The Civil Engineer School
Vital - Relevant - Connected
Vital - Relevant - Connected
Twice a year, The Civil Engineer School at the Air Force Institute of Technology is bustling with newly commissioned officers attending the WMGT 101: Air Force Civil Engineer Basic Course; the initial skills training for Total Force 32Es. While attending the 10-week course, officers receive diverse lessons and hands-on experiences on topics like technical engineering fundamentals and leading in contingency environments. Additionally, the course teaches the array of opportunities available to 32Es in their career such as the Airfield Pavement Evaluation (APE) Team, Advanced Academic Degrees (AADs), and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD).
On 15 October, the current class of 84 Total Force students (56 Active Duty, 18 Air National Guard, 10 Air Force Reserve Command) was the first to receive a recruitment lesson on the new Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Officer program and the initial qualification course at Fort Leonard Wood (FLW), Missouri. The lesson summarized the opportunities for officers as a Readiness and Emergency Flight Commander and the future of the new CBRN Officer pipeline.
The lesson outlined the purpose of the program, highlighting the need for the Joint Force to fight and win in a CBRN-environment as outlined in the 2022 National Defense Strategy and 2023 Strategy for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction. The lesson featured an overview of the CBRN landscape and detailed the capabilities this new pipeline will bring to the Air Force in preparation for Great Power Competition. The students were also briefed on what to expect at the 53-day CBRN Officer Course at FLW. The lesson was then followed by an optional Officer Professional Development (OPD) lunch, attended by over 30 students, to give opportunities for questions.
These sessions were led by Captain Dylan A. Gagnon, an instructor at The Civil Engineer School and the first graduate from the DAF CBRN Officer Course. The CBRN Officer pipeline is not just about technical skills; it’s about fostering leadership and critical thinking,
Captain Gagnon explained. I am excited to outline the course at Fort Leonard Wood and discuss with the new officers the exciting opportunities this pipeline offers in support of the Department of Defense’s CBRN mission.
Similar to the EOD pipeline for 32Es, officers attend a combined CBRN course with the Total Force enlisted 3E9: Emergency Managers Technical School (3-level). While at FLW, officers are expected to not only excel in the classroom and during hands-on assessments, but also mentor and lead their class of enlisted aspiring 3E9s. While the DAF course is new as of March 2024 with 8 officer graduates to-date, there are currently 26 CBRN-Qualified Officers (AFSC 32E3B) in the Civil Engineer enterprise to include former graduates from the Marine CBRN Basic Warrant Officer Course (BWOC) – a precursor current course at FLW and no longer available for 32Es.
Earlier in the week, Lt Col Ryan Hoff, the 32E Force Development Manager Action Officer, had introduced the students to the concept of the CBRN officer in his briefing regarding 32E career development. “This pipeline has been needed for some time, and the demand will only increase as we prepare for peer competition. Our career field manager's intent is to create CBRN-Qualified officers who are not only technically knowledgeable but also better suited to lead as future Squadron Commanders,”
Lt Col Hoff explained. This opportunity for Civil Engineers will enable them to be better suited to lead CEX flight, uniquely qualified for specific CBRN staff assignments, and be a leader to their CBRN officer counterparts in the Joint Force.
Lt Col Hoff then outlined the process for interested officers As of now, interested officers should notify their Squadron Commander as we will be pushing out more class dates for fiscal year 2025. We are expecting the process to evolve as we work with Headquarters Air Force, A4/CX on the selection process.
