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5/17/2010 - ALI BASE, Iraq (AFNS) -- Members of the 200th Rapid Engineering Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineer Squadron have arrived here to draw down the 557th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron from Iraq. As they complete the last construction and engineering projects and pack up their equipment and materials in the yard, they are part of the last RED HORSE rotation operating under Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2010. Several civil engineers currently at Ali Base were part of the original 2005 rotation charged with constructing the infrastructure necessary to conduct and sustain operations throughout Iraq, including Ali Base. In...

3/22/2010 - JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq (AFNS) -- As U.S. officials prepare to draw down troops in Iraq, efforts are being made to ensure the effect on the country's infrastructure is minimal. Joint Base Balad's civil engagement program maximizes the base's resources and abilities and helps more than 800,000 Iraqis in the Salah ad Din Province. The program is a joint effort between the U.S. Department of State, the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing and the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment based at JB Balad. "The program provides a communication channel between the three entities, which have different missions to support...

New college graduates may be entering the worst job market in decades, but there are still some majors that pay off—and all of them are in the applied sciences. A new report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers finds that eight of the top 10 best-paid majors are in engineering, with petroleum engineering topping off the list at $86,220. "Petroleum engineering has been at the top for the last three years," said Edwin Koc, director of strategic and foundation research at NACE. "The oil industry for the last couple of years has been a bit more active and...

WASHINGTON — NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden said Tuesday that President Barack Obama has asked him to “find ways to reach out to dominantly Muslim countries” as the White House pushes the space agency to become a tool of international diplomacy. “In addition to the nations that most of you usually hear about when you think about the International Space Station, we now have expanded our efforts to reach out to non-traditional partners,” said Bolden, speaking to a lecture hall of young engineering students.

Intelligence agencies tasked with profiling the terrorist mind, and figuring out where future extremists might be found, have begun focusing on a surprising target: science students. As it turns out, many recruits in extremist groups such as Al Qaeda, the Muslim Brotherhood, Hizbullah, and Hamas have backgrounds in medicine, engineering, and other hard sciences. In one study by Oxford sociologists -Diego Gambetta and Steffen Hertog, who will be publishing a book on the subject next year, out of 178 terrorists with higher education, almost half studied math or science. And the phenomenon is not limited to Islamists--strong links to science...

BAGHDAD –American 317th Engineer Company and 17th Iraqi Army Division engineers worked together here recently to complete a road leading into Joint Security Station Deason, providing each the opportunity to train with and get to know their counterparts. Upon arrival to JSS Deason early this month, the American Soldiers met their partners from the 17th IA, Soldiers they would be working with throughout the duration of the project. "Some of our Soldiers had never met Iraqi Soldiers,” said Sgt. Steve Balamut, the Assistant Project Manager for this mission. “The Iraqis were eager to learn what we had to say and...

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHARANA, Afghanistan, Feb. 16, 2010 – As Army 1st Lt. Phil Kirk pulled the walkie-talkie from his hip, disappointment was obvious on his face and in his voice. “Did you hear that?” Kirk asked, shaking his head. “Sounds like medevac is ‘red.’ We’re not going anywhere.” The lieutenant was referencing radio traffic from the tactical operations center informing him that his newly formed route clearance patrol’s first mission would be delayed for several hours because helicopters were unable to fly, presumably due to poor weather. The unit, nicknamed the “Black Jacks,” was pieced together last month with...

BAGHDAD, Jan. 14, 2010 – Soldiers from 317th Engineer Company and 808th Engineer Company are providing electricity to the future living spaces of U.S. forces as they prepare to hand off their current housing to the Iraqi army. Army Spc. Brandon Burgess makes sure all connections are secure while Army Pfc. Sean Carroll observes the process at Contingency Operating Station Carver, Iraq, Jan. 8, 2010. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. April Mota  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The move will happen as soon as soldiers from 1434th Engineer Company complete the new joint operations center at Contingency Operating...

FALLUJAH, Iraq, Jan. 13, 2010 – More than 22 miles of roadway here and in surrounding communities are now fully lighted with 1,200 solar powered street lights, thanks to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region District. Solar-powered street lights recently installed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers illuminate what was once a dark and dangerous neighborhood in Fallujah, Iraq. U.S. Army photo   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The third and final phase of the project was completed recently by project engineers at Al-Anbar Resident Office, based in Ramadi. “The administration of this project is an...

