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THE MAGAZINE RIR FMY ENG~NEERS FALL ... 'L

ENGINEERS AS INFANTRY 

- -- - 

UNITED STATES ARMY 

ENGINEEER CENTER 

AND FORT BELVOIR, VA -

COMMANDER/COIKMANDANT 

MG James N. Ellis 

DEPUTY COMMANDANT 

COL Alvin G. Rowe 

CHIEF OF STAFFfDEPUTY 

INSTALLATION COMMANDER 

COL Paul J. Higgins 

COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR 

CSM Marvin L. Knowles 

DIRECTORATES 

DIRECTORATE OF ENGINEER 

FORCE MANAGEMENT 

LTC Arthur S Brown 

DIRECTORATE OF COMBAT 

DEVELOPMENTS 

COL Phillip R Hoge 

DIRECTORATE OF TRAINING 

DEVELOPMENTS 

COL Stanley R Johnson 

DIRECTORATE OF TRAINING 

AND DOCTRINE 

COL Ralph T Rundle 

UNITS 


ENGINEER CENTER BRIGADE 

COL Don W Barber 

ENGINEER TRAINING BRIGADE 

COL Peter J Groh 

PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER 


MAJ James E. Kiley Jr. 


EDITOR 

John Florence 

ASSISTANT EDITOR 

SSG Bernard W. Tate 

ART DIRECTOR 

John Florence 

Engine= -

On the cover: 

The rxper~e71cesof t<r>oengrneer battalions trailling as infantry is our courr story. 

Though a secorrdar.y combat 

' ' enpineer mission, seruing as 

infantcr is, as the nuihoi 

k . :' "', . \ ; notes, . .. a wartime mission 

often assumed at a critical 

1Iy' i::, .. 

lime and at a critical lace." 

(photo by John ~10rencei 

Special thanks to Jim Wilson and to the artists 

and proofreaders in the Engineer School's Training Literature Division. 
VOLUME 12 F~LL1982 NUMBER 3 

FEATURES 

8 A Materially Different Bridge 

by Richard W. Helmke 

11 Predicting Concrete Quality 

by Debbie J. Lawrence 

12 Washington's Legacies to the Modern Army 

by David Curtis Skaggs, Ph.D. L, ..-,,,.,. ,',.u,-,r,.li,,. 20 

16 U.S. vs. Soviet Engineer Training 

hy CPT Geor-ge D. Gagaris 

20 Engineers as Infantry 

by LTC James M. Cullem 

25 The German Territorial Army 

b.y LTC Hubertus Dunschen 

29 The Engineer Calculator 

by John M. Deponai 

36 Engineer Support to Ranger Operations 

by ILT Robert B. Underwood III 

40 Paint Problems 

hy Alfred Beitelman 

DEPARTMENTS 

2 CLEAR THE WAY 6 FORUM 

"O~lt.standing,jrib" p. 36 

3 NEWS & NOTES 28 ENGINEER PROBLEM 

41 ENGINEER SOLUTION 

ENGINEER is an authorized publication of the U.S. Army Engineer Center and Fort Belvoir, Va. Unlesa epeeifieally stated. material sppearing herein does not necessarily relleel official policy, thinking or endorsement by any agency of the U.S. Army. All photographs contained 

herein are official U.S. Army photographs unless otherwise credited. Use of funds for printing this publication was approved by Headquarters. 

Department of the Army. July 22, 1981. Material herein may be reminted if credit is ~ivento ENGINEER and the author. ENGINEER OB-

.Ik:("I'l\.ES are to prnvnde s forum for the exchange of idea;, r.3 lnhrm and mclrI>nrr.tn.l to promote the profeewonal de~clopmenrof all mrmb..rs of 11~Army rngtneer family DIRECT CORRESPOSI)ES('E uirh ESt:ISEtR 1. uurhor~,..I and encouraged. lnqulr~ea.letters to the 

rdatsr. . n>anu*rrmnta. . .. ulmotocrauhs " . and ~-e~era. " corres~ona~n~~~11~11I.l 11,. .,vlt 11 k.ci#t~r. F:SCISIKl<. L' S Armr , Enclneer .- Center. Fort Uelvolr. ~ ~ 

Va., 22060. Telephone Autovon 354-3082. If a return of manuscripts or material is desired, a self-addressed envelope is required. .SUBSCRIPTIONS to ENGINEER are available through the Superintendent of Documents, US. Government Printing Office. Washington, D.C., 

20402. A cheek or money order payable to Superintendent of Documents, must accompany all subscription requests. Rates are $8.50 domestic 

(including APO and FPO addresses.) and $10.65 for foreign addresses. Individual copies are available at $4.50 per copy to domestie addresses 

and $5.65 for foreign addresses. SECOND CLASS postage paid at Fort Belvoir, Ve., and Riverdale, Md. ISSN 0046- 1989. 
A new plan 

for ENGINEER 

BY MG JAMES N. ELLIS 

Commandant, U.S. Army Engineer School 

As you know, ENGINEER depends upon its readers 

to supply the majority of articles and information in 

each issue. This allows each of us the opportunity to 

positively influence the quality and content of our 

hranch journal. It is important to take advantage of 

that opportunity. 

New Program 

For our part, we at the Engineer School are working 

to enhance the content of the magazine. In civilian 

R THE WAY 

terms, 1 would be considered the ENGINEER publisher so it is appropriate that I review for you the highlights of our new editorial plan. 

First of all, ENGINEER remains a quarterly publication and will continue focusing upon combat engineering. Beginning with the next issue, however, each 

edition of ENGINEER will be "sponsored" by one of 

the School's four directorates (Combat Developments, 

Engineer Force Management, Training Developments 

and Training and Doctrine). The sponsoring directorate will have space for several feature articles that 

support a general directorate theme. We hope this will 

give you greater insight into the major issues and concerns at the School. This is important because, ultimately, many of these topics become translated into 

policies that directly affect your career or how you perform your job. In addition to sponsoring one issue per 

year, each directorate and the Defense Mapping School 

will have a news and information column in every 

ENGINEER. 

News From MILPERCEN 

There are other changes you'll see in the next issue. 

I'm very pleased that LTC(P1 Paul Chinen at the Engineer Officer Personnel Management Directorate and 

LTC Liston Edge at the Enlisted Personnel Management Directorate (both at MILPERCEN) will supply 

personnel news for us in every issue. Many of you in 

the field have asked ENGINEER to expand its coverage of personnel news. This is one of the ways we are 

meeting that need. 

CSM Column 

The Engineer Center command sergeant major will 

also have a regular column beginning with the winter 

issue; a welcome complement to "Clear the Way," and 

one tailored specifically for the NCO. The USAEC 

CSM is my principle advisor on all engineer enlisted 

personnel matters but focuses primarily on the NCO 

corps. 

Another change begins in this issue. Professor David 

Skaggs of Bowling Green State University has given 

us the first in our new military history series. His article, "Washington's Legacies to the Modern Army," is 

appropriate to initiate the series. As a young surveyor, 

Washington began his first surveying expedition from 

Belvoir on grounds now part of the Engineer School. In 

the traditional sense, we like to claim General Washington as one of the Corps. Future articles in the history series will concentrate specifically on engineer history. The study of military history should be high on 

your professional development agenda. The world's 

great military leaders have invariably been serious 

students of military history. I urge you to tap this 

same resource. We will help. 

Bright Ideas 

And finally, I'm requesting your support for a new 

department called "Bright Ideas." One of the biggest 

favors we can do for ourselves is to review and adopt, if 

appropriate, the innovations and creative problemsolving techniques others have used successfully. The 

first step, though, is to get those bright ideas out into 

the open where all engineers can examine them. I'm 

talking about pointers on a better way to organize 

training, combat engineer/construction tips, or improving unit administrative or supply procedures. 

What we want here are pithy items; a few lines to several paragraphs. Include an address and phone number 

so readers can obtain details directly from the individual or unit concerned. If your bright idea is article 

length, then it's in a different category and will be 

welcomed as a feature story. I hope you will agree this 

new department could become one of the most valuable 

sections of the magazine. I look forward to reading 

about your bright ideas in ENGINEER. 

As ENGINEER Magazine evolves under this new editorial plan, we hope yon will find the journal even 

more meaningful. We look forward to your continued 

support as we . . . 

CLEAR THE WAY 

JNE 
1981 ITSCHNER & STURGIS 


WINNERS HONORED 


May. Also honored at the dinner was the recipient of the 

1981 Sturgis Medal. 

The Sturgis Medal is presented each year to an active 

duty enlisted engineer in recognition of outstanding contributions to military troop 

construction or base mainteI I 

Germany. 

The Itschner Awards recognize the most outstanding engineer company of the active 

Army, Army Reserve and 

Army National Guard, for engineering construction and 

community service. The 1981 

winners were: 

ENGINEERS BUILD WORLD'S FAIR BRIDGE PI,., I,,.o..a i.t~.ll I 

(Combat) (Heavy), Kingsport, 

Tenn. 

Army National Guard: B 

Company, 262d Engineer 

Battalion (Combat) (Corps), 

Belfast, Maine. 

1 

I // 


, I 

s?ZqP-'"' 

'>&Gj 


I

I A communitv service proiect I 


by the Army keserve's-844th 


Engineer Battalion (Combat) 


(Heavy) made life a little more 


oleasant for thousands of visit- 
 I brs to the 1982 World's Fair in I 


Knoxville, Tenn. 

The 844th constructed a 290 

ot triple-single Bailey bridge 

r nedestrian traffic so visitors 

eouid reach the Tennessee Val- I 

y Authority's energy exhibit 

thout having to cross a heavitraveled roadway. 

Thebridge was constructed in 

ree sections. and a crane was 

used to place them because of I 

sufficient room for normal 

nstruction and launching. 

The 844th'~ D Company was 

I I h 5 i I amone - this vear's Itschner l 61 


-1 . I Award winners (see above). I 
RNews & Notes 


READY RESERVISTS 

AID ARMY FROM HOME 

The Engineer School found a 

unique way to combat manpower and fund shortages when preparing training packets for instructors and students at USAR 

schools. Qualified members of 

the Individual Ready Reserve 

were contacted and asked if 

they would prepare, at home, 

instructional units related to 

their specialty in return for retirement points. 

Because Individual Ready Reservists are not assigned to 

troop units, they form a ready 

manpower pool. The Office of 

the Chief, Army Reserve, reports that of 100 Reservists contacted, about 30 expressed an 

interest. The Reservists were 

sent an administrative packet 

specifying the end product desired, specific learning objectives for each course and supporting reference materials. 

The Reservists also had access 

to the Engineer Hotline for 

guidance, problem-solving or 

administrative support. 

Army Regulation 140- 185 

outlines the procedures for such 

ventures. Basically, the Individual Ready Reservist earns one 

retirement point for each four 

hours of work performed. 

According to a spokesman at 

the Engineer School, the project 

was a great success and high 

quality results were obtained. 

Agencies or individuals interested in starting similar programs may contact MAJ Jerry 

L. Crowder at the School. Call 

AV 354-6190 or 800-336-3095. 

SCHOOL'S TUDOR AWARD 


TO CPT MICHAEL PELKEY 


Congratulations to CPT Michael P. Pelkey, recipient 

of the Engineer School's Tudor Award for academic 

achievement in military engineering. 

The award, in honor of Ralph A. Tudor, a 1923 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, is presented annually 

to the Engineer Officer Advanced Course (EOAC) student with the most outstanding achievements in academics, physical fitness, class effectiveness and contributions 

to the school. 

Among Pelkey's accomplishments while attending 

EOAC class 1-81 were a grade point average of 97 and a 

score of 298 out of a possible 300 on the Army Physical 

Readiness Test. Additionally, Pelkey competed in the 

Washington, D.C., Marine Corps Marathon; passed the 

Virgina Professional Engineer examination; was a member of the class football team and served as a full-time 

trainer for 40 Engineer Officer Basic Course students. 

Pelkey is assigned to HHC, 18th Engineer Brigade, 

Karlsruhe, Germany. 

ENGINEERS PREPARE 

GALLANT EAGLE SITE 

Soldiers of D Company, 864th Engineer Battalion, Presidio of San Francisco, Cal., literally paved the way for 

units participating in Gallant Eagle 82. The soldiers deployed early to grade 50 miles of roadway, repair aircraft 

landing strips, clear a helipad site and construct 12 

miles of antitank ditches. 

An estimated 1,300 fixed-wing aircraft, 450 belicopters, 1,100 wheeled vehicles and 800 tracked vehicles 

were used in the training, with D Company providing a 

320,000-gallon fuel-storage depot site and a 140-tent 

cantonment complete with shower points. 

Gallant Eagle 82, a United States Readiness Command sponsored exercise held at Fort Irwin, Cal., last 

spring, involved nearly 40,000 soldiers and civilians in 

the largest Rapid Deployment Force field exercise yet. 
LEGISLATION SEEKS PROMOTION 


OF RESERVISTS ON ACTIVE DUTY 


The Department of the Army has proposed legislation 

allowing promotion of certain Reserve officers serving in 

Active GuardIReserve (AGR) assignments. 

Under existing interpretations of the law, Army Reserve officers on active duty who are promoted to a Reserve grade higher than that held when ordered to active 

duty, may not serve in the higher grade while on active 

duty. The Reservist must either leave active duty or accept appointment in the Army of the United States in a 

temporary grade equal to the grade in which he served 

before the promotion. 

The legislative proposal would effect non-obligated Reserve officers serving on active duty whose promotions 

have been postponed. These delays have made it increasingly difficult to attract and retain quality officers for 

the expanding AGR program, the Office of the Chief, 

Army Reserve reports. Chaplain (CPT) Nicholas J. If Congress approves the proposal, these officers would Kusevich, 17th Engineer Battalion, still be subject to the grade limitations of Section 524 of 2d Armored Division, conducts a the Defense Officer Personnel Management Act field mass wearing olive drab vest- (DOPMA). ments made from an Army para- Under the proposal, a Reserve officer on active duty se- chute. Kusevich is one of only 10 lected for promotion would be eligible to be reordered to Eastern Orthodox priests in the active duty in the higher grade, provided there was a va- Army. Developed in Eastern Europe, cancy in that grade available under DOPMA grade table the religion includes Greeks, limits for AGR officers. If no vacancy exists, the officer Ukrainians, Romanians and Rus- would continue to serve in the lower grade until a vacan- sians. There are more than six milcy occurred, or until he completed his tour and was re- lion of the Eastern Orthodox faith in leased from active duty. At that time, he would be pro- the United States. (Photo by Mark moted to the higher grade, with his date of rank Vitullo) retroactive to the date on which he was eligible to be 

promoted. 

DIVERS NEEDED FOR RIBBON Soldiers E2 through E4 

BRIDGE COMPANIES can volunteer for deep sea 

diving training if they are 

Seven-man diving sec- reconnaissance, building less than 30 years old, pass 

tions will be added to non- bridge protection systems, the Navy swim test and 

divisional ribbon bridge repairing bridges and re- will have 21 months servcompanies (TOE 5-79H) in covering sunken equip- ice remaining after the 

early fiscal year 1983. ment. Some sections will 12-week diving course. 

Divers, MOS OOB, will conduct SCUBA (self- Contact the CMF 51 assupport bridging and ferry contained underwater signment officer at MILoperations by performing breathing apparatus) op- PERCEN (AV 221-7710) 

approach and river bottom erations. for additional information. 
THE 

SOVIET 

SOLDIER 

really 10 feet tall? 

by Les Aspin 

The Pentagon normally reduces manpower. The United States 

comparisons of Soviet and Ameri- I Army tends to be dismissed by libcan military power to "bean I erals and conservatives alike-as a 

counts," to use its own term. In the collect~onof mlsfits and dummies. 

standard news magazine chart, this The Soviet Army on the other 

boils down to a row of Soviet tanks hand, consistently comes off as a 

and a shorter row of American cor~sof tough. -. if not brutalorofes- .. tanks. This chart usually includes slonals-almost superhuman. 

a row of Soviet soldiers in silhon- I ' Military attaches with the 

filling that force. Their evidence: 

ette and a shorter row of American 

soldiers in silhouette. 

The bean count approach overlooks the more crucial question of 

. 

not one single soldier was seen 

wearing eyeglasses. These ohservations have been quoted approvingly 

dozens of times without anyone's 

mentioning that the Soviet Army 

does not issue eyeglasses and that, 

therefore, many of those soldiers 

can't see well enough to aim their 

rifles. 

Those who tout the wonders of 

the Soviet military tend to be nearsighted, too. 

Life in the Red Army is 

tough-not Marine Corps tough, 

but concentration camp tough. The 

evidence is available from a variety 

of sources. Some of the most interestine comes from American and 

United states liaison mission in 

West Germany have visited Soviet 

forces in East Germany and come 

away to write with amazement at 

~uropeaninterviews with Soviet 

emiares. The themes that run 

quality. This is especially true of the tremendous physical specimens 

through their descriptions of Soviet 

military life paint a far different 

picture from that usually held by 

Americans: 

Alcoholism is rampant, 

dwarfing the drug problem faced by 

the United States armed forces. 

Food is poor. Young recruits 

are often denied all but table 

scraps. 

Physical brutality is the norm, 

with senior soldiers freely allowed 

to get their "kicks" by assaulting 

younger soldiers. 

The composite picture is perhaps 

most dramatically summed up by 

the results of a survey by Richard 

A. Gabriel, author of The New Red 

Legions, in which 113 Soviet &migres were asked: "Did anyone in 

your unit ever attempt to commit 

suicide?' More than 53 percent answered yes. That points to something considerably different from 

tough training. 

