depending on the number of pers required to operate out of them, and the length of time they are intended be in place.

A combination of Combat and Construction Engineers on the ground take these designs and build them. Combat Engineers make them initially operational and survivable, Construction Engineers make them more livable and effective.