Qatari Officers Train Alongside U.S. Airmen in The Civil Engineer School’s WMGT 101 Course
Originally posted on DVIDS
Story by Diana Nesukh
Headquarters Air Force, Office of the Director of Civil Engineers
During a ceremony on June 6, at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, ninety-one students graduated from Air Force Institute of Technology The Civil Engineer School’s WMGT 101 Basic Civil Engineer Course, each earning their Civil Engineer Basic Badge. The ten-week course was primarily conducted at the Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, with a ten-day capstone exercise executed in partnership with the 801st RED HORSE Training Squadron. The course provided foundational training in engineering leadership, planning, and installation management – equipping officers with the skills necessary to support mission-ready infrastructure in diverse operational environments.
This year, the course welcomed participants from Qatar for the first time, marking a significant step toward strengthening international civil engineering cooperation. The inclusion of Qatari Emiri Corps of Engineers officers highlights AFIT’s growing role in fostering allied interoperability and advancing strategic partnerships through professional military education.
For 1st Lt. Naif Al-Ramaihi and 1st Lt. Mohammed Al-Mohannadi, the two Qatari participants during the spring offering of the course, it offered more than just a rigorous academic curriculum. It was a transformative cultural and professional experience.
“Taking the Civil Engineering course alongside American students has been a truly eye-opening experience,” Al-Ramaihi said. “From teamwork and problem-solving to instructional styles, we’ve gained a deeper appreciation for different approaches and enriched our own understanding of the field.”
Al-Mohannadi echoed the sentiment, highlighting how the environment at Al Udeid Air Base – home to both Qatari and U.S. forces – made the knowledge particularly relevant. “Beyond the coursework, the interaction with peers broadened my perspective on leadership and operational styles, which is especially important in a joint base environment where collaboration is key.”
The strategic value of QECE officers completing the Civil Engineer School course lies in fostering greater alignment, deeper partnership, and stronger readiness across joint missions. The initiative aims to cultivate officers that can operate seamlessly in multinational teams and ultimately strengthen military partnerships.
“When we operate in unison, there’s nothing that can stop us,” Capt. Jake Lambert, AFIT Instructor, said. “This starts with knowing the systems and engineering processes that our engineer units operate with.”
While the initial focus of the course was on absorbing U.S. civil engineer methodologies, the core principles taught, including project management, infrastructure design and planning, and contingency operations, were consistent with QECE practices. “The foundational engineering concepts are similar,” Al-Ramaihi said.
American students who took the course alongside the QECE officers reiterated the same takeaway, noting the shared engineering knowledge. “While there were language and cultural differences, it was amazing to learn that many of our technical terms and skills are aligned,” one student from Echo Flight said.
Even units like Prime BEEF and RED HORSE have counterparts within QECE that perform similar functions, though they’re organized and named differently.
What did stand out was the U.S. Air Force’s emphasis on standardization and documentation, particularly in rapid deployment and scalability, and QECE’s ability to engineer in harsh desert climates. The differences in practices that were shared during the course allowed students to walk away with mutual growth, learning lessons on improving and adapting operations.
Being the first QECE officers to complete the course was not only a deeply significant experience for Al-Ramaihi and Al-Mohannadi, it was an honor that will leave a lasting impact.
“This sets a positive example and opens the door for more QECE personnel to benefit from similar programs,” Al-Ramaihi shared. “It signifies that I’m part of a pioneering group contributing to QECE’s growth and our bilateral cooperation,” Al-Mohannadi added. “It’s now our duty to share what we’ve learned and help bridge the gap between our two forces.”
From the U.S. side, the inclusion of international students allowed for fresh perspectives and expanded learning. The QECE officers brought ideas from their own experiences abroad, which pushed U.S. students outside of their comfort zones, broadening their engineering understanding.
Students also praised the camaraderie and instant team spirit forged with their Qatari classmates. “Camaraderie and friendship were established very quickly,” a student from Echo Flight reflected. “They were part of the team from day one,” another student said. “Their presence enriched every discussion – whether technical or cultural.”
For the course instructors, the experience underscored the value of international collaboration in technical education.
“Naif and Mohammed are rockstars,” Lambert said. “They brought unique insights about how QECE is structured and operates in extreme environments.” The Qatari participation ultimately helps U.S. students prepare for future deployments and real-world scenarios, including in Qatar.
The biggest benefit, however, was the opportunity to build mutual understanding. “This course is where interoperability begins,” Lambert said. By gaining an understanding of how different allies operate, students are able to eventually work together in the field, speaking the same engineering language.
As the Civil Engineer School prepares to expand the WMGT 101 program to welcome more international students, the successful integration of QECE officers sets a powerful precedent. The lessons learned and relationships formed during the course are already making an impact and promise to shape the future of U.S.-Qatari military engineering for years to come.