Capt. Dylan Gagnon, readiness instructor at the Air Force Institute of Technology’s Civil Engineer School, shares his personal experience on unique CE opportunities with cadets from the Northeast ROTC Region during a visit to the school. (Contributed Photo)

By: Capt. Dylan Gagnon 

The Air Force Institute of Technology’s Civil Engineer School recently hosted 39 Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps cadets for a civil engineer (Air Force Specialty Code 32E) immersion event, sponsored by the Northeast ROTC Region. The cadets were selected to visit Wright-Patterson, AFB, Ohio, directly after completing field training at Maxwell AFB, Ala.

During their weeklong visit, the students had various opportunities to shadow different agencies and AFSC's on base. The cadets spent half a day at The Civil Engineer School, interacting with several instructors to gain insights into the life of a civil engineer in the Air Force.

Capt. Dylan Gagnon, the school’s readiness instructor, hosted the event and kicked it off with a “Day in the Life of a 32E” lesson – discussing the CE mission, deployments, training, educational opportunities, and the day-to-day life as a CE Company Grade Officer.
 

The cadets then split into two rotating groups for hands-on practicums, demonstrating some of the capabilities and responsibilities of a CE Officer. Capts. Connor and Kyle Egbert, the school’s pavement instructors, delivered a lesson on concrete properties and mix design, and guided the cadets in creating their own concrete cylinders.
 

Capt. Jonathan Sicurella, the school’s architecture and planning instructor, conducted hands-on base planning exercises where cadets created tabletop district layouts with 3D printed models, exploring various planning strategies while having to maneuver around environmental constraints.

The morning with The CE School concluded with a CGO lunch, providing students the opportunity to ask questions and gain further insights into the life of an AF civil engineer.