They will enter an area and clear it of danger before initial troops move in to eliminate any enemy threats. The Army Sapper motto is “always first,” and they stand for it with their constant dedication and commitment while performing such a dangerous job. They go to a 28-day school that teaches advanced demolitions and explosives, small unit tactics, and most importantly, leadership. The Sapper has lead combat engineers in every war in American history. You must be mentally and physically tough to be selected for the school and to graduate successfully. You must be elite-the best of the best-and a subject matter expert in combat engineering. They go through a training school that is not for just any 12B. The Sapper is an infantry equivalent of Ranger. If not for combat engineers, many lives would have been lost because more soldiers have been killed or wounded by the IED than any other means in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Their most dangerous job there was done on foot clearing culverts that were constantly used by enemy combatants to place IEDs to kill, disrupt, and prevent supplies and troop movement throughout Afghanistan. Then in Afghanistan, the combat engineers were not only out there on routes for hours each day clearing them of IEDs. These routes were two of the most dangerous in Iraq and were vitally important to keep clear for convoys and troop movement throughout Iraq. Each route constantly had IEDs placed throughout. The job they performed on routes in Iraq, such as route Tampa or Irish, were constant threats. This is a mission that includes the use of heavy equipment and mine detectors to locate, detonate, and/or remove IEDs and explosives from specified areas. Their most dangerous job during OEF/OIF has always been route clearance. The combat engineer learns basic demolitions, explosives hazards handling, constructing wire obstacles, operation of heavy equipment, and basic urban operations. Their training includes approximately 14 weeks of basic combat training as well as hours of classroom education and training. They will also place and detonate explosives and conduct operations that will include route clearance by detecting explosives with special equipment and mine detectors. The combat engineer’s job includes constructing fighting positions and defensive positions. There is no way any battle or war could be won without the dedication and commitment of the combat engineer. They provide a broad variety of expertise in any battle or war. The duties they perform make this MOS one of the most dangerous occupations in the military. They are known as one of the elite fighting forces in the Army. The combat engineer has always played a very vital and important role in the Army.
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