Combat engineers are often described as the Army's mobility, countermobility, and survivability experts. They are not infantry, but they are trained to fight alongside infantry and armored forces, often while under direct enemy fire. Their unofficial reputation as "rough and tough" comes from the fact that they routinely combine technical skills with combat skills.

A combat engineer's mission can be summarized in three words:

Mobility - Help friendly forces move.
• Breach minefields.
• Blow gaps through enemy obstacles.
• Build bridges across rivers.
• Clear roads of mines, IEDs, and debris.
• Repair roads and airfields.
• Conduct route clearance.

Countermobility – Stop the enemy from moving.

• Lay minefields (when authorized).
• Build tank ditches and barriers.
• Emplace concertina wire and other obstacles.
• Destroy bridges to slow enemy advances.
• Create defensive obstacles that channel enemy forces into kill zones.

Survivability – Protect friendly forces.


• Construct bunkers and fighting positions.
• Build command posts.
• Improve defensive positions.
• Camouflage installations.
• Strengthen bases against attack.

Combat engineers also perform many specialized missions, including:

• Demolitions and explosives.
• Urban breaching.
• Water crossings.
• Expedient construction under combat conditions.
• Disaster relief and humanitarian assistance.
• Support to special operations.
• Explosive hazard reduction.

Why are they indispensable to a combat commander?

• A commander can have the best soldiers, tanks, and artillery in the world—but if they cannot move, they cannot win. Combat engineers make movement possible.
• They also make it difficult—or impossible—for the enemy to move. This gives the commander freedom of maneuver, one of the fundamental principles of warfare.

A combat commander depends on engineers because they:

• Keep offensive operations moving.
• Prevent attacks from stalling at obstacles.
• Reduce casualties by clearing mines and explosive hazards.
• Improve the survivability of soldiers.
• Create obstacles that force the enemy into disadvantageous positions.
• Solve unexpected battlefield problems quickly.
• Accomplish missions that no other branch is organized and equipped to perform.

Why are combat engineers respected?

• Combat engineers often work at the point of greatest danger.
• They may be the first soldiers to cross a river, the first to breach a minefield, or the first to clear a road suspected of containing explosives.
• They frequently perform these missions while under enemy fire.
• Because of this, engineers earn a reputation for courage, ingenuity, and persistence. Their unofficial motto, "Essayons," is French for "Let us try." It reflects a culture of tackling difficult problems that others may consider impossible.

A commander's perspective

Many commanders have said that combat engineers are among the most versatile assets on the battlefield because they combine technical expertise with combat capability. Whether the mission is opening a route for an armored brigade, denying terrain to the enemy, constructing defensive positions overnight, or rebuilding critical infrastructure after combat, engineers enable the commander to accomplish the mission.

One way to summarize their value is this:

"Infantry seizes the objective. Armor delivers decisive firepower. Artillery suppresses the enemy. Combat engineers make all of it possible."