The Soviet military is far from 

the classless society that ideology 

decrees. The men in each unit are 

in effect divided into two distinct 

classes. The upper class-those 

who have been in uniform more 

than a year-are allowed to unleash a reign of terror on the lower 

class. 

Kirill Podrabinek, a conscript 

who served in an infantry unit in 

Turkmenistan in the mid-1970s, 

graphically described conditions in 

a letter smuggled out of the Soviet 

Union in 1976 to emigres in West 

Germany. He said that younger 

troops were beaten from the first 

day they arrived in the unit. The 

senior troops "instill terror right 

away," he wrote. 
It's not just physical assault that 

causes demoralization. As many 

emigres have said, the food in the 

barracks is poor-when there is 

food. Lieutenant Viktor Belenko, 

who flew his MIG to Japan in 1976, 

said, "I think if we took a pig from 

a good kholkhor (state farm) and 

put it in a mess hall, that pig would 

faint." 

A little overdrawn, perhaps. But 

Podrabinek describes how younger 

troops are deprived of food. Firstyear soldiers sit at the end of the 

table away from the pot of food. 

Senior soldiers are served first. "It 

is understood that if there is something worth looking at in the pot, 

let's say potatoes, and not just barley gruel, the person at the foot of 

the table may not get any. At the 

foot sits the weakest youngster or 

the one who has received the worst 

maltreatment." 

Another former soldier, Aleksandr Makushechev, a sergeant, 

has described how brutality and 

deprivation of food cause friction 

between the two classes of soldiers. 

Interviewed on Radio Liberty, he 

said that first-year soldiers were often denied cartridges on the rifle 

range for fear they might shoot 

their seniors. 

In the United States, the military worries about alcohol abuse. 

In the Red Army, they no longer 

bother to worry. Alcoholism defines Soviet society as apple pie defines American society, so the fact 

that drinking is endemic in the 

military is not surprising. Soviet 

soldiers, paid the equivalent of 

about $1.50 a week, go to considerable trouble to find free alcohol. 

Lieutenant Belenko described how 

his mates would steal. sell or drink 

the alcohol intended for the coolant 

svstems of MIG fiehters. Others 

tell of sneaking into army tanks to 

extract brake fluid in order to 

drink it. 

Soviet leaders frown on drug 

abuse. Despite this, Soviet Bmigres 

report growing use of plan (made 

from opium), anasha (a form of 

hashish) and chefir (a stimulant 

made by boiling tea leaves), not to 

mention medicines stolen from 

medical units. 

When we look at the Soviet Army 

and see a 10-foot-tall hardened soldier, we may be looking at a "Potemkin village." In fact, the Soviet 

Army once literally created a 

Potemkin military unit to ensure a 

perfect performance for the hierarchy, the pseudonymous Viktor 

Suvorov, a former tank company 

commander, relates in his book, 

The Liberators. In 1967, officers 

were assembled and dressed as privates to make sure that everyone 

involved in the exercise performed 

well. In a real war, however, that 

option for mobilizing quality troops 

does not present itself. 

The two keys to the effectiveness 

of a fighting unit are cohesion and 

leadership. 

Cohesion stems from pride and 

mutual respect among the troops, 

who fight because to do otherwise 

would be to forfeit the esteem of 

their comrades. But comradeship is 

an element no ionger found in 

quantity in the Soviet forces. The 

svstem of two classes amone - the 

troops doesn't generate cohesion; it 

militates aeainst it. In Professor 

Gabriel's s;rvey of former soldiers, 

a remarkable 30 percent said they 

had not made even one close friend 

in the service. You cannot have cohesion without the bonds of friendship. Some think that tough living 

conditions produce a tough soldier. 

Podrabinek says that's nonsense: 

"It makes them cowards. A slave 

Un,noshini: //it, SOL'LC~ soldr(.r.: 

Houi good is he? 

who has accepted his lot is always 

cowardly." 

Leadership is the second key element in forming a real fighting 

force. The quality of that leadership is indicated by the failure of 

Soviet officers to address the brntality, the drug and alcohol abuse, 

the food deprivation and the many 

other unsavory characteristics of 

Soviet military life. 

This failure is built into the system. Soviet militarv reaulations require commanders to report offenses by subordinates to the next 

higher headquarters. But the regulations also hold the commander responsible for the subordinate's conduct. The result is that at every 

level breaches are ignored. Even 

the Soviet press has acknowledged 

that reports to headquarters are often little more than "eyewash" as 

officers seek to cover up indiscipline. 

There is a danger of overstating 

this case. Not every Soviet soldier 

is beneath contempt. We should not 

replace the myth of the 10-foot-tall 

hardened Russian infantryman 

with yet another myth of a threefoot-tall starving coward holding 

an empty cartridge case. 

What is needed is a better perspective when Soviet and American 

armed forces are compared to each 

other. 

Is the American military filled 

with too many "dummies"? The 

United States armed forces will not 

accept the least intelligent oneseventh of the population. Soviet 

law provides no such exemption. 

Perhaps the Soviet Army takes in 

voune men from the countrv's minorityes who have only the barest 

acauaintance with the Russian language. Furthermore, as the birth 

rate falls amone Russians and rises 

among, say, ~zbeks, Kazakhs and 

other minorities, the pro~ortion of 

these peoples who do hoispeak 

Russian will rise to one-third of all 

recruits, according to a United 

States Census Bureau analysis of 

Soviet census data. 

Are we suffering an absence of 

experienced sergeants because 

"only" one-third of those finishing 

their tours of duty re-enlist? In the 

Soviet military, only one percent 

re-enlist, and the military doesn't 

really have any corps of experienced noncommissioned officers. 

The Soviet Army does present a 

serious threat. But we only fool 

ourselves and threaten to undermine our own morale when we exaggerate the qualities of the Soviet 

military. 

Les Aspin, (D-Wis.), is a member of 

the House Armed Services Committee. Reprinted from the New York 

Times, June 8, 1982. 
A Materially 

Military Bridge 

by Richard W. Helmke The material isn't, new, but its 

appl~catlonto m~l~tarybridge 

structures is. The material is generally referred to as "composite material," a high strength continuous 

fiber in conjunction with epoxy 

resin. 

A prototype military bridge system produced by the Trilateral 

(U.S., U.K., F.R.G.) Design and 

Analvsis Grouo. resulted in the 

U.S. krmy ~obiiit~ Equipment Research and Develo~ment Command, Fort Belvoir, Va., erecting a 

test bed for comparison of conventional and composite material 

bridge components. 

The approach to testing was to 

replace individual metallic elements within the test bed bridge 

with composite material elements. 

While this technique penalized the 

design slightly at connection 

points, it provided side by side comparison under duplicate load conditions. A 31-meter dry gap support 

bridge (later expanded to 52 meters, Figure 1) served as the test 

bed bridge. 

The conversion to composite materials desirn for bridre structures 

material used. 

In the test bed bridge, the application of composite materials was 

demonstrated in the bottom chord 

sandwich panel, the traversing 

beam. the bridge tensile reinforcementsystem and the wound web 

module. 

The Bottom Chord 

The area most sensitive to improvements in strength and stiffness, is the bottom surface of the 

test bed bridge. The old bottom surface was a 24 inch wide, fiveeighths of an inch thick, aluminum 

plate. The new composite bottom is 

also 24 inches wide and fiveeighths inches thick, but is a layered plate of aluminum, grapbiteepoxy and aluminum. 

The sandwich panel is made up of 

a one-eighth inch thick aluminum 

sheet, a three-eighths of an inch 

thick sheet of graphite-epoxy, and 

another one-eighth inch thick aluminum sheet, fully bonded as 

shown in Figure 2. This encapsulates and protects the brittle graphite with ductile aluminum. and the 

is considerably more involved than sandwich configuration retains 80 

iust the substitution of one materi- percent of the traverse stiffness of 

a1 for another on a property by 

property basis. Probably the most 

outstanding difference in the design approach to composite materials, is that the module of elasticity 

(E) of the material is now a variable, and as such, subject to specification much as we now specify the 

physical properties of common construction materials (hardness, yield 

strength, etc.) The effect of this 

variable for a given material composition allows us to stiffen and relax structural elongations without 

adding or reducing the amount of 

the all aluminum plate it replaces. 

Transverse stiffness is required for 

bank support in a military bridge 

since the location of the bridge reaction can fall anywhere on the 

bottom chord. 

To take full advantage of the floid plastic state through which the 

composite material passes during 

part fabrication, the manufacturing method was developed concurrently with the structural design. A 

piece of composite material 20 

inches wide by ,375inches thick by 

seven meters long, was needed for 

the bottom chord panel. 

It was noted that linear composites had a poor hearing strength, 

that attachment of the pin connector to the bottom chord would reauire undesirahle bolt holes 

<hrough the composite material 

and that the method of fabrication 

should be as inexpensive as 

possible. 

To satisfy all these requirements, 

a continuous wet winding of graphite fiber directly onto the aluminum sheet, two panels at a time, 

was used. The process works as 

follows: 

*The mandrel is placed on the 

vertical winding machine and epoxy 

blanks are attached to the areas 

where bolt holes are to be drilled. 

Multiple rows of graphite are 

threaded through an epoxy impregnating roller and level-wound over 

the mandrel and around the epoxy 

blanks. 

The finished winding is oven 

cured. 

The cured panel is bonded to 

the aluminum face sheet and bolt 

holes are drilled through the epoxy 

blanks. leaving the gra~hitefiber 

unbroken. IT& composite volume 

fraction is sliehtlv . higher - in the bolt

'hole where -the epoxy has been 

pressed out.) 

This winding technique results 

in a rather plain looking, close tolerance panel that is produced 

inexpensively and with little labor. 

Once installed within the bridge it 

is inconspicuous. From the outside 

the composite chords look the same 

as the all-aluminum chords, hut 

looks are the only thing in this 

bridge that remain the same. 

The single change has converted 

a 60-ton capacity bridge to a 70-ton 

capacity bridge, with no increase in 
stress to the metallic components. 

The new bottom panels offer another bonus-they are 30 percent 

lighter than the solid aluminum 

plates. A stronger, lighter hridge, 

with no changes to the physical geometry. It's almost magic! 

The Traversing Beam 

The traversing beam is the structural element used to emplace and 

recover the bridge at the bridging 

site. The beam traverses back and 

forth within the bridge structure 

but never leaves its location between the treadways. Since it is totally supported within the cross 

braces of the bridge, it deflects the 

same elastic curve as the bridge 

does when the bridge is loaded. In 

other words, the beam sees both 

launching loads and bridge loads. 

The current all aluminum beam 

weighs 110 pounds per foot, and 

constitutes 25 percent of the entire 

hridge structure. The all composite 

beam weighs 35 pounds per foot 

and due to its increased stiffness 

carries more of the bridge load. The 

seven meter long test bed beams 

were pinned at each end to produce 

as much traversing beam as there 

was bridge. They were fabricated 

using many of the same techniques 

as used for the sandwich chord. A 

simplified fabrication sequence is: 

Wind a seven meter tubular 

mandrel with gmphite/ep,~xXyat +45' 

190°145" plys. 

Wind continuous graphite loops 

(Iongosj around steel spools on sew 

en meter centers. 

Lay the longa on the box 

winding both top and bottom sandwiches together to form multifingered shear joints. Note that the 

longos are longitudinally staggered 

to produce the desired malelfemale 

pin joints. 

Spacers, sandwich core and previously wound slider tracks are laid 

on the mandrel at the desired 

location. 

The entire windingllayup is 

now ouer-wound with several plys of 

graphitelepoxy completing the 

cross-section. 

The entire bundle is then inserted into a mold and oven cured to 

produce a final configuration which 

requires neither joining nor 

machining. 

This application uses medium 

modules graphite material. Although it is more costly (three 

times) than the metallic element it 

replaces, the projected energy savings due to the reduction in mass 

(7,500 pounds) which must be 

transported, justifies the high production cost. 

Bridge Reinforcement 

A third area of our test bed common to other military bridges, was 

the long span reinforcement system. We used a cablelbar tensile 

system suspended beneath the 

main bridge structure. The variable concern in this system is the 

stretch or deflection of the cable 

system, which in turn controls the 

deflection and load seen by the 

main bridge structure. The stretch 

or deflection of the cable for any 

given length of cable is proportional to the cross-sectional area (A) 

and the modulus of elasticity (El. 

By using a composite material with 

a very high E, such as 55 mpsi 

graphite, it is easy to reduce the cable area (since the cable load is 

low) and, therefore, the weight of 

the cable. 

The overall effect of the change 

in cable material is to transform a 

steel tensile element that weighs 

200 pounds and requires four men 

to emplace, into a composite 

(kevlar or graphite) element that 

weighs 50 pounds and can be emplaced by one man in half the time. 

The method of ~roductionfor this 

element is, again, continuous wet 

winding of the composite into a 

continuous loop. his continuous 

loop, folded end to end, is given a 

90 degree twist and then molded 

into a rigid link. Each 3.5 meter 

link is interthreaded to the next, 

with pin connections required only 

at the king post and bridge 

termination. 

The Web Module 

The web structure used in the 

test bed bridge was a dimple plate 

web configuration. The dimple 

plate is made by pressing rows and 

columns of dimples into sheets of 

aluminum, placing the dimples 

nose to nose and spot welding each 

52 METER DRYGAP SUPPORT BRIDGE 

WITH CABLE REINFORCEMENT 

Figure 1. 'Test hed hridge showing location of bottom chord sandwich panel and 

bridge reinforcement system. 
Figure 2. The bottom chord sandwich panel consists of a ,125 inch 7075-T6 

bonded lo 50 ,nillion psi modulus graphite-epoxy composite. 

dimple. In theory, this produces a 

stiff, stable, thin skinned web 

which is water tight and easily 

weld repaired. In reality, the thickness of the aluminum sheet (.08 

inches) was controlled by the 

thinnest section that could be 

welded, and not by structural considerations which would have required less than half this thickness. The installation of the dimple 

plate webs requires 27 feet of weld 

per foot of treadway-and that does 

not count the 3,000 spot welds also 

required. 

The component that replaced the 

dimple plate in the test bed bridge, 

was the web module. The special 

composite material feature to be 

exploited here, is the fluid plastic 

consistancy of the fabricated part 

prior to final configuration set. 

Simply stated, we can mold and 

shape it without machining. The 

method of fabrication for each web 

module is: 

*Inflate a flexible mandrel (long 

hollow tube). 

.Wind the tube with composite. 

*Lay on web spacers (built in 

stiffeners.) 

*Wind it again with composite. 

*Deflate the mandrel slightly and 

insert it into the mold shape desired. Reinflate. 

The result of this procedure is a 

bridge web configuration which duplicates the geometric constraints 

of the dimple system-a totally 

sealed, hollow-celled, stiff web 

structure which can be either 

bolted or bonded (probably both) to 

the top deck and to the bottom composite chord. 

We are only beginning to test the 

ap~lications of composite technology- in military bridge structures. 

Although some of the designs proposed have been found to be less 

than optimal, the message seems 

clear. Composite materials are 

ready to enter the Army. 

The material must be carefullv 

placed to efficiently use its desirable characteristics. An increased 

number of material property variables are managed in design, and 

the fabrication techniques must be 

mastered in production, however, 

the opportunity for real innovation 

makes the additional mechanics 

worthwhile. 

The common disclaimer, "that 

stuff is just too expensive," does not 

really apply to composite materials 

anymore. The basic raw material 

3 aluminum face sheet 

~rices for graphite are ex~ected to 

recede as ldemand and p;oduction 

increases. while inflation is driving 

up the cost of conventional materc 

als. If we discard the "dollars per 

pound" block for a more realistic 

"dollars per product," we find that 

many applications are suprisingly 

cost effective right now. Composite 

materials have reached the bridge 

site and their impact will he felt in 

the 1980s. 

Mr. Richard W. Helmke is chief, 

Concepts and Co~nposites Branch, 

Marine and Bridge Laboratory, 

U.S. Mobility Equipment Research 

and Development Command, Fort 

Belvoir, Va. Since 1959, he has 

served in various civil seruice positions, including as the Army's chief 

designer for mobile b~idge systems 

with assault, floating and tactical 

applications. Mr. Helmke chairs the 

Trilateral (US., U.K. and F.R.G.) 

Design and Analysis Group zuhich 

gathered data for the recently published Design and Test Code for 

Military Bridge Structures. He is 

a registered graduate professional 

engineer in Virginia. 
Predicting 

Concrete 

Quality 

CERL's new Concrete Control Monitor 

determines quality 15 minutes 

after concrete is placed. 

The Corps' CQM has several significant advantages over other test 

methods. This system, and its predecessors the KellyIVail and 

CERLIKV systems, are the only 

systems that rapidly (within 10 to 

15 minutes) determine both water 

and cement content in fresh concrete. However, the CQM system is 

easier to use than the KellyiVail 

and CERLIKV systems (which require precision preparation of a significant quantity and number of reagents). CQM testing relies on 

instrumental analysis and associated small quantites of prepackaged reagents. 

The CQM system is also easy to 

transport and calibrate. The equipment may be disassembled and 

packed in crates small enough to be 

sent as excess baggage on commercial airlines. The system is calibrated by conducting a standard 

CQM cement content test which 

takes less than 10 minutes. 

In addition to these advantages, 

the CQM system is versatile and 

cost effective. It can be used to determine the lime and cement content of stabilized soils, mixer efficiencies and the presence and 

concentration of chlorides in concrete. The cost of operating the system (on a per-test basis) is significantly less than conventional 

concrete cylinder testing. 

