The Engineer, Construction, Facilities, and Equipment occupational field comprises Marines whose duties include metalworking and welding; repair, maintenance, and operation of engineer heavy equipment such as cranes and bulldozers; construction and repair of military structures and facilities; clearing and emplacing obstacles such as minefields; construction of standard and nonstandard bridging; and emplacing and detonating explosives for construction and demolition projects. Also, some Marines in the field work with the storage and distribution of bulk fuel products. The opportunity to participate in a formal apprenticeship program leading to receipt of a Department of Labor Certificate of Apprenticeship Completion may be available in some MOSs within occupational field 13. There are a variety of challenging and interesting billets available in occupational field 13, ranging from inspector-instructor duty, to duty with operating forces (MARDIV, MLG, or MAW) or the supporting establishment.
What is an 1302?
Engineer Officers command or assist in commanding engineer units consisting of Marines in various MOSs whose duties include: repair, maintenance and operation of heavy equipment; engineer reconnaissance; obstacle system emplacement; breaching operations, to include reducing explosive hazards; mine/countermine operations; employment of demolitions and explosives; urban breaching; route clearance operations; assault, tactical and non-standard bridging; design, construction and maintenance of combat roads and trails; design and construction of expedient roads, airfields and landing zones; design and construction of survivability positions; expedient horizontal and vertical construction; and design, construction and maintenance of base camps/forward operating bases and combat outposts; storage and dispensing of bulk fuel products; and the installation, operation and maintenance of Tactical Utility Systems.
Are there any prerequisites to becoming a Combat Engineer Officer
Officers must meet the Ground Combat Arms MOS Classifications Standards. For the Physical Fitness Test, officers must perform at least 6 pull-ups and run 3-miles in 24:51 or less. For the Combat Fitness Test, officers must perform at least 60 ammo can lifts, run the movement to contact in 3:26 or less, and navigate the maneuver under fire in 3:12 or less.
Where do I go after TBS?
After TBS, officers will go to the 112 day Combat Engineer Officer Course (CEOC) at the Marine Corps Engineer School (MCES) aboard Courthouse Bay, MCB Camp Lejeune, NC. The purpose of the course is to provide entry-level training to the Combat Engineer Officer for duty in the Operating Forces. The course includes instruction in basic and supervisory level operational and planning skills in engineering related subjects pertaining to staff administration, mobility, countermobility, survivability, demolitions, reconnaissance, maintenance and general engineering.
What is it like being a Combat Engineer Officer?
A typical first tour assignment for a Combat Engineer is within a Combat Engineer Battalion (CEB) as part of the GCE, Engineer Support Battalion (ESB) as part of the LCE, or Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) as part of the ACE of the MAGTF. There are CEBs subordinate to 1st and 2nd MARDIV as well to 4th MARDIV as part of MARFORRES: 1st CEB aboard MCB Camp Pendleton, CA (1st MARDIV); 2nd CEB aboard MCB Camp Lejeune, NC (2nd MARDIV); and 4th CEB in Baltimore, MD (4th MARDIV). Combat Engineers assigned to a CEB in their first tour may serve as a Platoon Commander in direct support of an infantry battalion or battalion landing team (BLT) and are responsible for training and employing their platoon and engineer equipment in support of the battalion’s scheme of maneuver.
There are ESBs subordinate to each MEF as well as the reserve MLG: 7th ESB aboard MCB Camp Pendleton, CA (1st MLG); 8th ESB aboard MCB Camp Lejeune, NC (2nd MLG); 9th ESB aboard MCB Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan (3rd MLG); and 6th ESB in Portland, OR (4th MLG). Combat Engineers assigned to an ESB in their first tour may serve as a Platoon Commander within the Engineer Support Company, Combat Engineer Company, or Bridge Company and are responsible for training and employing their platoon to be able to provide combat engineering and limited general engineering, bulk liquid, and utility support to the MAGTF. There are MWSSs subordinate to each active duty and reserve MAW. See Appendix C, D, E, and F for the location of each MWSS. Combat Engineers assigned to an MWSS in their first tour may serve as a Platoon Commander of the Heavy Equipment Platoon, Utilities Platoon, or Combat Engineer Platoon within the Engineer Operations Division and are responsible for training and employing their platoons to provide limited combat and general engineering support to designated components of the ACE.
Recommended reading for Combat Engineer Officers
Clearing the Way: Combat Engineers in Kandahar. Mark Gasparotto
Breaching Fortress Europe: The Story of U.S. Engineers in Normandy on D-Day. Sid Berger
The Role of Failure in Successful Design. Henry Petroski (free audiobook)
On Desperate Ground: The Marines at the Reservoir, the Korean War’s Greatest Battle. Hampton Sides (free audiobook)
Thoughts of a Philosophical Fighter Pilot. James B. Stockdale
Related occupations
- 1310, Engineer Equipment Officer (III) (CWO5 to WO) PMOS
- 1316, Metal Worker (SSgt to Pvt) PMOS
- 1330, Facilities Management Officer (Gen to 2ndLt) FMOS
- 1341, Engineer Equipment Mechanic (SSgt to Pvt) PMOS
- 1342, Small Craft Mechanic (SSgt to LCpl) NMOS (1341)
- 1345, Engineer Equipment Operator (SSgt to Pvt) PMOS
- 1349, Engineer Equipment Chief (MGySgt to GySgt) PMOS
- 1361, Engineer Assistant (GySgt to Pvt) PMOS
- 1371, Combat Engineer (MGySgt to Pvt) PMOS
- 1372, Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV)/Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge (AVLB) Marine (GySgt to LCpl) NMOS (1371)
- 1390, Bulk Fuel Officer (III) (CWO5 to WO) PMOS
- 1391, Bulk Fuel Specialist (MGySgt to Pvt) PMOS
Sources/Credits: Please note that the information above was derived from and in most cases taken directly from the "Marine Officer MOS Assignment Handbook". The Basic School. Camp Barrett. March 3, 2019. All credit goes to the great staff at TBS for putting this together.
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