All five branches of the U.S. Armed Forces employ engineers to one degree or another. Duties vary by branch, but they typically involve construction on military bases and in combat theaters as well as civilian public works and humanitarian projects. The qualifications for each job, and indeed the qualifications to join, also vary by branch.
Army engineer officers oversee a variety of engineering projects. The assignment might be to build a road or an entire military base, construct a civilian public works project or place explosives in a combat situation. They may command enlisted construction personnel, or they may command enlisted technical engineers, geospatial engineers or combat engineers. Technical engineers focus primarily on construction, such as site surveys, modeling and mapping, materials testing and drafting designs. Geospatial engineers collect and analyze geographic data and images to create maps, databases and battlefield visualizations. Combat engineers build bridges, defensive emplacements and obstacles, place explosives and otherwise assist ground troop mobility.
The Air Force offers three officer engineering jobs and two enlisted engineering jobs. Civil engineer officers may specialize in mechanical, architectural, environmental or electrical engineering. Jobs can be as diverse as managing a construction project or disposing of weapons of mass destruction. Developmental engineer officers specialize in areas such as aeronautical, mechanical, electrical or astronautical engineering. They develop new engineering processes and policies and identify new technologies that can benefit the Air Force. Air Force health facilities architect-engineers oversee the building of clinics and hospitals, from site selection and planning to actual construction. They may also handle renovation projects and assess facilities to improve efficiency. Enlisted personnel assigned to bio-environmental engineering evaluate environmental issues as well as workplace and personal hazards. They are trained in decontamination procedures, safe handling of radioactive materials and the identification of biological or chemical agents. Enlisted Air Force engineers survey and evaluate construction sites, prepare construction plans and specification tables, manage construction contracts and conduct tests on building materials.
Enlisted Marines who choose engineering may work as a combat engineer or an engineer assistant. Combat engineers construct bunkers, conduct mine-clearing operations, place explosives, and build, maintain and repair structures supporting the movement and defense of ground forces. Engineer assistants assist construction projects by preparing drawings, estimates and designs, typically with the use of computers equipped with drafting and graphic design software. Only one specialty exists for Marine engineering officers: combat engineer officer. Combat engineer officers perform a variety of tasks, including construction, repairs and rebuilding in non-combat situations. Under combat conditions, they oversee projects to support ground troops, such as building bridges or defensive obstacles.
The Navy offers only one specialty that is devoted to actual engineering, and that is the civil engineer officer. The Navy prefers candidates with a degree in architecture or electrical, civil or mechanical engineering. Civil engineers in the Navy oversee enlisted construction crews in building airfields, naval bases and harbor facilities.
Coast Guard engineering officers focus on shore facilities as well as vessels, both merchant and Coast Guard. They supervise projects from initial design through construction, and they are also responsible for overseeing maintenance and repairs. Few opportunities exist for enlisted personnel, but the Coast Guard does have ratings for electronics technicians, information system technicians and machinery technicians that offer some engineering support aspects.
Officers in all branches must be U.S. citizens, and enlisted personnel must be legal residents or U.S. citizens. The minimum age to enlist is 17, which requires parental consent. Enlisted personnel generally cannot be older than 27 for the Coast Guard or Air Force, 28 for the Marines, 34 for the Navy and 35 for the Army. Officers must be at least 18 but not yet 30 to join the Army; between 18 and 34 to join the Air Force; 19 to 35 for the Navy; at least 20 but not yet 28 to become a Marine officer; and no older than 27 to join the Coast Guard. All branches require officers to have a bachelor’s degree; enlisted personnel typically need a high school diploma, although an equivalency diploma may be acceptable in certain circumstances. Regardless of rank, candidates must pass a background check, credit history evaluation and physical exam. All enlisted personnel must take a battery of aptitude tests prior to joining the service, and these scores not only determine eligibility to enter the branch, but also eligibility for certain jobs. Each branch sets its own standards for the minimum scores acceptable.
Rank and time in service determine military pay, and it is the same for all branches. Most officers enter the service at a pay grade of O-1, and most enlisted service members enter with a pay grade of E-1. Initial base pay for an O-1 was $2,876.40 per month, as of 2013, and base pay for an E-1 was $1,516.20 monthly. In addition, the military offers food and housing allowances for personnel who live off base.
- U.S. Army: Careers and Jobs: Engineer Officer
- U.S. Army: Careers and Jobs: Technical Engineer
- U.S. Army: Careers and Jobs: Combat Engineer
- U.S. Army: Careers and Jobs: Geospatial Engineer
- U.S. Air Force: Bioenvironmental Engineering
- U.S. Air Force: Engineering
- U.S. Air Force: Civil Engineer
- U.S. Air Force: Developmental Engineer
- U.S. Air Force: Health Facilities Architect/Engineer
- U.S. Marine Corps: Engineer
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