The CQM is being used by the 

Corps of Engineers' Tulsa District 

on soil cement stabilization, by the 

Walla Walla District on roller compacted concrete at the Willow 

Creek Dam project, and the American Society of Testing and Materials is developing a tentative 

by Debbie J. Lawrence 

T he Corps of Engineers' new 

Concrete Quality Monitor 

(CQM) two-test system evaluates 

water and cement percentages in 

fresh concrete samples to predict 

the 28-day compressive and flexural strength potential of the mix. 

Currentlv. streneths of concrete 

--....-- -- "--

days after placement, with final 

strength predictions made 28 days 

after placement. The CQM test of 

fresh concrete can be completed in 

15 minutes. 

The water test consists of mixing 

a known weight of concrete with a 

known volume and concentration of 

salt solution, then determining the 

salt concentration of the inte'rmixed salt solution using a chloride 

meter. The free water in the concrete dilutes the salt solution, thus 

chaneine the salt concentration. 

The strength of the intermixed salt 

solution is directly related to the 

water in the concrete sample. 

The concrete test separates the 

aggregate from the cement portion 

of a concrete sample, then uniformly suspends the cement in a fixed 

volume of water. A fixed volume 

sample of the suspended cement is 

dissolved in diluted nitric acid, and 

the calcium strength of the dissolved solution is determined using 

a calcium analyzer. 

Because cement is mainly composed of calcium compounds, the 

calcium content of the dissolved solution is linearly proportional to 

the cement content of the mix. 

..~~.. 

a 

1 standard test procedure based on . . the CQM and CERLIKV systems. 

.. 

L .i 

Author uses the rnon~tor. 

Recent laboratory and field test 

results show the system can determine the water and cement content 

of concrete to *5- to 7-percent, and 

estimate both compressive and flexural strength potentials to within 

10- to 15-percent. The approximate 

equipment cost is $6,800. 

Debbie J. Lawrence, a chemical 

engineer at the Army Construction 

Engineering Research Laboratory, 

Champaign, Ill., is the principal investigator for the quality controllquality assurance program. She 

worked in construction for the Illinois Department of Transportation 

and as a quality engineerfor General Electric before coming to the 

Corps. A graduate of the University 

of Illinois with a B.S. degree in 

chemical engineering, she is working on a Master's degree in chemical engineering. 
Washington's Legacies 


To The Modem Armvo 


by David Curtis Skaggs, Ph.D. 

Anineteenth-century biographer 

once described George Washington 

as "bolder than Alexander, more crafty 

than Hannibal, wiser than Caesar. 

more prudent than Gustavas ~dolbhus, 

more resourceful than Frederick, 

more sagacious than Napoleon and 

more successful than Scipio." 

Surely no commander has exhihited all these virtures. However, 

neither do I subscribe to Gore 

Vidal's theory, stated in his novel, 

Burr, that "had (either Horatio) 

Gates or (Charles) Lee been placed 

in command of the Army, the war 

would have ended three years 

sooner." 

Thus we are faced with a dual 

image of the commander of the 

Continental Army, and from this 

there is much to learn. For this 

purpose, I shall group his legacies 

into two categories-tactical and 

personal. 

The best known of his tactical 

legacies is his use of surprise. "Surprise," wrote Douglas MacArthnr, 

"is the most vital element for success in war." Few have exploited 

this "vital element" more successfully than George Washington. The 

victories at Trenton, Princeton, 

Stony Point and Yorktown provide 

examples all commanders should 

remember. 

Surprise cannot be achieved 

without developing to a fine art the 

skills of military intelligence and 

deception. Washington's talents in 
these associated areas were excellent. His intelligence agents were 

legion but none exceeded the fact 

that the leading Loyalist journalist 

in British-held New York City was 

in his spy . network. No enemy dis- - position or movement occurred 

without the American commander 

knowing of it. Deception of his own 

movements was critical in holding 

the main British army in Trenton 

while he undertook a forced march 

to Princeton. Both there and at 

Yorktown, His Majesty's generals 

were defeated due to surprise combined with vital intelligence and 

crafty deception. 

C oncurrent with surprise was 

the tactic of peripheral attack. 

After bitter defeats finally taught 

him otherwise, General Washington sought to attrit a superior enemy force through attacks at outposts. Trenton, Germantown, 

Paulus Hook, Stony Point and 

Yorktown epitomize this type operation. It is here that the modern 

Army has the most to learn from 

him. Since the age of Grant, American generals have sought the main 

enemy armed force and grappled 

with it until our superior firepower 

and manpower destroyed the opponent's will to resist. 

Certainly we cannot expect such 

conditions to exist in possible war 

in Central Europe. George Washington learned what FM 100-5 

seeks to teach us all: the U.S. Army 

must prepare its units to fight outnumbered and win. Washington's 

example of skillful concentration of 

force at decisive points is essential 

for all modern commanders to 

learn. Washington, wrote Douglas 

Southall Freeman, "was a bargain 

hunter. He always sought the 

largest gain for the least gore." Peripheral operations achieved this 

and allowed the Americans to control most of the North American 

land area despite many losses from 

Quebec to Charleston. 

A third tactical legacy is Washington's use of defense. Modern 

strategy places extraordinary emphasis on offensive operations, almost to the exclusion of the critical 

role defense plays in forcing the enemy into situations that make him 

vulnerable. For Eneineer officers. 

General washington's skillful use 

of defensive fortifications cannot be 

overemphasized. Nowhere is this 

more apparent to contemporary 

Americans than by walking up to 

Fort Putnam above West Point and 

surveying the combination of defense in depth and mutual support 

that Thaddeus Kosciuszko designed 

to create the Hudson citadel from 

which Washington operated from 

1778-83. 

We need to learn more about the 

importance of tactical strong points 

and their significance to modern 

battle. We need not adopt a Maginot Line mentalitv to comprehend 

that the defense 02EuropLrequires 

use of everv civilian bulldozer, 

backhoe a<d cement mixer to provide the hostile strongholds that 

threaten the flanks and rear of any 

Warsaw Pact force. Moreover, from 

such ~ositions can be made the tvDe 

of peiipheral attacks that wash:' 

ineton utilized at Stormv Point and 

~&lus Hook. 

His final tactical legacy involves 

the use of combined operations. 

While our first commanding general was most inept at combined arms 

tactics (his failure to use cavalry 

and dragoons is a mystery to most 

commentators), his repeated plans 

to exploit the French Navy in the 

American theater is a study in 

frustration until it finally worked 

at Yorktown. From Newport, Rhode 

Island. to Savannah. Georgia. 

Washington's attempts from 1778 

to 1780 to isolate a British earrlson 

with a combination of land-and naval forces failed. A less resolute 

commander would have given up, 

but not George Washington. With a 

persistence that modern commanders must emulate, he tried a fourth 

time. This time it worked. Such 

grand tactics are absolutely necessarv on the modern battlefield and 

must be emulated despite our frustrations. Otherwise we cannot expect victory. The successful modern 

commander-must be as much a diplomat as he is a general. 

Examine Washington's most illustrious campaign-the Chesapeake encirclement of 1781. Here 

we see defense, surprise, 

peripherial attack and combined 

operations in exquisite execution. 

The winter of 1780-81 represents the nadir of the American war effort. Inflation eroded the 

economy to where several hundred 

Continental dollars equaled one 

English pound. Mutiny in the 

ranks of the Continental Army 

threatened to destroy the only national institution existing in the 

country. Militarily the previous 

year saw the defeat of two "armies" 

sent to stop General Sir Henry 

Clinton's effort to destroy the rebellion by attacking its soft underbelly in the South. Defeats at 

Charleston and Camden left Georgia and most of South Carolina in 

British hands. Lord Cornwallis 

stood poised to invade North Carolina and Clinton sent a raiding 

party into Virginia. To stop this 

threatened loss of the whole South, 

Washineton could onlv send a few 

continentals under ~athanael 

Greene to the Carolinas and even 

fewer under Frederick von Steuhen 

to Virginia. By mid-February the 

situation was desperate. One of 

Greene's reconnaissance forces under Daniel Morgan inflicted heavy 

losses to one of Cornwallis' 

flanking commands, but the act 

seemed only to enrage the British 

commander who promptly chased 

Greene across North Carolina. 

Meanwhile, newly commissioned 

British Brigadier Benedict Arnold 

led 1,500 redcoats up the James 

River to Richmond. Steuben 

seemed helpless to stop him and 

was replaced by Lafayette. 

I n May, Washington confided in 

his diary, "In a word-instead of 

having everything in readiness to 

take the field, we have nothingand instead of having the prospect 

of a glorious offensive campaign hefore us, we have a bewildered, and 

gloomy defensive one-unless we 

should receive a powerful aid of 

ships-land troops and money from 

our generous allies and these, at 

present, are too contingent to build 

upon." 

It was these contingencies that 

the success of the rebellion depended, and Washington sought to 

secure from his "generous allies" 

the troops, ships, and money necessary to wage a "glorious offensive 

campaign" against the center of 

British power in North AmericaNew York City. Washington hoped 

that the new French naval commander Comte Francois de Grasse, 

then in the West Indies, and General Comte Jean Baptiste de 

Rochambeau's army at Newport 

would combine with the Contiuental Army to take New York. To this 

end, Generals Rochambeau and 

Washington met at Wethersfield, 

Conn., the last week of May 1781. 

Rochambeau ostensibly agreed to 

the attack on Clinton's force beginning at Staten Island. Since such a 

move would place the French army 

on the west bank of the Hudson, 

Rochambeau was willing to accept 

this plan because from eastern New 
Jersey he could more easily march 

toward the Chesapeake where he 

hoped to entrap Cornwallis' smaller 

force. Informing Admiral de Grasse 

of the Wethersfield decisions, he indicated his preference for the 

southern operation. Deploring the 

sorry state of the Continental 

Army, the French general urged de 

Grasse to bring enough ships. 

troops, and money to insure success 

against Cornwallis. 

To few foreigners does the United 

States owe a more lasting debt than 

Admiral de Grasse. He did more 

than a weak ally could expect. He 

ignored explicit instructions from 

Paris to escort a West Indian merchant convoy to France. He secured 

3,000 French troops from the Santo 

Domingo garrison, and not only received Governor Bernado de 

Galvez's permission to postpone a 

Franco-Spanish expedition against 

Jamacia, but also borrowed gold 

from His Catholic Maiesty's coffers 

in Havana. When word of his pending expedition for the Chesapeake 

reached Washington, the American 

commander dropped his preference 

for New York and joined in the 

greatest combined operation in militarv historv before the landing - on 

Normandy. 

If Washington's predilection for 

attacking New York deviated from 

his pattern of peripheral attack, his 

willingness to modify his plans indicates a flexihilits characteristic 

of all great commanders. Moreover, 

he skillfully used his original plan 

as a deceptive cover for the Chesapeake operation, for surprise was 

a key to success. Clinton must feel 

threatened and Cornwallis must 

feel secure in order that the two not 

cooperate and ruin the opportunity. 

Nowhere else do the tactical 

traits of Washington's generalship 

find better ex~ression than in the 

Chesapeake encirclement. Secure 

in Fortress West Point, he had a defensive position unassailable by an 

18th century arms. Skillful in compromising his own inclinations for 

the locus of attack, he conducted a 

combined operation involving the 

movement of thousands of troops, 

hundreds of miles toward a single 

objective despite numerous obstacles to success. Managing a deception of two British generals, he 

achieved surprise that forced a significant defeat over an army which 

a mere 20 years earlier stood unchallenged in North America. Finally, he recognized that while attacking Cornwallis might not 

achieve a decisive victory over the 

British main force, the loss of such 

an important segment of His Britannic Majesty's army could force a 

major reassessment of the desirability of continuing the war by the 

leaders at Whitehall. Nowhere else 

can a modern Army officer find better examples of the interaction of 

defense, peripheral attack, surprise 

Washington 

had character. No 

other attribute is 

so indefinable, 

yet so essential 

to military 

success . . . 

and joint operations, than in this 

episode. 

Like all successful captains, 

George Washington had character. 

No other behavioral attribute is so 

indefinable, but none so essential 

to military success, than to be seen 

by one's associates and subordinates as having a force of personality that distinguishes the great 

leader from others. Washington 

had this trait. 

Part of it undoubtedly derived 

from his superb physical condition. 

He survived eight years as commanding general without a day of 

leave and only three brief periods 

of sickness. He regularly rode 

horseback, often covering 15 miles 

before breakfast. He set an example of endurance unequaled by the 

heartiest Continental. Moreover, 

his well-proportioned, over six-foot 

physique, gave the image of the 

ideal leader. 

B ut character involves more 

than appearance and physical 

condition. It requires a moral courage that is understood by all one's 

subordinates. His leadership was 

by example. Washington disciplined with justice and consideration, he promoted on the basis of 

talent, he solicited and respected 

the opinions of others, he wrote 

clear, concise and complete orders, 

he exemplified a true patriotism 

and sense of duty, and demonstrated courage on the battlefield 

and in accepting responsibility for 

error. 

He received his lessons in leadership not at a branch school, but at 

the helm of scattered plantations. 

He learned to write clear directives 

not from following a five-paragraph 

field order, but as a correspondent 

in a trans-Atlantic commercial 

world. His tactical and strategic 

policies came not from training at a 

command and staff or war college, 

but from experience and observation. Those of us who benefit from 

the extensive educational program 

of the modern Army still have 

much to learn from this self taught 

gentleman, in leadership, tactics 

and strategy. Education is merely a 

short-cut to experience and George 

Washington exemplifies how that 

ex~erience.no matter how acqu.ired, can produce exceptional 

character in the ereat 

- captains of 

history. 

To this day he is a hard man to 

know. He had few personal friends, 

especially in the Army. He expected and received all the deference due his rank. Washington was 

aloof without being arrogant. He 

avoided familiarity with his fellow 

officers, yet he really cared for the 

welfare of his men. The troops came 

to believe in him. They knew he 

would ask no senseless sacrifice of 

their lives, that he would not destroy their chances of survival on 

the altar of his amhition. Obviously 

he was ambitious, but he did his 

duty as best he could and never 

sought aggrandizement at the expense of others. In the company of 

his officers and men he maintained 

a sense of presence; not familiar, 

not fatherly, not sentimental, 

Washington remained calm and imposing. His reserve was known to 

all. The Duc de Deux-Ponts described him as being "of a natural 

coldness and of a serious and noble 

approach." 

Morallv he walked the straieht - line and he quickly found his integrity constituted an important asset 

to be cultivated without boasting of 

it. He had an internal selfdiscipline that caused him to avoid 

acts that would cause public censure. He feared public criticism and 

avoided personality clashes whenever possible. While he could sometimes he vindictive (witness the 

court-martial of Charles Lee), he 
acceoted the failures of others so 

long'as they contributed to the subordinate's development into a better leader. 

While no two great captains exhibit character in the same manner, George Washington exemplified how conscious inteeritv. " 0, 

patriotism, and responsibility constitute the essential ingredients of 

leadership. No modern captain can 

duplicate his personality, nor 

would one want to, but all leaders 

need those essential ingredients of 

character to inspire those who follow them through the trials of 

camp and combat. 

A sonallty 

second ~ngredient of his per- .. was persistence. Like 

all warriors, he desired a short war. 

It became quickly obvious this 

would not be the case and be undertook those activities necessary for 

~roloneed warfare. He raised a rea- ., ul:~r Army and ;~\.c~dvd dvclalve 


collfllct that lnlaht ~111n.nate 
he 

Continental ~rmy and its existence 

as the symbol of American 

nationhood. He grew with experience and persisted to the end despite defeat, discouragement, and 

defection. 

A modern commentator may feel 

the Army has gone too far from persistence. The siren sang of "win the 

first battle" may symbolize a revolution in our strategic thought antagonistic to the Washington legacy. Sure we would like to win the 

opening round, but frankly we 

must win the last. There will be 

those who argue that the first battle may be the last, but seldom has 

there been a one battle war-ask 

Hannibal, ask Napoleon, ask Hitler 

or Yamamoto about first battle victories. Persistence pays off, as 

Scipio, Wellington, Eisenhower and 

MacArthur can well testify. We 

must prepare not merely to win the 

first battle, but also to continue the 

fight. Persistence is a virtue writers of modern doctrine should not 

ignore. It is also a trait as essential 

to the garrison Army as to the one 

in the field. 

The final Washington legacy is 

both the most difficult and the most 

important-subordination of military to civilian control. Dr. Richard 

Kohn called this the "ultimate 

greatness of Washington.. .No 

matter how difficult the times, desperate his own situation, or great 

his disagreements with Congress or 

the states, Washington never undermined civil authority or threatened with his vast prestige to overturn the government." 

No event so nicely combines his 

three personality traits of character, persistence and subordination 

than the often forgotten Newburgh 

Conspiracy and Washington's response known as the Newburgh Address. Washington's finest hour, his 

most important legacy to each of 

you and all his countrymen, was 

not on the fields of Trenton, 

Princeton or Yorktown, not during 

the bitter winter encampments at 

Valley Forge or Morristown; rather 

it occurred during those frustrating 

months between the surrender of 

Cornwallis and the conclusion of 

peace. With Congress unable to 

meet either its pay or pension obligations and with the value of Continental currency and bonds sinking out of sight, a combination of 

nationalists, financial interests 

and disgruntled Army officers 

threatened a coup d'etat. 

