Engineer presents professional information designed to keep U.S. military and civilian engineers informed of current and emerging developments within their areas of expertise for the purpose of enhancing their professional development.
Issue link: https://engineer.epubxp.com/i/284727
Engineer 11 January–April 2014 A rmy engineers are renowned for their resourceful- ness and ability to make things happen. It is a hall- . mark of who they are and what they do. This reputa- tion doesn't happen by chance; it comes through executing tough, realistic training; critically thinking through chal- lenges; and understanding and appreciating the impact that our efforts will have on echelons above our own. Through- out history and in our current operating environment, engi- neers have been at the forefront of opera- tions. Who has been the center of gravity for ensuring that skill sets remain sharp, that engineers stand ready to deploy in support of the range of military operations, and that they retain the operational and institutional knowledge that has been built over the past 12 years of t? Engineer company commanders are pivotal in the Army's ability to prevent con ict, shape the operational environment, and win the Nation's wars. C ommanders are ultimately respon- sible for the training of their forma- tions. Commanders are the offcers who plan and resource the training that they feel is necessary to accomplish their unit missions. However, the ability to train is frequently constrained by scarce resources in the engineer realm, especially in the Reserve Component. Environmen- tal issues and the availability of land limit horizontal unit training when it comes to earthmoving, road construction, and ditch digging. Vertical units frequently are unable to swing hammers, lay bricks, string wire, or sweat pipe due to a lack of funds to buy mate- rials or perform an approved project. Mobility augmentation companies are part of combined arms maneuvers, yet fnd it diffcult to practice their tasks if they do not have combined arms units to work with. These are real-life issues that engi- neer company commanders face today. By Captain Loren C. Baldwin U.S. Army engineers remove a dilapidated schoolhouse window as part of Beyond the Horizon, an exercise that provides infrastructure renovation to rural areas of Central America. EN Baldwin.1.indd 14 3/12/2014 1:07:03 PM