1302 Military Occupational Specialty (MOS)
INTRODUCTION:
The Combat Engineer brings many unique capabilities
to the Marine Air Ground Task Force. From breaching a minefield in
support of an infantry battalion to building a bridge or repairing
a medical clinic in a hurricane-ravaged third world country, the Marine
Corps Combat Engineer stands prepared to accomplish a myriad of assignments.
If the thought of leading combat arms Marines in one of the most diverse
MOS in the Marine Corps appeals to you, consider life as a Marine
Corps Combat Engineer.
WHAT IS THIS MOS LIKE?
Due to the breadth of tasks in the engineer occupational
field, each mission you receive may bring a new challenge. Engineering
is both a combined arms and a combat support function. It is divided
into four distinct areas: mobility, counter mobility, survivability
and general engineering. You will be responsible for training your
platoon to ensure it can accomplish all of the numerous tasks required
of an engineer platoon. Regardless of where you go in the engineer
community, many of the training requirements are identical. The Combat
Engineer must maintain a proficiency in route reconnaissance, demolitions,
mine and countermine warfare, obstacle emplacement, breaching, and
construction. You will be responsible for accomplishing a training
plan that will ensure your platoon will succeed when called upon.
Additionally, the secondary mission of Combat Engineers is to serve
as a provisional rifle platoon, thus requiring you to train your platoon
in infantry skills. The Combat Engineer MOS is available to all lieutenants
although female Marines may not serve in the Combat Engineer Battalions.
You must be at least a class two swimmer and have confidence in your
abilities in an environment where an entire battalion’s success
may rely on your MOS proficiency and military skills.
WHAT WILL I DO AFTER TBS BEFORE I GET
MY FIRST TOUR?
Upon completion of The Basic School, those lieutenants
selected into the 1302 MOS will be assigned to a Basic Engineer Officer’s
Course at Courthouse Bay, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina for a 63-day
period of instruction. There are five classes scheduled per year to
accommodate each TBS class. This instruction in basic and supervisory
level operation and planning skills in engineering related subjects
pertaining to mobility, counter mobility, survivability, and general
engineering will prepare the student to assume the role of an engineer
officer.
WHAT WILL MY FIRST TOUR BE LIKE?
Whether assigned to a Combat Engineer Battalion, Engineer Support
Battalion, or Marine Wing Support Squadron, you will be a leader of
Marines.
The Combat Engineer Battalion (CEB): The Marine Corps currently
has two active Combat Engineer Battalions embedded in the First and
Second Marine Divisions. The 1st CEB is located at Camp
Pendleton, California; 2nd CEB is located at Camp Lejeune,
North Carolina. Additionally, there is a reinforced Combat Engineer
Company in the Combat Assault Battalion in support of the 3d Marine
Division at Okinawa, Japan. Lieutenants in a CEB serve as platoon
commanders in support of an infantry battalion that may include deploying
with a Battalion Landing Team of a Marine Expeditionary Unit. In this
billet, you will serve as both a platoon commander and as the infantry
battalion commander’s engineer officer. You will be responsible
for employing your platoon and engineer equipment in support of the
battalion’s scheme of maneuver whether performing a route reconnaissance
to ensure trafficability of the battalion’s assets, breaching
obstacles to maintain the unit’s momentum, or developing and
emplacing an obstacle barrier plan for the battalion’s defense.
Additionally, you may find yourself performing explosive breaching
and providing mobility to an infantry unit in an urban environment.
The Engineer Support Battalion (ESB): The Marine Corps has
three Engineer Support Battalions, one in each Force Service Support
Group (FSSG). The 7th ESB is located at Camp Pendleton,
the 8th ESB is located at Camp Lejeune, and the 9th
ESB is located in Okinawa. In an ESB, a lieutenant may serve as a
line company platoon commander or a heavy equipment platoon commander.
Deployments from an ESB are normally conducted in company size elements.
These deployments are typically construction oriented and may include
horizontal or vertical construction, concrete, or lumber projects.
Engineer skills are always in demand. You may find yourself as detachment
commander of a reinforced platoon conducting construction in a humanitarian
aid mission. Lieutenants in an ESB may also serve as platoon commanders
in support of a MEU Service Support Group that will include deploying
with a MEU. The secondary mission of the ESBs is to reinforce the
CEBs.
The Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS): Combat Engineers
serve in the Engineer Division in a MWSS. This division consists of
three platoons: one heavy equipment platoon, one utilities platoon,
and one combat engineer platoon. The engineers of an MWSS are capable
of duplicating the majority of the ESB tasks and have the additional
capabilities of constructing expeditionary airfields and refueling
aircraft.
The Aviation Combat Element (ACE) is a vital "deep
battlespace shaping force" to the Marine Expeditionary Brigade
/ Marine Expeditionary Force commander during contingencies. The MWSS
plays a significant role in providing mobility to the ACE. Thus, a lieutenant
serving in an MWSS may be rapidly deployed to a real world conflict
at a moment’s notice.
WHERE MIGHT I GO AFTER MY FIRST TOUR?
As you near the end of your first tour, opportunities
become available for you to truly begin plotting your course. Many B-billets
(billets open to unrestricted officers outside of your primary MOS)
are available in recruiting, facilities maintenance, force protection,
security forces, or you may chose to seek your first command at a recruit
training depot. Upon completion of your B-billet, three career level
schools are available to continue your professional education before
you return to the operating forces. The Amphibious Warfare School (AWS)
and Command and Control Systems Course (CCSC) in Quantico, Virginia
are 9-10 month long periods of instruction that are available to every
MOS. The Army’s Advanced Engineer Officer Course is a 6-month course
held at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. As an unrestricted officer, you
will also be eligible to compete for one of the many other programs
that the Marine Corps has to offer. From the Funded Law Program to the
Advanced Degree Program or the Naval Post Graduate School, many opportunities
will exist for you to explore different realms within the Marine Corps.
WHERE ELSE CAN I LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON THIS MOS?
Engineer units provide a diverse amount of capabilities
and are a significant combat multiplier in the Marine Air Ground Task
Force. This challenging field is heavily relied upon in real world
situations during war and peace. If you want to lead Marines in the
field, be challenged in garrison, and be in a MOS that contains the
most diverse capabilities in the Marine Corps, Combat Engineering
may be your calling.
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