Washington played his cards 

carefully. He maneuvered it so that 

he would address a meeting of officers before the conspirators could 

act. In what was undoubtedly the 

most important speech of his career, Washington described how a 

coup would "overturn the liberties 

of our country, and . . . open the 

flood gates of civil discord and deluge our rising empire in blood." He 

concluded his prepared statement 

with an appeal for order and temperate action that reminds modern 

No generation of soldiers 

deserved more and received less from their 

countrymen. 

readers of Winston Churchill: "And 

you will by the dignity of your conduct, afford occasion for posterity to 

say, . . . had this day been wanting, 

the world had never seen the last 

stage of perfection to which human 

nature is capable of attaining." 

As he finished, he reached into 

his pocket and produced a letter 

from 3 rongres&nan who dricr~bed 

the d~tncult~es of the sltuatlon As

he tried to read it, he paused in bewilderment and, after fumbling in 

his waistcoat pocket, produced 

something only a few members of 

his staff knew about. There was a 

bit of melancholy in his voice as he 

explained: "Gentlemen, you will 

permit me to put on my spectacles, 

for I have not only grown gray, but 

almost blind in the service of my 

country." 

The effect of this tender statement in contrast with the civil war, 

treason and ruination of the ideals 

for which they fought and which he 

had earlier predicted, was immediate. Some officers wept. Virtually 

all recoiled at the idea of a coup 

d'etat. Washington read the letter, 

left the meeting. and the conspirators' plans weredestroyed by the 

response to his charismatic leadership. 

While I urge you consider and apply to your career all the legacies of 

Washington's generalship, both 

tactical and personal, I cannot 

overemphasize the need for you to 

follow the last one. No generation 

of soldiers deserved more and received less from its countrymen 

than that which fought for our independence. General Washington 

could easily have justified seizing 

the reigns of civil authority on 

grounds of national policy. He had 

examples from Caesar to Cromwell 

to imitate. But he refused. He sacrificed the immediate welfare of his 

officers and men on the altar of republicanism. It was a noble sacrifice. When next time a modern politician cancels the pet weapons 

system, manpower increase, pay 

raise or military policy you advocate, recall this final legacy of General Washington. Remain faithful 

to his ideal of reoublican virtuethe mythic oma an citizen-soldier 

Cincinnatus-and innore the easy 

way out-symbolized by the classic 

case of Julius Caesar. 

Dr. Dauid Curtis Skaggs, an 

Army Reserve LTC, is on active 

duty to attend the Army War 

College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa. He 

is a professor of history at Bowling 

Green State Uniuersity, Bowling 

Green, Ohio. 

Copyright 1982 by Dauid Curtis 


Skaggs.All rights reserved. 

U.S. vs. Soviet 


Engineer Training 


cornerstone. 


An integral part of this team is 


the combat engineer, who is located 

well forward with the maneuver 

forces. The combat engineer provides these committed forces with 

essential mobility, countermobility 

and survivability support. 

Another factor that may determine the victor of the next war is 

the state of individual military 

training within the two opposing 

forces. This training poses enormous challenges for U.S. and Warsaw Pact armies, especially with 

the introduction of so~histicated 

equipment, weapons and tactics. 

Without meeting this individual 

training challenge, other military 

training goals are difficult to 

accomplish. 

Field Manual 100-5, Operations, 

and military strategists, agree that 

these factors may be critical elements in determining the victor of 

the next war. By developing an indepth understanding of these factors in peacetime, U.S. soldiers at 

all levels will be better prepared to 

win the first battle. This may be 

done by comparing U.S. and SovietWarsaw Pact initial entry training 

for combat engineers. 

For U.S. combat engineers, initial entry training is conducted at 

the U.S. Army Training Center Engineer. Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. 

The 2d Training Brigade conducts 

One Station Unit Training (OSUT) 

for most soldiers entering Career 

Management Field (CMF) 12. This 

includes combat engineers, Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) 

12B; and bridge specialists, MOS 

12C The atomic demolitions munitions (ADM) specialist, MOS 12E, 

also trains at Fort Leonard Wood, 

but after graduation attends the 

ADM course at Fort Belvoir, Va., to 

qualify for his MOS.' 
The purpose of the combat engineer (CE) OSUT program, is to provide a smooth transition from civilian to military life, and to qualify 

the new soldier in an engineer 

MOS. The 13-week program includes all program of instruction 

(POI) eleinents for basic combat 

training, as well as MOS 12B and 

12C advanced individual training.2 

The integration of these two POIs 

permits early introduction of MOS 

related skills, followed by reinforcement training that ensures 

soldier proficiency. CE-OSUT uses 

one unit and one cadre at one station to complete the training necessary to produce a soldier qualified 

for assignment in an engineer company. This arrangement also allows 

more accurate assessment of individual ability and potential, and 

for swift elimination of unproductive soldiers. 

T.he U.S. soldier's normal trainlng day is at least a full 16 

hours and is designed to challenge 

him physically and mentally. Physical readiness training (PRT) is 

conducted daily and makes up approximately 10 percent of the soldier's total training. 

Although PRT is based on a 

baseline physical training program, the overall program differs 

slightly from unit to unit because 

company commanders establish 

unit goals. The commander also determines the PRT schedule of activities for his unit.3 A unit's daily 

PRT will include some sort of exercise, such as the 'daily dozen,' or a 

grass or rifle drill and a run. Additional physical training comes from 

road marches of up to 15miles, negotiating obstacle or confidence 

courses and playing team sports, 

all of which toughen soldiers physically and mentally. 

Engineer OSUT is basically divided into three phases: survivability, countermobility and mobility. 

In addition to these phases, the 

first few weeks of training are 

spent under a program of "total 

control," to aid in establishing obedience and discipline. During "total 

control," a new soldier is constantly 

supervised by unit drill sergeants 

who indoctrinate the military way 

of life. The sergeants also introduce 

soldiers to general information 

about the Corps of Engineers and 

Army combat engineering. 

ty to survive on the battlefield. Instruction during this phase 

concentrates on physical training, 

basic rifle marksmanship, obstacles, communications, rigging and 

first aid. 

In the next four weeks, instruction centers on conntermobility. 

This includes studying demolitions, 

land mine warfare, the M60 machine gun, the M203 grenade 

launcher and the light antitank 

weapon. During this phase, soldiers 

also receive instruction in map 

reading, communications, mgineer 

tools and physical training. 

The last four weeks compose the 

mobility phase, with soldiers learning offensive skills, such as fixed 

and float bridging, river assault operations and infantry squad tactics 

with assault demolitions. Also during the final phase, soldiers participate in a week-long field exercise 

known as "Engineer Week." The 

week is devoted to Army Training 

and Evaluation Program 5-35, 

Squad and Platoon Missions, which 

allows the soldier to apply new 

skills in a tactical scenario. 

The foundation of the entire CEOSUT program is its performance 

oriented, or, "hands-on" training. 

The soldier learns by doing a task 

under minimum supervision, and is 

later evaluated using diagnostic 

tests that check his progress 

through military, physical and 

combat engineer training. These diagnostic tests are: the End of 

Course Test, given in the seventh 

week to measure mastery of common soldier skills; the Army Physical Readiness Test, during the 10th 

week; and the Combat Engineer 

Test, given in the 11th week to assure overall proficiency before assignment to an engineer unit. A 

soldier must pass each of these 

tests to graduate from CE-OSUT 

and to qualify for either MOS 12B 

or 12C. ADM specialists study an 

additional 17 days before receiving 

MOS 12E. 

BYcnn~p;,rlsun. Sov~ct :,,!libat 

enc1nrc.r 1n111al militnrv training is quite different. The leasons 

for this disparity are beyond the 

scope of this article, however, certain general considerations provide 

a better understanding of the overall Soviet military training 

program. 

One of these considerations is 

that the Soviet Union regards military training, and military service, 

as vital to the nation's existence. 

This concern is apparent in the 

1967 Law on Universal Military 

Service, which provides for "the 

mandatory conscription of eighteen-year-old males in semi-annual 

increments, and also governs the 

system of drafting of young men 

into the armed forces."' The U.S. 

Army, of course, relies on an allvolunteer force during peacetime 

and drafts only during 

mobilization. 

Besides conscription, the 1967 

Law on Universal Military Service 

Combat enginerr OSUT emphasizes teamwork but differs from Soviet 

The first five weeks of the train- training by also stressing personal achievement. (OSUT photos by Vicky 

ing cycle develop the soldier's abili- 
U.S. soldiers learn by doing a task un- - . . - . der minimum supervision. 

establishes mandatory military 

training for all Soviet citizens, beginning at age 16. In contrast, 

there is no mandatory military 

training for the United States general population. 

Finally, consider the upbringing 

of the Soviet children. These children are taught at an early age to 

relinquish their individuality to 

the group and to subordinate themselves to authority. Strict discipline and obedience is developed 

throughout the school system, and 

even earlier, in state-owned nurseries and kindergarten^.^ These 

values set apart the Soviet soldier 

from his American counterpart, 

whose indiuidual achievements are 

repeatedly stressed. 

The Soviet Union's unique military training cycle can be broken into three phases: civilian 

premilitary training, in-service 

training and reserve training." 

Only the Soviet civilian premilitary training and a part of the inservice training can be considered 

comparable to U.S. initial entry 

training. The remainder of Soviet 

in-servi'ce training might he compared to the training performed by 

our TO&E units. Soviet reserve 

training is conducted much like 

trainine in the U.S. Armv Reserve 

or ~atikal Guard. In the 

soviet ~ iof~efense ~ oversees i

the entire training process, establishine the goals. uolitical subiects 

and trainingprograms for the Eoming year.' 

Soviet premilitary training is a 

result of the 1967 Law on Universal Military Service, which established "a compulsory system of premilitary training for all young men 

and women between the ages of 16 

and 18, incl~sive."~ 

. A 

The program, 

begun in 1968, attempts to make 

the transition from civilian to soldier quicker and easier for new 

draftees. Premilitary training is 

general in nature, showing no regard for individual military specialities. The program provides 

young people with the basic military skills, including awareness of 

military organization and regulations, use of small arms (including 

antitank weapons) and civil defense training. They receive 140 

hours of training during the standard preinduction program. Training also includes various field exercises lasting from five to 15 days. 

In addition, the program provides 

for selected youths to receive special training in their second year. 

This technical training ranges from 

driving a truck to operating a radar 

scope. 

The benefits of preinduction 

training are open to argument, and 

some Soviet leaders have expressed 

displeasure with the pr~gram.~ One 

noticeable problem is that the quality of training varies greatly from 

unit to unit. Many new soldiers 

must be retrained in the basic 

skills upon induction. This 

retraining process significantly reduces the time available for conducting essential in-service level 

military training. 

Twice each year, a quota of men 

who have reached their 18th birthday are notified to report for active 

dutv. At this ~oint the commissarists; or draft board, "assign the inductees to the various branches, 

arms and services of the component 

force^."'^ These assignments are 

based on the individual's abilities, 

job specialties or specialties 

learned during preliminary training. On a specific day, inductees 

are taken to their assigned units to 

begin their active duty, or inservice, training. 

The new soldier immediately begins an intensive four week training period known as the "Course of 

the Young Soldier."" This course 

is used to politically indoctrinate 

the new soldier and to complete the 

basic training started during preinduction. The soldier must successfully complete this period of training before he may take the military 

oath of allegiance and begin the remainder of his military training. 

The unit officers, warrant officers 

and noncommissioned officers supervise most of this specialty training, which begins with elementary 

skill instruction. 

In the case of the engineer solPROGRAM OF INSTRUCTION 

Combat Engineer One Station Unit Training 

Engineer training (mines, tools, rigging, bridging, dernoli- 243.5 


tions and Engineer Week) vehicle operations and 


maintenance and camouflage 


~Combat ~skills (first ~ aid, tactics, ~ 
 chemical/biological and 226

radiological warfare, foot marching) map reading, 


squad tactics and bivouac 


1 

Basic soldiering (inspections, drill, military subjects) and 132 


unit taught subjects 


Weapons (M16A1 rifle, grenades, M60 machine gun, light 90 


antitank weapon) 


Physical Readiness Training (Army Physical Readiness 85 

Test, confidence courses, team sports) 

Administrative time (miscellaneous processing) 70 

Testing 

TOTAL 866.5 hours 
Training for Souiet engineers 

iabouel is packaged differently from 

a U.S. engineer's (below), but the 

biggest difference may b~ training 

leadership. 

dier, he will be required to "master 

one specialty and be adequately 

prepared to perform one or two 

other related engineering tasks so 

as to make the engineer special 

sub-units less vulnerable to losses 

of trained men."'2 On the average, 

it will take the soldier six months 

of training to become proficient in 

his speciality. There are no distinct 

breaks in the training to differentiate the progression from elementary skills to more advanced skills. 

However, sometime during that 

initial six month period, the Soviet 

soldier will "graduate," much like 

his American counterpart does at 

the end of CE-OSUT. 

A typical Soviet training day is 

similar to one in CE-OSUT.'3 At 

least six hours of each training day 

is set aside for military instruction. 

The training is very repetitious, 

and learning is by rote. Except for 

political indoctrination, classroom 

instruction is minimal, with field 

training under realistic combat 

conditions the norm. Soviet instructioll relies heavily on simulators instead of actual pieces of 

equipment. This practice extends 

the life of actual equipment and 

keeps repair and replacement costs 

low. 

Physical fitness for the Soviet 

soldier, as well as for the Soviet citizen, is a part of everyday life. Participation in a formal physical conditioning program starts at age 10, 

progressing through five stages up 

to age 60 for men and age 55 for 

women. Active duty military PRT 

is geared to prepare soldiers for 

combat and for the heavy work associated with military service. 

Training includes unarmed combat, 

negotiating obstacle courses, various long and short distance runs, 

gymnastics, swimming, ski racing, 

forced marches and team sports 

play. As in the U.S. Army, "each 

unit commander is responsible for 

the physical conditioning of his 

men" and for the functioning of the 

PRT program.'" 

Although Soviet initial entry 

training is somewhat different in 

structure, it is basically on the 

same level as training conducted 

for U.S. soldiers in CE-OSUT. The 

primary impression is that any military training program is only as 

good as the leaders responsible for 

it. 

1. Information concerning CEOSUT is based on the author's personal experience. 

2. Second Training Brigade (OSUT) 

Information Folder, 2d Training 

Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., 

p. 8. 

3. Initial Entry Training, "On the 

Trail to Better Leadership," 1979, 

Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., p. 18. 

4. Defense Intelligence Agency, 

Handbook on the Soviet Armed 

Forces, February 1978, p. 5-1. 

5. Office of the Assistant Chief of 

Staff for Intelligence, Understanding Soviet Military Development, 

April 1977, p. 35. 

6. DIA, op cit., p. 6-1. 

7. David J. Foley and Frank Stone, 

"The Soviet Ground Forces Training Program," Defense Intelligence 

Report, April 1978, p. 8. 

8. DIA, op cit., p. 6-1. 

9. DIA, op cit., p. 6-2. 

10. DIA, op cit., p. 5-2. 

11. DIA, op cit., p. 6-8. 

12. C.N. Donnely, 'Combat Engineers of the Soviet Army," International Defense Review, Vol. 11, No. 

2, April 1978, p. 194. 

13. DIA, op cit., p. 1-8. 

14. David J. Foley and Frank 

Stone, "Physical Training of the 

Soviet Soldier," Defense Intelligence Report, April 1978, p. 10. 

15.Office of the Assistant Chief of 

Staff for Intelligence, op cit., p. 36. 

CPT George Gagaris is a graduate 

of fhr U.S. Military Academy and 

tire Engineer 0,fTirer Basic and Aduanced Courses. He server1 as a 

training officer and conipany con- 

!?lander with the 2d Training Bde., 

U.S. Army Training Center Bngineer, Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo. He is 

rzow stationed in Gern~af~y. 

ENGINEER HOTLINE 


Engineer related problems, questions and comments can be addressed telephonically to the U.S. Army Engineer School's "Engineer Hotline." The Hotline's auto-answer recorder operates 24 

hours a day, seven days a week. Callers should state their name, 

address and telephone number, followed by a concise question or 

comment. You'll receive a reply within three to 15 days. The Hotline 

is not intended as a receiving agency for formal requests. 

Call commercial (703) 664-3646; WATS 800-336-3095, extension 3646; or AV 354-3646. 
Engi,~ei,r.sfiiini 7'F Szmonetiri.~nioce to neri. ri<,/t,,isii.eposiliri,i.s du,-iizg fhc, (.'I. Hunter Ligpclf F'TX 

ENGINEERS 


INFANTRY 

"Fight as infantry when requiredw-that is an important secondary 


mission of combat engineers. It is a wartime mission often assumed at a 


critical time and at a critical place. But, how often does the 


combat engineer command a combined arms team in peacetime? 


by LTC James M. Cullem 
The troops of two engineer battal~ons duck down deeper into 

key role in holding positions to the mand post and to improve camounorthwest of Bastome and won a flage techniques. Several TEWTs 

their foxholes as artillery rounds Presidential Unit eitation for its (tactical exercises without troops), 

whistle overhead, winging their ~erformance. These battalions and and a ground and air reconnaisway toward attacking enemy for- other engineer units, fighting as sance of the battle area were conmations in the open field ahead. infantry, won the praise of Maj. ducted at Fort Hunter Liggett. 

