What does it take to be an Army combat engineer?
Becoming a combat engineer has always been in my mind, but I understand that its a very difficult field especially for physical fitness and as a woman, Reddit user BrpBap wrote in a post. Combat Engineers are required to go through 14 weeks of One Station Unit Training, which combines Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training, according the Armys MOS overview. The website also mentions combat engineers will learn skills such as construction and engineering, demolition and explosives and operate heavy equipment.  And according to Zippia, just 3.7% of combat engineers are women. However, many Reddit users were optimistic that BrpBap could be successful as a combat engineer, noting the physical challenges associated with this particular occupation. One user, TeamRedRocket, gave their perspective as an Army recruiter. Ive enlisted two women into combat engineer. Both are still in and love the job, they wrote in reply. One of the challenges Ive heard, and really for any woman joining, is a lot more physical activity than theyre used to.  Other users had the same concern. User soupoftheday5, a solider, suggested that if anyone interested in becoming a combt engineer can prove they can do anything a guy can do, ruck fast, run fast, score well at the range and be proficient at your job, youll do just fine.  Another user, Podricc, suggested that hip mobility is one of the most importnt things, adding that its very common for females to experience stress fractures in their hips.  There is also a Reddit MegaThread that addresses many other questions for those interested in pursuing a career as a combat engineer. Sign up for the Early Bird Brief - a daily roundup of military and defense news stories from around the globe. Thanks for signing up. By giving us your email, you are opting in to the Early Bird Brief. User imcquill explains the MOS in depth, writing, Sappers or combat engineers (12B) have a large variety of tasks that include mobility, counter-mobility and survivability.  He adds that, a typical mission for a Sapper Platoon may include: installing obstacles while in the defense to include volcano minefields, spider minefields, demolishing bridges, emplacing log cribs, emplacing abatis, emplacing wire obstacles. A typical mission for a Sapper Platoon in the offense is clearing all of the above. The last common task for a Sapper Platoon is to Fight Like Infantry.