The expanding role of our "Battlefield Airmen"

  • Published
  • By By Chief Master Sgt. Paul Kaplan
  • 60th Civil Engineering Squadron
Air Force civil engineers continue to adapt to the ever changing battlefield, morphing into combat engineers or what leadership has labeled "battlefield-airmen." For the past three years, nearly 4,000 civil engineers have blazed a trail into new territory once seen only by the warriors of the Army. 

These "battlefield Airmen" in Iraq are not part of the routine steady-state Air Expeditionary Force rotation on established airbases of the Middle East. Rather, these Airmen have actually been embedded into Army units located throughout Iraq. They are on the front lines, facing the enemy every day in some of the most dangerous areas of Iraq, while providing their expertise as engineers, craftsmen, surveyors and firefighters proudly supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. 

Faced with a shortage of manpower in many areas, the Army needed support from the other Services to cover their critical shortfalls. The Secretary of Defense requested the Air Force provide troops to fill the civil engineer gaps comprised of traditional CE skills [carpenters, electricians, plumbers, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning/refrigeration, firefighters, and explosive ordnance disposal. Additionally, vehicle mechanics were added to maintain their aging fleet. They have proven to be a vital element in this integrated Air Force team. With this redefinition complete, supporting Air Force teams could then be sourced. 

At one time, 20 different engineer teams or detachments reported under the 732rd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, tenant to the 332rd Air Expeditionary Wing located at Balad Air Base, Iraq. The mission of the 732 ECES is to provide engineer utilities, design and fire fighting direct and general support to the U.S. Army Combat Support Service from platoon to Corps level throughout Iraq. 

Although the Army has tactical control of the teams providing their day-to-day mission tasks, the 732rd ECES operates as a command element providing operational and administrative control over all the engineer teams deployed in support of the Army.
The 732rd ECES is responsible for preparing combat ready engineer and fire fighting detachments for rapid deployment to forward operating bases. These teams must be prepared to conduct their own security operations in support of Army engineering and fire fighting missions that may be assigned to them. 

An example of this role is a team with two vehicle mechanics, has sole responsibility for planning and executing missions to repair Improvised Explosive Device craters throughout northern Iraq. Their teams convoy to crater sites, man the crew serve weapons and provide all work party security during repairs. This is truly a departure from the traditional civil engineer role. 

For the near future, the Army will continue to have shortfalls in critical areas and the Air Force will fill those shortages making this integration of force activities a more common practice. 

Requirements continue to grow as the Army realizes the capabilities their sister service brings to the fight! The Air Force can be proud of their civil engineers and the great work they are doing in the fight in the global war terrorism.
Excerpts from Lt Col Jeffrey Vinger's article, "Pardigm shift, Airmen Soldiers of Iraq".