The friendly artillery support is Gen. Troy H. Middleton, the VII 

comforting to the defenders dug-in Corps commander.' 

on the high ground. But in quick The 14th Engineer Battalion, Task Organization 

response, enemy guns initiate among others, fought as infantry in Not equipped with organic 

counterfires causing friendly casu- Korea, especially during the de- TOWS, armor, scouts or mortars, 

alties, decimating troops and fense of the Pusan perimeter in the engineers had to be provided 

equipment still in the open. Amidst 1950.= Since the end of the Korean these weapons and personnel to acsmoke and confusion, battle is War, however, there has been little complish their mission. The initial 

joined between attacking infantry opportunity for combat engineers to task organization is shown in Figand defending engineers. train as infantry forces. The Hunt- ure 1.The combat support company 

So went the opening event of a er Liggett FTX, then, was an un- (CSCI of the 2132 Infantry Battal7th Infantry Division field training usual engineer training op- ion and a company (-) of tanks 

exercise (FTXI at Fort Hunter Lig- portunity. from the Combat Development Exgett, Cal., a unique FTX in that turn mmhot nnninno* hnttalinn. vn. 11.1 
 -"-."-"...--.I-"""..V..", 

organized as infantry under a brigade headquarters, were engaged 

in a "defend" mission. 

Concept 

The scenario for the FTX reflected a classical battle plan. A friendly nation with which the U.S. had 

treaty commitments, "Dagon," possessed rich uranium mines coveted 

by its northern neighbor, "Ur." Ur 

invaded Dagon, scored significant 

early successes, and the United 

States sent the 7th Infantry Division to assist Royal Dagonian 

forces. 

The 1st Brigade, 7th Infantry Division, played the Urian forces, and 

the 2d Brigade, 7th Infantry Division, played the lead elements of 

the 7th Division. ~ Since ~ ~~~ the ~ 7th Division is a "roundout" unit with I 

only two active brigades, no other 

infantry troops were available to .-@:.

play the Dagonian forces. 

LTC Ciair P. Gill's 14th Engineer 

Battalion (Corps) (Combat) of three 

line companies a headquarters Task organization fur the engineers-as-infantr.~FTX. 

company was available, as was the 

divisional 13th Engineer Battalion 

(Combat) commanded by LTC Jo- Preparations perimentation Command (CDEC) 

seph A. Simoneaux. The latter unit were attached to the 14th Engiconsisted of two active duty line In February and March 1980, the neers. The CSC of the 3132 Infantry 

companies and a headquarters com- 13th and 14th Engineer Battalions and the engineer company of CDEC 

pany. The division artillery conducted training in infantry tac- were attached to the 13th Engi- 

(DIVARTY), with a doctrinal role tics and employing artillery and neers. A Company, 13th Engineers, 

as alternate division command mortar fire, close air support and remained in its traditional role 

post, served as the Royal Dagonian TOW missiles. Officers from the with the 1st Brigade, the Urian 

Brigade headquarters. 7th Division's 3132 and 2/32 Infan- forces. Both engineer battalions 

Combat engineers fighting as in- try Battalions, the division Air were supported by artillery fire 

fantry is not unique. In December Force liaison office and DIVARTY support teams (FIST), tactical air 

1944, during the Battle of the provided instruction. control parties (TACPI, and forBulge, the 1278th, 299th, 35th, and Field exercises in March and ward maintenance suDDort teams. 

158th Engineer Battalions fought April gave both engineer battalions Helicopters from thL-l1l0th Air 

side by side as infantry defending good opportunities to debug their Cavalry, Redeve and Vulcan gun 

the approaches to Bastogne. The communications procedures, prac- sections from ihe division airde51st Engineer Battalion played a tice rapid deployment of the com- fense artillery (ADA) battalion, 
and ground surveillance radar 

(GSRs) teams were also in support. 

As per battalion SOPS, heavy 

equipment, trucks and most engineer tools and kits were sent to the 

field trains area as soon as the battle began. 

Each engineer task force was 

named after its commander. The 

units were deployed to Fort Hunter 

Liggett on April 30 and the task 

forces were organized in place by 

May 3. 

The Battle Area 

The terrain at Fort Hunter 

Liggett consists largely of treeless 

plains and open valleys which provide maneuver room for small tank 

forces. There are also areas of rocky 

mountains, grassy hills, lakes, 

streams and wooded areas conducive to dismounted infantry operations. Though the total size of the 

maneuver area was limited, it was 

nonetheless ideal for the FTX. Both 

task forces (TF) were to defend well 

forward in their sectors. TF Gill, 

the larger, was on the left flank defending a sector five kilometers 

wide which included the major 

mechanized avenues of approach. 

Smaller TF Simoneaux defended a 

narrower sector, two and one-half 

kilometers wide, on the right flank 

with higher and more mountainous 

terrain. The terrain in both task 

force sectors provided a series of 

natural delay positions. 

Although restricted access to the 

battle area prior to the exercise 

precluded the installation of a maximum number of obstacles and 

fighting positions, aerial drops of 

barrier materials to the initial DOsitions of both engineer battalions 

were made by C130 aircraft on 

May 4. The airdrop provided excellent training in Air Force resupply 

operations in the forward combat 

zone. These materials were used to 

construct obstacles forward of initial task force positions. Organic 

engineer dozers and backhoes dug 

in the tank and TOW positions. 

Close coordination between engineer and attached infantry and armor troops yielded optimum weapon, obstacle and fighting position 

interaction. 

Attack, Counterattack 

The DIVARTY's live-fire preparation on May 5 was made as realistic as possible so the troops could 

experience friendly artillery fire 

passing overhead and impacting to 

the front. The positioned engineers 

had full view of the artillery preparation and gained a heightened appreciation for the effectiveness of 

artillery and the need for well built 

foxholes with overhead cover. Following the artillery preparation, 

Urian forces began daylight probes 

along the entire Royal Dagon Brigade front. Friendly ambush 

patrols, outposts, and CSC scouts 

screening in front of Dagon positions proved invaluable in "seeing 

the battlefield" during the early 

engagements. Also, the initial 

placement of obstacles and battle 

positions paid large dividends in 

tilting initial combat ratios in favor of the defenders. 

However, a battalion-sized night 

assault against the Dagon left 

flank company was successful after 

a long and confusing battle. Team 

A, TF Gill, withdrew under pressure and the flanking maneuver by 

the enemy penetrated several kilometers into friendly territory. At 

the same time, on the Dagon right, 

the TF Simoneaux's CDEC was attacked by dismounted infantry and 

an airmobile assault force, but the 

company was able to hold its position. In addition, an artillery attack on the TF Gill tactical operations center (TOC) resulted in 

personnel losses to the battalion 

staff. 

At this critical time, the 

Dagonian Brigade commander 

(DIVARTY commander) ordered a 

counterattack. TF Tidwell, led by 

the commander, CSC, 2132 Infantry, was formed. From all the 

scouts of both the 2132 and 3132 

CSCs and the CDEC tank company 

(eight tanks) which had been originally attached to B Company, TF 

Gill. A platoon of engineer troops 

on 5-ton trucks was detached from 

C Company, TF Gill. This mobile 

force was assembled and in position 

by 0400 hours. TF Tidwell was to 

thrust across the TF Gill sector behind the strongly held B and C 

Company positions and strike the 

enemy column. The counterattack 

was launched at 0445 hours supported by artillery, attack helicopters and tactical aircraft. It was a 

total success. 

Early Lessons Learned 

The first major engagements of 

the "war" provided some very useful lessons. Probably the most significant was the need to anticipate 

the unexpected, and look for it to 

happen at night. Although the low 

valley approaches in the center 

were obviously the major avenues 

of approach, the enemy forces 

massed against the flanks in a 

night attack and bypassed the 

strongly defended center. Only a 

dogged defense and a preplanned 

counterattack saved the day. 

The active defense envisioned in 

mechanized warfare requires quick 

lateral and reinforcing movement 

of troops on the FEBA (forward 

edge of the battle area). Dismounted infantry, however, have a 

difficult time diseneaeine. - - and can- -. not move laterally across the battlefield quickly enough to react to a 

penetration. As opposed to the cur- 
rent philosophy of mechanized warfare where most available forces 

are committed to likely avenues of 

approach, an engineer battalion, 

reorganized as dismounted infantry, ought to keep a reserve of at 

least one platoon. Trucks or other 

vehicles must be available for 

transportation, and supporting 

arms such as scout jeeps, armor, 

and artillerv need to he earmarked 

once the reserve is committed. 

The inherent vulnerabilitv of the 

TOC to artillery fire becade evident the first day. The best 

alternate TOC is the combat support company headquarters because the CSC has adequate radio 

communications and usually has 

the TOC backup mission in an infantry battalion, Care must be 

taken to conceal the TOC's location 

from the enemy. TOCs should be 

moved at least once every 12 hours. 

It must be well dug in and be located away from hilltops, crossroads or other locations likelv to be 

targeted by enemy artiller;. The 

terrain should be used to mask sic- - nal emissions. 

Action The Second Day 

On the second day of the war, the 

engineer troops engaged in a delaying action all along the front. 

Despite Dagonian successes the 

previous night, Urian forces again 

penetrated the left flank and continued to advance. The rate of 

movement of these forces set the 

pace of the delay as TF Gill sought 

to avoid envelopment on the left. 

Contact between TF Gill and TF 

Simoneaux was maintained during 

the delay and precluded Urain 

forces from slipping between the 

two units. Because TF Simoneaux's 

movement was slowed by the rugged terrain, an airmobile operation 

was used to move the engineers 

from their second to their third 

position. 

It was during this phase of the 

operation that Murphy's Law came 

into full play and a most significant 

communications problem developed. The loss of the TOC (and 

switchboard) on the first day, coupled with a defensive battle that 

turned into a delaying action, 

caused a complete breakdown of 

communications. During movement, engineer company teams 

were unable to tie into pre-laid 

wire and FM communications were 

severely hindered by the terrain, by 

unskilled operators, and by a lack 

of radios at the company level. Radio communications were lostlaterally and vertically-within TF 

Gill for a period of about six hours. 

The direct consequence was loss of 

control and the opening of serious 

gaps in the defensive positions 

along the secondary line of defense. 

More Lessons 

Units must establish contact 

with adjacent units on the ground, 

and must insure radio or wire communications to higher headquarters are maintained at all times. 

Alternate means of communications, pre-established rally or contact points, use of pyrotechnic signals, etc., must also be agreed to 

beforehand. Since cryptographic 

key changes can also cause serious 

radio ~roblems. thev must be anticipated and drobiems corrected 

auickly. Every unit must habitualiy encode it~-~rid coordinate position and send it to higher headquarters. No unit should leave a 

position, especially a critical road 

block or fortification, until physically replaced by the relieving unit. 

Fatigue, both physical and mental, 

took its toll and was reflected in 

leader's decisions and in the troop's 

performance. Leaders must find 

time to sleep and to obtain rest for 

Ser~oiisproblem* i~ ith [LLre and FM 

com~nunicutions led to control problems and defens~ue gaps 

their men during lulls in the battle 

or the troops will be close to ineffective after 72 hours of combat. 

The Last Day 

May 7 was devoted to improving 

the final defensive line and coordinating for the passage of lines by 

the 2d Brigade, 7th Infantry Division. More live artillery was fired 

at 1600 hours to prepare the battlefield. The actual passage of lines 

took place between 2030 and 2200 

hours. Despite extensive 

coordination during the day, several friendly units exchanged gunfire, a testimony to the difficulty of 

accomplishing such a maneuver at 

night in the face of the enemy. 

After the Dassaae of lines, TF 

Simoneaux was reorganized. lt released the CDEC engineers and 

other attachments and placed B 

Company, 13th Engineers, in direct 

support of 2d Brigade, 7th Infantry 

Division. TF Gill also released its 

attachments and reverted to its 

corps engineer role. The 13th Engineer Battalion, with AI13th direct support to the 1st Brigade 

(Urian) and Bl13th direct support 

to the 2d Brigade (7th Infantry Division), remained in the exercise 

until May 9 accomplishing missions as combat engineers. 

Conclusions 

Historically, engineer battalions 

have been reorganized as infantry 

only when the tactical situation 

reached a crisis stage. Little in the 

way of armor, artillery, antiarmor 

or air support assets are likely to 

be available. Nevertheless, engineers must know how to employ 

these assets as a combined arms 

team. They must continue to apply 

their special expertise in maximizing the defensive capabilities of the 

terrain and utilizing available obstacles to optimize the effectiveness 

of weapons systems. Engineer 

troops must he capable of fighting a 

delaying action, whether supporting arms are available or not. 

Engineers fighting as infantry 

are likelv to be thinlv stretched 

and oppdsed by supe;ior forces. 

Nevertheless, they must somehow 

retain the ability to counterattack. 

Contrary to traditional engineer 

SOPs, enough vehicles must be 

kept close to the FEBA so troops 

can move laterallv. reinforce or 

counterattack quickly. Several 

5-ton dump trucks at the right time 

and place'can mean the d17fference 

between winning and losing. 

Friendly forces can expect plenty 

of incoming artillery so they should 

he well dug in with covered and 

concealed positions with protected 

routes of egress and ingress. This 

fact warrants a second look at typical engineer reorganization SOPs 

which program the heavy construction equipment to move to the rear. 

A better tactic might he to retain 

the equipment up front until the 

very last minute to dig positions 
- - 

and create obstacles. Equipment 

would then withdraw only as far as 

the next positions and go to work 

again. Engineer equipment used in 

this manner can have a great multiplier effect upon the combat power of the fiebtine forces. 

Since infantry operations lend 

themselves to nieht fiehtine in rue- - - u 


ged terrain, engineer troops must 

train in that type of an environment. 

basis. The set-piece nature of the 

FTX allowed it to work well, but a 

more free-flowing tactical situation 

could easily result in serious control problems. 

The FTX was a rewarding and 

challeneine ex~erience for the engineersr Tiey had the opportunity 

to ~lan and coordinate for the exercise, and to fight as infantry under 

the direction of a brigade headquarters. Most of the significant 

A price is paid in over all combat effectiveness 

when engineers are diverted from their 

primary combat engineer role to perform 

their secondary infantry role. 

If the engineer battalion receives 

an attachment of armor, it must 

also receive adeouate maintenance 

and support packages. During the 

FTX, failure to provide such a 

package led to fuel or maintenancerelated losses of 50 ~ercent of attached armor assets within 72 

hours. 

From a logistical standpoint, the 

organization of field trains and 

combat trains was successful. The 

field trains contained the bulk of 

51/54 and maintenance assets 

while the combat trains contained 

only those S1 and S4 elements 

needed forward to control the flow 

of supplies, respond to equipment 

recovery requests, and to coordinate the flow of replacements and 

evacuate casualties and refugees. However, the exercise ran too 

short to determine whether the 

train's organization, provided from 

organic assets, could sustain the 

battalions over an extended period 

of time. For the most part, the engineers supplied themselves from 

their initial three-day basic load of 

ammo and fuel, and required little 

actual resupply. In addition, as is 

often the case in training, transportation and logistical capabilities in 

support of an actual defensive ohstacle plan were not tested. Provided that the trucks of the engineer 

battalion remain available in the 

battle area, engineers should be 

able to handle the resupply requirements of an infantry 

operation. 

Operating as part of a brigade requires coordination on a continuous 

lessons learned have already been 

discussed above. However, two 

unresolved ~roblems are worthy of 

a final note: 

1. Communications remain an 

unsolved problem. By TO&E (table 

oreanization and eaui~ment), there 

are insufficient men and materials 

to establish telephone communications from battalion to company. 

The use of wire from company to 

platoon and from platoon to squad 

is, however, feasible under current 

TO&E. Secondly, the currently 

available radio teletype systems 

are extremely difficult to put into 

operation and to maintain. It is recommended that engineer units be 

augmented with additional radios 

and communication assets for the 

infantry mission. 

2. A price is paid in overall combat effectiveness when engineers 

are diverted from their primary 

combat engineer role to perform 

their secondary infantry role. Such 

a reorganization in combat should 

take place only after the commander has fully considered the consequences of losing engineer combat 

multipliers. As noted in Hugh M. 

Cole's History of the U.S. Army in 

World War II, the Ardennes: Battle 

of the Bulge: 

"The magnificent job which Maj. 

Gen. Middleton later ascribed to 

the engineers credits them in their 

role as infantry . . . Nonetheless, 

the story of the Ardennes barrier 

lines does make clear that use of 

engineers in their capacity as 

trained technicians often paid 

greater dividends than their uses 

as infantry, and that a squad 

equipped with sufficient TNT 

could, in the right spot, do more to 

slow the enemy advance than a 

company armed with rifles and machine guns."3 

However, in future wars there 

still will be occasions when engineers will reorganize and fight as 

infantry. Whether the action is 

squad or brigade-sized, combat engineers must remain as capable 

and as motivated as their predeeessors to live up to the motto 

"Essayons" (Let Us Try) . . . to 

fight, and to win. 

FOOTNOTES 

1. U.S. Army in World War IZ, European Theater of Operations, The 

Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge, 

Hugh M. Cole, Office of the Chief of 

Military History, Dept. of the 

Army, Chap XIV. 

2. U.S. Arm,y in the Korean War, 

South to the Naktong, North to the 

Yalu, Roy E. Appleman, Office of 

the Chief of Military History, Dept. 

of the Army, Chap XXIIV, XXIV. 

3. Ihid, Cole, page 329. 

LTC James M. Cullem is a grnduate of the U.S. Mi1itar.y Acaderny, 

and has a master's degree in. civil 

engineering from the Massachussetts Instilute of Technology and a M.B.A. from Long Island Uniuersity. He has completed Airborne and 

Ranger truining, the Engineer Officer Advanced Course, Command 

and General Staff College and the 

Naval Postgraduate School. Cullem 

has served in cornbat engineer units 

in Germany, Vietnam and CONUS, 

arid was the 14th Engineer's execu- tive officer during the FTX described here. Cullem, a registered 

professional engineer in California 

and Virginia, is now director of 

engineering and housing, US Military Community Actiuib-Mannheim, Germany. 
THE 

GERMAN 

TERRITORIAL 

ARMY An important link between West 

Germany's military and civilian 

spheres, and a vital wartime 

asset to allied forces. 

by LTC Hubertus Dunschen 

n the face of it, many a soldier 0.~nthe U.S. Army is tempted to 

regard the German Territorial 

Army as a kind of German Army 

National Guard. Mission and organizational structure, however, 

are not comparable. Since the German Territorial Army has-among 

other things-a mediating function 

with regard to allied NATO forces 

in Germany, each American officer 

who is either stationed in Germany 

or a member of a reinforcement 

unit would be well advised to familiarize himself to some extent with 

the characteristics of the German 

Territorial Army. 

Army Structure No. 4 

The German Army is composed of 

three major elements: the Army 

Field Forces (assigned to NATO), 

the Territorial Army (under national command) and the General 

Army Office (national command in 

charge of central Army agencies 

and schools). In the late 1970s, following intensive structural studies, 

the German Army began to adopt a 

new organization, known as Army 

Structure No. 4. 

The basic organizational structure of the engineers in the Army 

Field Forces was retained; i.e., one 

(organic) armored engineer company in each brigade, one engineer 

battalion per division and one engineer command per corps. The commanders of these regular units at 

the same time serve as engineer 

commanders within their respective major formation and as advisors in engineer-related matters to 

their next higher commander. 

Nevertheless, the internal structure, organization and equipment 

of both engineer battalions and engineer companies were changed 

and adapted to the overall concept 

of Army Structure No. 4. All engineer units are fullv mobile with the 

brigade engineers being armored. 

The engineers of the Armv Field 

Forces are employed on the'battlefield in a direct combat support 

role. In keeping with the defense 

concept of the German Armed 

Forces, their main mission is to 

impede enemy movements within 

the scope of operations conducted 

by the maior formations soonsored 

b; them. " 

The Territorial Army 

When setting the objective for 

the new Army Structure No. 4, the 

chief of staff of the Army considered it imperative to strengthen 

the Territorial Army and to make 

it better suited to fulfill its many 

missions. Those main tasks of the 

Territorial Army are: 

1. To act as mediator between the 

military and civilian spheres. 

2. To maintain the freedom of operation for NATO forces in the territory of the Federal Republic of 

Germany by means of: 

rear area protection 

military movement control 

measures 

supporting river crossing 

operations 

NBC defense measures 

damage repair 

explosive ordnance disposal 

psychological defense measures 
establishing - and ooeratinn

communications 

Furthermore, the Territorial 

Army is: 

to assume special command 

German Territorial Army 

Levels of Command & Cooperation 

and controi, and support 

tasks HEADQUARTERS \ COMMAND -------- to ensure readiness of person- COMMANDS 

nel, logistics as well as medi- ,AIR FORCSINIIVI, 

cal care and support COMMANDS, 

to assist in civil defense 

operations 

Thus, the German territorial commander renders direct support to 

the NATO commander to carry out IDISTRICT, GOVERNMENT 

his mission. I MILITARY DISTRICT 

To accomplish its comprehensive 

mission, the Territorial Army 

makes use of its territorial head- ----- quarters organization, which covers the entire territory of the Federal Republic of Germany, and, its 

territorial forces which are used for 

mobile employment. 

The Territorial HQ 

The territorial headquarters or- Figure I. 

ganization is adapted to both the 

political structure of the Federal 

Republic of Germany and to the (WBV) as higher agency of the Fed- the Federal Armed Forces AdminNATO command structure in Cen- era1 Armed Forces Administration. istration and the various levels of 

tral Europe. The organization Subordinate to these Military Dis- state and local government in the 

consists of Territorial Command trict Administrative Offices are a Federal Republic of Germany. 

Schleswig-Holstein, the Territorial number of Garrison Administrative To ensure smooth cooperation in 

Northern Command and the Terri- Offices (STOV) as local agencies of wartime as well there is a liaison 

torial Southern Command. the Federal Armed Forces Admin- organization of the Territorial 

Subordinate to these Territorial istration. This organization of the Army. Figure 2 illustrates the comCommands are the Military Dis- Federal Armed Forces Administra- plexity of both tasks and cooperatrict Commands (WBK), which in tion, however, is not part of the tion even at the lowest command 

turn have Military Region Com- Territorial Army. It is independent level of the Territorial Army, the 

mands (VBK) as subordinate of the armed forces and is to coop- Military Subregion Command 

agencies, which in turn command erate with them to fulfill adminis- (VKK), which is shown as the hub 

Military Subregion Commands trative tasks related to the of the liaison network. The same 

(VKK). Bundeswehr. Figure 1 shows the applies to VBK and WBK with reEach Military District has a Mil- levels of cooperation between the spect to their allocated levels of 

itary District Administrative Office NATO forces, the Territorial Army, cooperation. 

Territorial Forces 

To accomplish the second essential part of its mission, to maintain 

OTHERCIVIL NClGHBOlllNG the freedom of operation of NATO 

forces on the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Home 

Defense Force and several territorial service support commands are 

BRIOADLS OR placed under the command of the ClTlES LOUIVIIIENT Territorial Army. Both combat MILITI\RI UNITS power and the number of home deMILIT~RI SUBREOION fense units have considerably inCOMMaNOER creased within the framework of 

Army Structure No. 4. While al-

$70" OARRISON most exclusively consisting of un- 6DMIN OFFICE CONTROL AGENCY armored units in the past, mechanized armored units of the Home SECURITY PLTI Defense Force have now been actiFieurr 2. vated for rear area securitylrear 

Pusrihir opc~mlio,ralli~lkso/'fhe Gerrrrnrr Terrirorioi Ar,,iy, srihrep,onoi lt,i:ci. area protection. 

In addition, the Territorial Army 
commands a number of command cadre-strength units which can he deterrence posture of the alliance. 

and control, combat support and lo- brought up to strength with reserv- To share the burden and to detergistic elements as well as special ists within a relatively short period mine specific commitments, an 

agencies and organizations to ful- of time. Their equipment has al- agreement on WHNS was signed by 

fill the following tasks: ready been pre-positioned at mobi- the United States and the Federal 

militarv movement control lization bases. Republic of Germany on April 15, 

engineer support, including 1982. In accordance with the agreearea damage control Host Nation Support ment, Germany assumes consideraNBC defense measures The tasks listed above to some ble capital expenditures and opercommunications support extent coincide with individual ating costs and has committed 

. 

osvcholoeical d~ ~ ~-~~ defense host nation support (HNS) func- itself to ~rovideoersonnel (militarv

operations tions. The G'F-man Territorial and civiiian) on'a permanent bas& 

enforcement ~ ~~~ ~~. of militarv law Army is therefore an essential car- for WHNS tasks alreadv in Deaceand order rier,~aswell as coordinator and me- time. In addition, more than 90,000 

POW diator, for HNS in peacetime and men will be made available to sup-

* military geographic and gee- wartime. The allied forces will sub- port U.S. forces in wartime. 

physical support mit their requirements within the An umbrella organization, to be 

logistic and medical support scope of HNS to the appropriate set up in peacetime, is to assume 

for GE and assistance to al- agencies of the Territorial Army. In command and control, logistics and 

lied forces this connection, military support is training of the German support 

personnel mobilization and not the main objective of wartime forces. 

replacement host nation support (WHNS), hut 

public relations rather the provision of both Territorial Army Engineers 

procurementiuse of civilian el support and services through ac- Engineer forces form an organic 

services/support cess to commercial resources. part of the Territorial Forces. It 

support of civil defense The subject of wartime host na- must be emphasized that the engiorganizations tion support is many-faceted and neers of the Territorial Army have 

information compilation complex and shall not be detailed also been assigned combat support 

liaison here. The roots of WHNS are to be tasks rather than construction 

While the Territorial headquar- found in the NATO Long-Term De- tasks as some elements of the U.S. 

ters organization is already fully fense Program, and it is designed to Army Corps of Engineers. These 

operational in peacetime, the ma- make possible the fast redeploy- engineer tasks are primarily relatjority of Territorial Forces consist ment of reserve forces to Europe as ed to operations in the rear area, 

of cadre-strength or partially well as to increase the conventional behind the corps. But is it also conDEFENSE 

BRIGADE 

Territorial Army Engineers 

I 

X 

X 

X 

Figure 3 

FlMILITARY 

DISTRICT 

COMMAND 

X 

X 

-

EhI I I 1 

NOTE: There are no topographic units in the German Arntyk Corps of Engineers. 

Topo is a ,special seruice with the artillery. 

MILITARY 

REGION 

COMMAND 

WALLMEISTER 

ORGANIZATION 

TerrKdo TERRITORIAL COMMAND 
ceivable that Territorial Army engineers will be employed in direct 

support of engineer forces in the 

Corps area of operations. 

The Territorial Northern (GTNC) 

and Southern Command (GTSC) 

now have one engineer command 

each. The commanders of these engineer commands at the same time 

act as GTNC and GTSC engineer 

respectively. They are responsible 

for the employment of all engineer 

forces of the respective Territorial 

Command, including necessary preparatory measures. They work 

closely with the engineer commanders andior engineer special 

staff sections of NATO headquarters and the high commands of allied forces as well as with civilian 

authorities. 

The engineer command has the 

capabilities to ensure the crossing 

of wide waterways by employing its 

float bridge battalions and river 

engineer companies once fixed 

crossing sites can no longer he 

used. To ensure crossing of the 

Rhine River, these battalions and 

companies are equipped with special river crossinu means and 

bridging equipment which meet the 

s~ecificrequirements of the Rhine. 

'Relying bn its pipeline engineer 

group as a unit with a logistic mission, the Engineer Command operates fixed facilities and installations of the NATO pipeline system 

and repairs damaged or destroyed 

pipeline facilities. 

Since the organization of the Territorial Command Schleswig-Holstein (TC SH) is somewhat differed. 

econom 

)er and m Aefler 

rge 41 

ent, it shall not be detailed here. 

The Military District Commands 

have one engineer group each 

whose primary mission comprises: 

repairing damage along communications lines and 

defense-essential infrastructure, 

emplacing barriers, and 

supporting other forces by 

means of field fortifications. 

The Home Defense Brigades as 

well as the brigades of the Army 

Field Forces have one organic engineer company each to render direct 

combat support to the brigade. 

The Denial Engineers 

The denial engineers (Wallmeister) represent a special engineer organization within the Territorial Army. 

The Military Region Commands 

have varying numbers of denial engineer teams. They conduct reconnaissance with respect to barriers 

and assist in the installation, control and maintenance of barriers 

and prechambered targets (target 

folders). They compile and update 

engineer intelligence data and advise the units in all matters regarding the planning of barriers 

and movements. 

These denial engineers are experienced senior NCOs of the engineer forces who have received special training for their mission. 

They carry out their mission in one 

or several counties (Landkreisei 

and cooperate with the units earmarked for this sector or employed 

in it. 

,upble 

the 

31aical 

caltin" 

The factored design load for 

the upper level floor of a recreation center was calculated to 

be 1.5 kips per foot. The floor 

design requires the placement 

of a continuous beam for 90 

feet. The spacing of the s 

porting columns will ena 

third-point support of 

beam. Adequate lateral 1 

cing will be provid 

Select the most 

wide flange memt 

culate the maximu... ,., 

Since they often hold the same 

position for many years, and since 

they frequently are native to their 

specific area of responsibility, they 

are very much familiar with both 

aspects of the terrain and the local 

population. 

Their assistance in preparing engineer intelligence data (surveys of 

rivers, waterways and adjacent terrain) and their involvement in barrier infrastructure activities already in peacetime (barrier 

installation/~rechamberedtareetsi -. makes them. local experts who are 

often important advisors to the engineers regarding the fulfillment of 

their mission. 

An engineer staff officer in the 

MilitarY.Region Command exercises command and control over the 

denial engineer teams. 

The Territorial Army, then, is an 

extensive organization with a wide 

range of missions. In wartime, it 

will provide vital assistance to allied forces. 

LTC Hubc?rtos Dunsrherr is a graduate of the Uni~!nrsit,vof Cologne 

otzd the Gertnoti Arniy's 0ffirt.r 

School and Enginrer Schor,l. He has 

coni,,ianded NRC rlrf<e,zse. cornhat 

engineer and arniorcd t,ngir~eer 

companies; served as a battalion 

and corps oprratior~sofficer and 

commanded the 5th Engineer Battalion. LTC Dunschrn is thc German Armv linisori officer to the l1.S. 

Arrny ~&inrrr School and to 

MERADCOM at FI. Belcuir. Va. 

EEL 
- -

7 

Mini-computer capabilities & 

designed specifically for 

combat engineers. 

---- .-. - - -. -. I -

I

1 I 

- I 

- 1 

-m 

.--- a I- L--

-

--rA '-

r -

---

U 

A 

r--

I 

=

I 

II. 

I-u-7 

by John M. Deponai 

C ombat englneers perform a tremendous varlety of by the US Army Construct~onEnglneerlng Research 

engrneer misslons To complete them successfully, Laboratory (CERL) for the Eng~neerSchool, w~llmake 

englneers often must make complex calculations or fol- ~tsdebut as a supplement to FM 5-34, Bng~neerFzeld 

low lengthy algorithms to determine loglstlcal re- Data The benefit of such a devlce is not in its use as a 

qulrements Thls fall, the Englneer Programmable calculator, but in its use as a powerful, hand-held 

Calculator, an experimental tra~ningdevlce developed computer 

ENGINEER 
Background On 

Development 

Based on feedback from active 

Army engineer units and detailed 

analysis by the Engineer School, 

CERL identified military engineering applications that were suited to 

automation, and those that if automated, would be highly valued by 

field troops. 

The utility of the particular programs CERL selected was based 

not only in their specific benefit, 

but also in their example as to 

what is possible using an electronic 

medium like the ~roerammable 

. calculator. 

It is hoped that exposure to the 

programmable calculator will eliminate some of the bias aeainst 

"thinking automation." ~Gtomation is coming! The choice is to be 

in the vanguard of the inevitable, 

or to sit back complacently awaiting the day when someone asks, 

"How come we didn't think of this 

before?" 

Preparing for the future takes a 

lot of imaeination. enerev. frustration and initiative: It is impractical 

to wait for technoloes to stabilize; 

the world is changing faster than 

ever before. New and better hardware and software are forever on 

the horizon. 

The Hardware 

The Eneineer Pronrammable 

~a1culato;is a ~ewle-tt Packard 

(HP)-4lcv calculator accomoanied 

by a specially programmed, plugin, read-only-memory (ROM) module, labeled MILENGlIUTIL. This 

module is smaller than a matchbook, yet can store 8,000 bytes of 

program information. 

The HP-41 has room for four such 

ROMs-32,000 bytes of information-plus the 2,200 bytes of builtin, read-write memory standard on 

the HP-4lcv model. The HP-41 also 

has a growing family of peripherals, including a card reader, an optical wand and a thermal printer. 

The HP-41 can display alphanumerics. Twelve characters can fit 

onto the display window and up to 

24 characters can be "scrolled" 

across the window. The alpha characters are printed in blue on the 

front part of the keys and the alpha 

mode is accessed simply by pressing the ALPHA key. 

Users can assign programs or 

functions to almost any key on the 

keyboard; when the calculator is in 

the user mode (accessed by pressing 

the USER key), the program assigned to that key will be executed 

immediately. This is especially convenient when running the same 

program a number of times. 

On the whole, this calculator is 

very user-friendly. Those who prefer algebraic notation over ReversePolish Notation (RPN) may be a little dismayed, but are advised that 

the programs stored on MILENGliUTIL require only that the 

user be able to answer "Y" or "N" 

and to input values as requested by 

the program. It is not necessary to 

know RPN to use the 

MILENGliUTIL programs. 

Synergy 

A major purpose of the demonstration Engineer Programmable 

Calculator is to show field troops 

how they can become intelligent 

partners with the research community in managing change, and not 

be victims of "the ivory tower." 

How the programming conventions used in the Engineer Programmable Calculator evolved, 

demonstrates how synergism can 

result from sharing ideas with the 
XEQ CPM 

TOTAL dACTIVITIES=~ THE CPM PROGRAM 

5 RUN 

ACTIVITY#=' 

I RUN 

DURATION=' 

15 RUN 

PRED ACT=' 

0 RUN 

ACTIVITYL!=' 

2 RUN 

DURATION=7 

20 RUN 

PRED ACT=? 

I RUN 

PRED ACT=' 

0 RUN 

ACTIVITY#=I 

3 RUN 

DURATION=' 

18 RUN 

PRED ACT=' 

I RUN 

PRED ACT:' 

0 RUN 

ACTIVITY#=' 

4 RUN 

DURATION-' 

18 RUN 

PRED ACT-' 

3 RUN 

PRED ACT=? 

O RUN 

ACTIVITYP=' 

5 RUN 

DURATION=' 

20 RUN 

PRED ACT:' 

2 RUN 

PRED ACT=' 

4 RUN 

PRED ACT=' 

0 RUN 

ACTIVITY#=' 

0 RUN 

ANY CHANGES JYINI' 

N RUN 

ENTER ENDING ACTIVITIES 

END ACT #-' 

5 RUN 

END ACT #=' 

0 RUN 

START ACT 8=7 

I RUN 

SEE KEY (Y/N)' 

Y RUN 

Simple Network 


Cut & Paste Solution 


iES ACT# EF/ 

i DURATION ! Figure I. Thr calcul~rtor car1 be used fur CPM 

ILS Lf ! project control. Data from the printout 

(left) is pasted into posrlion labuu?). 
Figure 2. The following information allows you to 

program the HP-4lcu calculator to prouide data 

regarding preparation of road craters (types). 

First, execute the built-in routine called "size," 

then enter "40" to configure the calculator's 

memory for the program. The program immediately below is an input/output subroutine 

(*F) which must be entered first. Then enter the 

road cratering main program (Crater). 

Inout/out~utSubroutine 

PRP "*F" 38 FS? 22 73 TONE 9 

39 GTO 01 74 AVlEW 

O1.LBL "'F" 40 FC? 09 75 FS? 55 

02 7 41 GTO 00 76 PSE 

42 ISG 24 77 FC? 55 

03.LBL 04 43 ST0 X 78 STOP 

04 CF IN0 X 44 RTN 79 RTN 

05 OSE X 

06 GTO 04 45.LBL 00 80.LBL "*Y" 

07 CF 00 46 XEQ 14 81 XEQ 13 

08 RTN 47 GTO 08 

09.LBL "*S" 48oLBL 01 83 "t(Y/N)" 

10 "RESIZE>" 49 "MUST BE 84 SF 10 


11 1 50 RCL 25 85 XEQ 05 


12 - 51 X<=Y? 86 ASTO X 


13 SF 25 52 GTO 02 87 "Y" 


14 RCL IN0 X 53 "t>" 88 ASTO Y 

15 FS?C 25 89 X=Y? 

16 RTN 54.LBL 03 90 RTN 

17 FIX 0 55 XEQ "*0 91 CF 10 

18 1 56 GTO 00 92 "N" 

19 + 93 ASTO Y 

20 XEQ "'0 57.LBL 02 94 X=Y? 

21 STOP 58 "t<" 95 RTN 

59 RDN 96 XEQ 14 

22.LBL "*I" 60 RCL 26 97 GTO 10 

23 XEQ 13 61 X<Y? 

24 ST0 25 62 GTO 03 98.LBL "*A" 

25 RON 63 RDN 99 XEQ 13 

26 ST0 26 64 ST0 IN0 24 

65 ISG 24 

27oLBL 08 66 ST0 X 101 CF 10 

28FS? 09 67 RTN 102 

29 RCL IN0 24 103 FC? 09 

30 68.LBL "*On 104 GTO 05 

31 FS? 09 69 "t<" 105 ARCL IN0 24 

32 ARCL IND 24 70 ARCL X 106 ISG 24 

33 "t?" 107 ST0 X 

34 CF 22 71.LBL "'0" 108 ARCL IN0 24 

35 TONE 5 72 TONE 8 109 OSE 24 

36 AVlEW 

37 STOP 1 

110.LBL 05 135 ARCL IN0 24 159.LBL 11 

11 1 "t7" 136 ISG 24 160 ST0 IN0 Y 

112 CF 23 137 ST0 X 161 ISG Y 

113 AON 138 ARCL IN0 24 162 GTO 11 

114 TONE 5 139 ISG 24 163 RTN 

115 AVlEW 140 ST0 X 

116 STOP 141 RTN 164.LBL '9" 

117 AOFF 165.99 

118 FS? 10 142eLBL 13 166 + 

119 RTN 143 ASTO 20 167 INT 

120 FS? 23 144 ASHF 168 RTN 

121 GTO 07 145 ASTO 21 

122 FS? 09 146 ASHF 169.LBL "*P" 

123 GTO 06 147 ASTO 22 170 SF 12 

124 XEQ 14 148 ASHF 171 "END PROGRAM" 

125 GTO 09 149 ASTO 23 172 TONE 8 

173 TONE 9 

126.LBL 07 150.LBL 14 174 AVlEW 

127 ASTO IND 24 151 CLA 175 CF 12 

128 ASHF 152 ARCL 20 176 .. .AnV . . . 

129 ISG 24 153 ARCL 21 177 AOV 

130 ST0 X 154 ARCL 22 178 AOV 

131 ASTO IND 24 155 ARCL 23 179 AOV 

132 DSE 24 156 RTN 180 RTN 

133.LBL 06 

134 CLA 

Main Road Cratering Program 

PRP "CRATER" 22.LBL 03 

23 "CRATER TYPE:" 

01-LBL "CRATER 24 XEQ "*D" 

25 "HASTY" 

02 40 26 XEQ "*Y" 

03 XEQ ""S" 27 FS? 10 

04 CF 00 28 GTO 11 

29 "DELIBERATE 

05.LBL 01 30 XEQ "*Y" 

06 FIX 1 31 FS? 10 

07 31.039 32 GTO 21 

08 XEQ "'C" 33 "RELIEVED FACE" 

09 31 34 XEQ ""Y" 

10 ST0 24 35 FS? 10 

11 "CRATER LENGTH, j" 36 GTO 31 

12 "tFT)" 37 GTO 03 

13 999 

14 ENTER I 38.LBL 11 

15 3 39 XEQ 81 

16 XEQ "'I" 40 33 

17 "USE CRATER CHAR" 41 ST0 24 

18 "tGE" 42 "CRATER DEPTH. (F" 

19 XEQ "*Y" 43 "tT)" 

20 FS? 10 44 15 

21 ST 00 45 ENTER I 
46 7.5 


47 XEQ ""I" 


48 RCL 33 


49 1.5 


50 / 


51 ST0 34 


52 10 


53 * 


54 XEQ ""R" 


55 ST0 35 


56 40 


57 / 


58 INT 


59 RCL 32 


60 " 


61 ST0 36 


62 40 


63 * 


64 ST0 38 


65 RCL 35 


66 RCL 32 


67 " 


68 -


69 CHS 


70 ST0 37 


71 RCL 38 


72 + 


73 ST0 39 


74 ADV 


75 FIX 0 


76 "#HOLES" 


77 RCL 32 


78 XEQ "*O" 


79 FIX 1 1 


80 "HOLE DEPTH. FT" 


81 RCL 34 
 I 


82 XEQ ""0" 


83 FIX 0 


84 "EXPLOSIVE. LBS/" 

85 "tHOLE 
 I


86 RCL 35 


87 XEQ "'0" 


88 FS? 00 


89 GTO 15 


90 GTO 79 


91wLBL 15 


92 "#CRATER CHG 


93 RCL 36 


94 XEQ "*O" 


95 "TNT.LBS" 


96 RCL 37 


97 XEQ "*0 


98 GTO 79 


99oLBL 21 


100 XEQ 81 


101 2 


102 / 


103 INT 


104 1 


105 + 


106 ST0 34 


107 RCL 32 


108 -


109 CHS 


110 ST0 35 


115 ST0 36 


116 40 


117 " 


118 ST0 39 


119 ADV 


120 FIX 0 


121 "ff7FT.HOLES" 


122 RCL 34 


123 XEQ "'0" 


124 "#5FT.HOLES" 


125 RCL 35 


126 XEQ "*0 


127 FS? 00 


128 GTO 23 


129 GTO 79 


131 "#CRATER -.. CHG" 

132 RCL 36 


133 XEQ '"0" 


135 RCL 35 


136 XEQ "'0' 


137 RCL 39 


138 RCL 35 


139 + 


140 ST0 39 


141 GTO 79 


1420LBL 31 


143 RCL 31 


144 10 


145 -


146 7 


147 / 


148 XEQ "*R" 


152 ST0 33 


153 40 


154 * 


155 ST0 34 


156 RCL 32 


157 30 


158 * 


159 ST0 35 


160 + 


161 ST0 39 


162 FS? 00 


163 GTO 33 


164 GTO 35 


165wLBL 33 


166 RCL 39 


167 RCL 33 


168 + 


169 ST0 39 


170wLBL 35 


171 ADV 


172 FIX 0 


173 "FRIEND SIDE:" 

174 XEQ ""D 

175 "#SFT.HOLES" 


176 RCL 33 


177 XEQ "*O" 


178 FS? 00 


179 GTO 36 


180 "TNT,LBS" 


181 RCL 34 


182 XEQ "*0 


183 GTO 37 


184oLBL 36 


185 "#CRATER CHG" 


186 RCL 33 


187 XEQ "*O" 


188 "PRIMER:TNT.LBSM 


189 RCL 33 


190 XEQ ""0" 


191oLBL 37 


192 ADV 


193 "ENEMY SIDE:" 


194 XEO "*DV 


195 "#~FT.HOLES" 


196 RCL 32 


197 XEQ "*Or' 


198 "TNT,LBS' 


199 RCL 35 


200 XEQ ""0 


201oLBL 79 

202 ADV 

203 "EXPLO,XLBW 


204 RCL 39 


205 XEQ "*0 


206 "ALSO: NEED SHAP" 

207 "tE CHARGES" 

208 XEQ "*D 

209 "TO BLAST BOREHO 

210 "tLES!" 

211 XEQ "*D" 

212 CF 00 

213 XEQ "*P 

214 STOP 

215 GTO 01 

2160LBL 81 


217 RCL 31 


218 16 


219 -


222 1 


223 + 


224 XEQ "'R 


225 ST0 32 


226 RTN 


227 "2/2/82 


228 END 

Applications Include: 

CPM, Bridge Classification, Road Cratering, 


Demolitions, Minefield Logistics, Obstacles. 


field. Programs resident on the ROM 

Early in its study, CERL re- also use these utility routines. 

searchers worked at developing a Each program first checks to insure 

set of subroutines to be used by one that enough data registers are proor more programs. CPT Scott vided. If not, the program tells the 

Loomer, an engineer officer at the user to RESIZE. A single tone 

Defense Mapping School, became sounds whenever the program reaware of the CERL effort and of- quires input. (Differently pitched 

fered to contribute to the work. tones can be used for different proWorking part-time, he developed gram applications.) 

standard routines that were sound A double tone sounds whenever 

and comprehensive enough to be the program outputs information. 

adopted across the board. He also When a program asks a yes or no 

solved for planners another question, it will accept only a "Y 

problem. or "N" response. Any other reOriginally, CERL's goal was to sponse will result in the question 

make all the calculator's programs being repeated. 

fully self-contained so field users When a program asks for a nuwould not have to consult reference meric in~ut. the user Dresses the 

books to run them. Hampered by approprjate number keys, then 

this constraint, CERL was unable Dresses the RUNISTOP (WS) kev to 

to find an efficient wav to a~~roach input the data. The program auto- .. the bridge classification problem. matically checks that the input is 

Loomer invented the idea of within acceptable range. If not, it 

letting the program tell the user tells the user what upper or lower 

when to use FM 5-34 to extract limit must be met and asks for the 

data from the manual's complex ta- input again. 

bles or figures. That is, the pro- The RIS key also is used to input 

gram would tell the user what table the "Y" or "N" responses and to 

or figure to go to and what entry restart the program after the proconditions to use. gram outputs information. HowevThe user now extracts and enters er, if a printer is attached, the prothe data when prompted by the pro- gram automatically continues after 

gram. As a result of this innova- each output. The format between 

tion, an enormous amount of pro- the "with printer" and "without 

gram memory was saved and the printer" output differs only in the 

impossible became possible. One case of the Critical Path Method 

soldier's standard subroutines and (CPM) program. 

referencing technique increased 

the effective capacity of the Engi- The Critical Path Method 

neer Programmable Calculator by The CPM program is an efficient 

about 20 percent. It also let CERL way to do the tedious calculations 

fit two more programs onto the associated with using CPM project MILENGlIUTIL module. control, a management method beHere was an example dem- coming common in today's Army. onstrating the synergistic effect The CPM program uses "activity- that interaction with the field can on-the-node" logic. 

create. Up to 98 activities can be analyzed if the full HP-4lcv resident Program Conventions capacity for data storage is used; up Utility Routines to 20 activities can be done on the 

Six application programs and a HP-4lc model without memory 

set of utility routines are stored on modules. The "with printer" verMILENGlIUTIL. Utility routines sion prints the output in boxes. The 

could be used very effectively by user can cut these out, paste them 

field troops to handle a host of up and graph logical relationships. 

housekeeping chores when writing Figure 1is an example of a simprograms to meet particular needs. ple network. It shows how to input 

data and how the output looks after 

it is cut, pasted and connected. 

Critical activities have asterisks 

printed in the box. This is a handy 

tool for those who do not have access to a minicomputer. 

The "without printer" output 

must be copied as it is output. Then 

diagrams can be drawn and annotated with the correct information. 

Note that in the printed version, 

the preceding activities for each activity are noted to the left of each 

diagram, so the user will know how 

to connect the activities together. 

Bridge Classification 

The bridge classification program 

is used with certain tables in FM 

5-34 to help the user determine 

bridge superstructure classification. This program may be used for 

both timber and steel stringer 

bridges. 

The computer asks the user for 

the bridge's basic dimensions, etc. 

It then refers the user to appropriate tables and figures in FM 5-34, 

telling the user what entry values 

he needs. It asks the user for the 

value of the variables corresponding to those entry conditions. The 

user extracts the appropriate value 

from the manual's table or figure 

and enters it in the calculator. 

Road Cratering 

The road crater program computes the amount of explosives, 

number of cratering charges, and 

number and depth of holes needed 

to produce hasty, deliberate or relieved face road craters. Figure 3 

shows a sample computation where 

the program even determines that 

two pounds of TNT must be used to 

double prime charges for each fivefoot hole. 

Demolitions 

The demolitions program addresses three common engineer activities: cutting timber, cutting 

steel and breaching walls. The program lists three timber cutting options: internal charge placement, 

external placement and abatis. 

The steel cutting option lists four 

application areas: railroad rails, 
Road Cratering 	 Minefields 

XEO "C RATER" XEQ "MINES" 

LHAl tK LENGTH, (FT)=7 ENTER MINE DENSITY: 

41.0 RUN #AT/M=? 

USE CRATER CHARGE (Y/N)? 3.00 RUN 

Y RUN #APF/M=? 

CRATER TYPE 4.00 RUN 

HASTY (Y/NI7 #APB/M=? 

N RUN 	 Q nn DII~I ".L 

DELIBERATE (Y/N)7 IOE CLUSTER C 

N RUN #AT.=? 

RELIEVED FACE (Y/N)7 1. RUN 

RUN r 3 

FRIEND. ." SIDE: 

.-A . RUN 

DO /N)7 

N RUN 

F1FI.D LENGTH,,.. (MI=? ., ENEMY SIDE: 100. RUN 

#4FTHDLES=5 .D DEPTH l,(M):=? 

TNT,LBS=150. 100. RUN 

EXPLO;'' LB=396. TOTAL MINES: 

ALSO: N! EEO SHAPE CHARGES #AT=1,370. Tn "8 "P rc, 	 "a" r-7 OK,, IU DLH2;T BOREHOLca! 	 nnr r:I.OJJ. 

END PIROGRAM 	 #APB=3.619. 

IOE MINES: 

#AT=45. 

#APF=90. 

XEQ "I #APB=90. 

;IVE TYPE: MMF MINES: 

'NJ! #AT=1,200. 

#APF=l.600. 

:4(1.25LB)( #APB=3,200. 

#IOE CLUSTER: d-T<. 

APPLIC,RTION: #STRIPS=9. 


CUT TI1 inBER (Y/N' I? 2-STRAND,4.SIDE FENCE: 


Y RUN #WIRE(RL)=13. 


TIMBER DIA.(IN)=? #SIGNS,PICKEl 

24.0 RUN #SANDBAGS=3 

CHARGE PLACEMENT MANHOURS=91 


ABATIS (Y/N)? END PROGRHIVI 


N RUN 


EXTRE N (YIN)? 


RUN 


REQD XPLO 


LBS.= 


#EXPLU. UNI I: 


IN OPEN, SAFE 


M=3C^10 	 Figure 3. END F'ROGRAM 

round steel sections, structural 

steel sections and carbon steel rods. 

The breaching applications are 

used in conjunction with applicable 

tables in FM 5-34. 

Minefield Logistics 

The minefield program computes 

the logistical requirements for installing a standard pattern 

minefield given the field density, 

the irregular outer edge cluster 

composition, the field length and 

depth, and the conditions under 

which the work is to be done. A 

sample printout is shown in Figure 

3. 

Wire Obstacles 

The wire obstacle program computes the logistical requirements 

for installing any of seven common 

wire obstacles. The program can 

also be used to compute the effective length of the obstacle according to its function and location on 

the battlefield. 

If the user already knows the effective length, he would answer 

"Y" to the first question ("KNOW. 

EFF.LEN.(YIN)?") and enter the effective length when asked. 

Looking Ahead 

By October 1982, 250 copies of 

MILENGlIUTIL will he vroduced 

for testing and evaluation by Engineer Officer Basic Course and 

NCOES students. 

About 150 of these ROMs already 

are committed to the U.S. Army 

Engineer School, and to certain engineer battalions that will field test 

them. The other 100 ROMs will be 

made available to individual combat engineers who own or have access to an HP-41 calculator. 

Written requests for these can be 

addressed to: CERL-FS, ATTN: 

John Deponai, P.O. Box 4005, 

Champaign, Ill., 61820. Include 

your full name, rank, social security number, current job description 

and whether or not you have access 

to an HP-41. 

For information, contact Mrs. 

Gale Smith, the Engineer School's 

Collective Trainine and Analvsis 

Division, at (703)- 664-406313467, 

AVN 354. 

Mr. Johr7, M. D1,ponai leads the 

Military Er7gineerir7g Team at the 

U.S. Arrny',~ Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, 

Champaign., 111. He is a I966 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy 

and serued fbr eight ar~d one-half 

years on active dut),. 
Kuiti-.srii,/:i,ii 92(!F;ng,nwrs o~ii1i:75lh Rangers practice knot tying in P<i,i<ii~iii, rP1lntn.s hi Joli~l G. Martini

by 1LTRobert B. Underwood I11 

The 92d Engineers 

excel at a unique, 

T. he 1st Battalion (Ranger), 75th Infantry, is an . . ellte unlt designed to perform special infantry 

missions on short notice, anywhere in the world. This 

mission many diverse requiresclimates the Rangers and types to work of terrain. and to train Despitein 

demanding mission. their prodigious capabilities as infantrymen, the Rangers need engineer construction support to prepare for 

their missions. To meet this need. the 92d Eneineer 

Battalion (Combat) (Heavy) keeps' a Ranger ~Gpport 

Element (RSE) ready to be attached to the 1175th for 

training exercises or for actual deployment. 
The 92d. commanded bv LTC 

Francis R. Skidmore,* is stationed 

at Fort Stewart, Ga., and is heavilv 

committed to supporting the instailation with construction projects. 

The RSE obligation provides diversity for the unit, and has enabled 

members of the 92d to train in 

Panama; at Fort Bliss, Texas; and 

in Puerto Rico. 

The mutual respect that has developed between the 92d and the 

1175th has given engineer soldiers 

and appreciation for the Rangers' 

impressive capabilities, and has 

given the Rangers a keen awareness of the skill and motivation of 

Army Engineers. The hardest part 

of any support arrangement is precisely communicating what services the customer needs versus 

what services the supporter can 

provide. The RSE program has enlightened both the 92d and the 

1175th concerning the special needs 

of the Rangers and engineer support capabilities. 

RSE Organization 

Task organization for the RSE 

depends on the scope of the Rangers' deployment and mission. For 

a typical Ranger company-sized flyaway deployment, the RSE would 

consist of a lieutenant officer-incharge (OIC), an EWE7 noncommissioned officer-in-charge 

(NCOIC) and eight enlisted men. A 

battalion-sized Ranger deployment 

would require an RSE OIC, NCOIC. 

and 19 enlisted personnel. RSE is 

rotated between line companies on 

a quarterly basis. Within the 

tasked company, responsibility for 

the RSE is split between the two 

general construction platoons. 

Equipment taken by any size 

RSE includes a 514-ton M880 cargo 

truck loaded with a generator, power and hand tools, pioneer tools, 

chain saws, a demolition kit and repair parts. This gives the unit the 

ability to handle a wide variety of 

construction and combat engineer 

missions. Heavy equipment operators, communication specialists and 

medics may augment the RSE depending on mission requirements. 

The M880 is stored ready for air 

movement, having been technically 

inspected by the battalion's material readiness office and all faults 

corrected. The vehicle is marked for 

weight and center of gravity; hazardous cargo forms and vehicle 

loading plan are also completed. 

The truck is stored loaded and with 

special instructions for the RSE. In 

to be dispatched and driven to the 

airfield. 

Readiness is always a primary 

requirement for the company 

tasked for RSE. When the 1175th is 

in a "ready" posture, the RSE platoon members remain at all times 

where they can be contacted by telephone, and company duty personnel are issued an RSE alert roster 

with special notification instructions. All RSE personnel are administratively and medically 

cleared for overseas deployment. 

RSE Missions 

If alerted, the RSE deploys with 

the Ranger advanced party to construct and to maintain a Ranger element mobilization base (REMAB), 

build rehearsal sites, and as time 

permits, to train. 

REMAB construction varies but 

usually includes organizing and 

laying out the base, supervising 

tent erection, constructing latrine 

facilities, setting up power distribution and lighting, erecting protective fences and establishing a 

shower point using M12A1 decontamination apparatus. 

Rehearsal sites are as unique as 

the Ranger mission. Camps, buildings, hunkers and their attendant 

obstacles are often built. These facilities are constructed to resemble 

as closely as possible actual objective sites and are based on information provided by the Ranger intelligence section. The accuracy of 

rehearsal sites is critically important to the success of the Ranger 

operation. 

Sometimes, schedules permit the 

RSE to participate in environmental training with the Rangers. This 

provides adventure-training opportunities for engineer troops not familiar with advanced infantry 

skills and working in difficult terrain and climates. Such training 

naturally supports the engineer 

secondary mission of fighting as 

infantry. 

RSE Deployments 

The 92d Engineers' RSE training 

deployments have provided a 

wealth of challenges and exciting 

training. The major environmental 

training deployments have been to 

Panama in December 1981, Fort 

BlissIWhite Sands Missile Range in 

February 1982 and to Puerto Rico 

in June 1982. 

During the deployment to the 

Jungle Operations Training Center 

(JOTC) at Fort Sherman, Republic 

of Panama, the Rangers received 

fefresher training in individual 

skills peculiar to a jungle environment. They also trained in platoon 

and company-sized operations, and 

held a battalion field training exercise (FTX). The 10-man RSE was 

integrated as a squad into a Ranger 

platoon for individual, squad and 

platoon-level training. All RSE 

members were awarded the JOTC 

Jungle Expert Certificate. In many 

activities, such as the land navigation and nine-event obstacle 

course, the engineer squad scored 

comparably to the highly-competitive Ranger squads. The winter being the wet season in Panama, it 

92d Engrneers lash i,qiiip,ii<,nl ijr a RBI n,so~il//locit ii,liile preparing 

the event of an alert, it needs only for training on Parzurnu's Chagres RILPT. 
engineer construction projects. The 

attacks were live-fire exercises 

complete with air strikes and roll- "When they saw what we could do, the ing mortar barrages. 

Rangers went wild." 

rained every day during the 

deployment. 

At their request, the RSE during 

off-duty time received additional 

JOTC training in helicopter 

~appelling and in lowering pioneer 

boxes from a helicopter. The extra 

training culminated with the RSE 

rappelling into the jungle and 

clearing a landing zone using 

explosives. 

These activities were certainly a 

change of pace for the dozer operators, carpenters, plumbers and 

draftsmen from the 92d. Besides 

the JOTC training, the RSE served 

as the planning and control party 

to establish a REMAB for the Ranger FTX; objectives and rehearsal 

sites were built beforehand by the 

518th Engineer Company from Fort 

Kobe, Panama. 

Construction Challenge 

During the Fort Bliss deployment, the Rangers found out how 

hard engineers could work and how 

much could be built in a very limited amount of time. 

Although the RSE leader knew 

some construction tasks were 

planned, according to RSE OIC 1LT 

William R. Weeks, the size of the 

construction mission mushroomed 

once the RSE deployed. "When they 

saw what we could do, the Rangers 

went wild," Weeks said. "They kept 

asking for more, so we kept giving 

them more." 

During the three-week exercise, 

the 20-man RSE constructed six 

mock enemy camps complete with 

buildings, towers, sandbag positions and protective wire. The RSE 

used 1,100 Zx4xlOs, 600 sheets of 

plywood and 600 pounds of nails. 

They also built numerous targets 

and vehicle silhouettes for live-fire 

ranges, as well as a protective 

bunker from which a brave young 

Ranger (who had been late for formation) could safely operate downrange targets. A MOUT (military 

operations in urban terrain) site 

was erected and another rehabilitated. Barracks and offices used by 

the 1175th were also rehabilitated. 

50 knots and a prohibition on 

digging because of the danger of 

disturbing Indian artifacts. Some 

structures were secured with 

wooden footings, but each case of 

digging required specific, prior approval from the host installation. 

Several buildings without footings 

blew down under the severe winds, 

and the RSE had to rush to repair 

them before the Ranger assaults 

began. 

RSE members later reported that 

watching the Rangers in action was 

one of the exercise's highlights. 

The -. erour, saw several im~ressive 

Ranger assaults targeted -against 

Engineers Praised 

According to John G. Martin of 

the Fort Stewart Public Affairs Office, the 92d Engineers were also 

very impressive. An Army veteran 

who served in Vietnam with the 

5th Special Forces Group, Martin 

was with the 1115th during all 

three RSE deployments. "The engineers did an outstanding job in 

Panama and Puerto Rico, and they 

really performed well at Fort 

Bliss," Martin said. "I never heard 

any complaining; they just kept 

putting out at a hundred percent 

and then some. It amazed me how 

much spirit they had. They showed 

themselves to be true soldiers." 

The Fort Bliss exercise was particularly intense. The RSE worked 

aroundithe-clock in 18-hour shifts; 

The construction tasks were Incesinnt rain ariii IILC rigoroiis JUTC i~bslacI~course 

made difficult by winds gusting to didn't slow the engi,~ecrRSE in Panama. 
sometimes shifts lasted 24 hours. 

Exemplifying the 92d Engineers 

spirit was SSG Johnny Edwards. 

Serving as the B Company motor 

sergeant, Edwards was named RSE 

NCOIC when it appeared that the 

exercise would duplicate the 

Panama experience: mostly adventure training and only a few construction tasks. Once the RSE got 

to Fort Bliss and the construction 

mission dramatically increased, 

Edwards found himself on unfamiliar ground as a construction supervisor. His dedication, however, 

overcame the handicap and he 

played a key role in successfully 

managing the construction mission. 

During the Fort Bliss deployment, the RSE also trained in 

mountaineering and patrolling, 

participated in an airmobile operation, and served as aggressors. 

The RSE that accompanied the 

1175th to Puerto Rico encountered a 

more even mix of training and construction requirements. Rehearsal 

and objective sites were constructed or rehabilitated, wire 

erected and obstacles built. Engineers participated in adventure 

and infantry training similar to 

what was encountered during the 

previous deployments. 

Valuable Training 

The experience and lessons 

learned by members of the 92d Engineer Battalion during these environmental deployments have been 

valuable and numerous. The rapid 

deployment requirement for the 

RSE keeps the battalion staff and 

companies sharp on deployment 

criteria and procedures. The deployments have provided challenging leadership experiences for officers, NCOs and troops. Trips to 

faraway places have been a definite 

morale booster for the soldiers fortunate enough to participate. 

The program also has provided 

strong motivation for troops to 

raise their personal standards since 

men are chosen for the RSE based 

on demonstrated daily duty performance. The finer points of living 

and staying healthy in the field 

learned from the Rangers have 

been passed along to buddies and 

are reflected in better unit performance during field problems. 

Most importantly, the 92d Engineers have learned how important 

and rewarding it is to aggressively 

support an outstanding infantry 

unit like the 1175th Rangers. 

'LTC James Keys commanded the 92d 

during these RSE deployments. 

ILT Robert Underwood is an Engineer Officer Advanced Course student a1 Ft. Beluoir, Va. Hc served 

roilh the 92d Engineer Rn., Ft. 

Steruart, Ga., as a platoon leader, 

pipeline engineer and constrtrction 

oflicer. ILT Underrr:oo<l ions RSE 

OIC on the Pnnnma deploymmt. He 

is a graduate of the U.S. Military 

Academy, Airhorne and Ranger 

Schools. 

Engineer EquiprntlrLL DispVlj 

'l'he Engineer Centc. .. torate of Combat Developments 

participated this summer in a 

"Week of the Eagles" open house 

and display at Fort Campbell, 

Ky. The event was s~onsored hv 

the lOlst Ail rborne i)i- fision (A:* 

Assault). . . During the five-day event, . . .. thousands of soldiers ana clv~lians saw how division; 31 engineers might support tt ie combined arms team in th e Airland 

~~,~~ Battle. An Engineer Cencer 

survivability display featured 

several developmental fighting 

position covers; equipment 

shown included the M9 Armored 

Combat Earthmover (ACE), a 

MI80 cratering charge and the 

Ground Emplaced Mine Scattering System (GEMSS). 

Also displayed in ths e engineel 

corner was a Marine C:orps Min6 

Clearing Line Charge (MICLIC,

M58A1) Br. +LI. and a UNIMG-, ...,

West German small emplacement excavator currently being 

tested at Fort Lewis, Wash. 

*~gi,irar,r. dispia? nt Ft. Carn~hcll'.~ 'Week ies"

tcd these prototype fighting position co~ 

(Phofoby CPT James E. Burror~,sl 
Some contractors tend to believe 

Paint 


by Alfred Beitelman 

The Paint Laboratory at the 

U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory 

(CERL), Champaign, Ill., is responsible for evaluating diff~culties in 

the field application of paints. Over 

the past several years, lab personnel have visited many field painting operations and have observed 

specific, recurring problems which 

reduce coating life and eventually 

shorten the life expectancy of the 

painted item. 

Many problems that at first 

glance appear to involve poor paint 

performance actually reflect a disregard of good painting principles-a disregard evident from basic design to inspection of the 

painted item. Coatings are the first 

line of defense against corrosion, 

but they can only provide their designed protection if they are properly specified, applied and 

maintained. 

When an item needs a paint system for protection or beautification, 

the coating should be considered in 

the initial design stages and not 

left as an afterthought. The size of 

the item is of little consequence. It 

may be small enough to hold in the 

palm of your hand or large enough 

to span a major river. The basic 

principles are the same in both 

cases. The surfaces should he simply configured and must be accessible to allow appropriate surface 

preparation and coating. In addition, there should he no deep crevices, unnecessary protrusions or 

sharp corners. Such irregularities 

are difficult to coat uniformly and 

are particularly susceptible to 

physical damage. A surface such as 

the smooth exterior of an automobile is ideal for painting. 

The designer must also be aware 

of the need to protect concealed surfaces. Inaccessible compartments 

and complex structural members 

are major obstacles when coatings 

are applied. 

Proper paint performance depends heavily On adequate surface 

preparation. It should be obvious 

that paint will not adhere a wet 

Or surface. Most paints are 

designed to adhere to heavy depOsits dirt Or Repainting 

hard, surfaces Or aged, paints 'Iso presents PoI.O<,.S<~,1<8,!~/ LS !~,,t~~,lt~,:,/ />,I,>, a 

urood structure during a 

CEKL test. 

tential adhesion problems. 

Unfortunately, surface preparation is often overlooked in painting 

specifications. And if indeed the required surface preparation is mentioned in a specification, the painting contractor will often minimize 

the time spent on this operation. 

that a quick coat of paint will cover 

most defects. Problems resulting 

from this attitude can be prevented 

by close inspection and clearly 

written specifications which include tasks such as weld spatter removal, solvent cleaning, glass removal, removal of corrosion 

products or poorly adherent coatings, and the treatment of mildew. 

Quality is often compromised in 

the interest of speed, not only during surface preparation, but also in 

paint application. Sometimes a 

complete coat is omitted from an 

item; on many painting jobs, given 

areas receive fewer coats than 

specified. To reduce costs for materials, some applicators thin the 

paint too much. Again, detailed inspection could control most of these 

mistakes. 

Effective paint inspection programs are usually not considered 

(much less implemented) when 

painting operations are underway. 

If an inspector is present, he often 

is not given the appropriate thickness gauges, pinhole detectors or 

other inspection equipment. He is 

sometimes responsible for all inspection duties on several jobs being done simultaneously. TObe tru. 

ly effective, he would have to be 

intimately familiar with all construction items used in the projects-from the concrete in the 

footings to the asphalt on the 

roof-and he would have to be at 

each project site all the time. Obviously this is impossible. 

If a coating is to be truly effective, it must be more than an afterthought in the design process. 

Painters must think in terms of 

"high-performance protective coatings" rather than "cover it up with 

a coat of paint," and inspection 

must be given high priority to insure a quality product. 

Alfred Beitelman, a che~nisl in. 

the Paint Laboratory, U.S. Arm? 

Construction Engineering Research 

Laboratory, Chan~pnign, Ill.. is a 

principal investigator for cioil 

works and military construction 

paint research programs. He holds 

a B.A. in chemistr,~ from Wartburg 

College, Wauerly, Iowa., arid has 

been u:ith the Paint Lnborotor,~ for 

11 years. 
The ENGINEER Solution 

1. Assumptions 

Simply supported continuous beam 

Compact section 

Adequate lateral bracing 

2. Member Selection 

Using page 2-126 of the 8th Edition, AISC Manual of Steel Construction, calculate 

the maximum moment and shear due to loading: 

Mmax = 0.10 w12 Vmax =0.600~1 

= O.lO(l.5kfp)(30 ftI2 = 0.60(1.5kfp)(30 ft) 

M~~Ix= 135.0 ft-kips Vma~ = 27 kips 

From page 2-8 of the AISC Manual, select W 18 x 40 with moment capacity of 137.0 

ft-kips. 

Additionally, from page 1-8, find the following properties: 

Check shear from page 5-65 of the AISC Manual: 

Vu < 0.55 fy td 

where, Vu = Vmax S (0.55) (36 ksi) (0.315 in) (17.90 in) 

27 k S 111.64 k 

Shear okay. Use W 18 x 40. 

3. Maximum Deflection 

Using the expression from page 2-126 of the AISC Manual, find: 

Amax = 0.0069w14/EI 

Thus, 

Amax kip = 0.0069(1.5-x lft )(30ft x 1&)4/(29,000ksix612in4) 

ft 12 in ft 

= 0.0069 (0.125 kiP)(360 ir1)~/(1.7788x lo7 kip-in2) 

in.