NEAR FORWARD OPERATING BASE SALERNO, Afghanistan, Jan. 4, 2010 – While there may be no place in Afghanistan that is completely safe for U.S. and coalition forces, some regions certainly are much more dangerous than others. In those risky locales, the 1141st Engineer Company’s sappers -- combat engineers – who are part of the Missouri Army National Guard’s 203rd Engineer Battalion, are keeping Afghan roads clear of improvised explosive devices. The vast majority of vehicular traffic – military and otherwise – seeks to avoid contact with IEDs, but it is the job of these Missouri Guardsmen to hunt them like...

BAGHDAD, Dec. 11, 2009 – In preparation for the upcoming Iraqi national elections, the Gulf Region District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is serving as the managing partner for the construction of 15 “expedient police stations” in northern Iraq. Army Col. Dan Anninos, center, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region District, inspects the progress of an expedient police station in Mosul, Iraq, with project engineer Navy Lt. Cmdr. Frank Carroll, left, Larry Petrosino, the district’s deputy of program management. U.S. Army photo by Scott Harris  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The police station...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4, 2009 – As 30,000 additional troops move into what admittedly will be “pretty austere conditions” in Afghanistan, the Army Corps of Engineers is working in partnership with unit-level engineers and contractors to provide basic creature comforts -- while focusing heavily on longer-term projects considered critical to their ultimate success there. U.S. Army Col. Kevin Wilson, commander of Afghanistan Engineer District – South, right, chats with U.S. Air Force Maj. Bryan Opperman, officer in charge of the Qalat resident office, at the construction site of a new Afghan National Police station. U.S. Army photo by Patricia Ryan   (Click...

KIRKUK — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Gulf Region District, Kirkuk Resident Office is seriously delving into the road construction business. The Kirkuk office is serving as construction design manager for the Kirkuk Ring Road project and the manager of “Village to Market” road repair project. The $130 million, two-year Kirkuk Ring Road project is an aggressive 31-kilometer highway extension, designed to create a southern access bypass road from the Sulamaniya Interchange to the Taza Road Interchange. The three-phase project is being funded by oil revenues from the provincial government. USACE, through the Economic Support Fund, provided $4.3...

11/23/2009 - KHOST PROVINCE, Afghanistan (AFNS) -- Khost Provincial Reconstruction Team engineers conducted quality assurance training for more than 30 Afghan contractors, foremen and engineers at the Civil-Military Operations Center in downtown Khost, Afghanistan recently. The engineers conduct monthly training to address issues found during project site audits throughout the 12 districts and one municipality of Khost. This training, the third session held by the PRT, concentrated on brick masonry, material storage and project administration. Previous topics included concrete preparation and processing, and plaster and mortar finishing techniques. "We are addressing recurring quality issues in our training sessions," said U.S....

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq, Nov. 20, 2009 – A Basra, Iraq, native brings 50 years of experience as an architect, a master’s degree and a resume that reads like a travel guide ranging across Europe and the Middle East and even Japan to his job as leader of the Iraqi facilities engineering team here. A worker at the Anzio logistics site on Contingency Operating Base Basra, Iraq, bends rebar to be used in the placement of housing trailers for U.S. troops Nov. 14, 2009. The work at the site is being overseen and planned by an Iraqi facilities engineering...

Sgt. James Glomski, of Alpena, Mich., with the 1434th Engineer Company, observes Iraqi Pfc. Omar Khodair Abbas making his first cut using a circular saw during a "train the trainer" carpentry course for the Iraqi Army in Baghdad, Nov. 14. Photo courtesy of the 16th Engineer Brigade. BAGHDAD — Iraq Soldiers here ended two days of basic carpentry training with a practical exercise of building dormitory-style rooms in the old Ministry of Defense, Nov. 14. Soldiers of the 1434th Engineer Company taught a "train the trainer" course to the 11th Field Engineer Regiment, 11th Iraqi Army Division, so the IA...

JOINT SECURITY STATION CONDOR, Iraq, Nov. 9, 2009 – For most soldiers assigned to the 1st Armored Division’s 4th Brigade “Highlanders,” the unit's “advise and assist” mission requires a rethinking of traditional roles in a stability operations environment. Soldiers train on proper sweeping techniques with a mine detector on one of several training lanes at Joint Security Station Condor in Iraq’s Maysan province, Oct. 17, 2009. U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Brendon Hischar  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The engineers of 2nd Platoon, Company E, 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, are no different. Some people associate engineers with...

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE GARRYOWEN, Iraq, Nov. 6, 2009 – Iraqi army engineers put their training to good use Oct. 18 on a reconnaissance mission to evaluate a local bridge. Army Sgt. Ryan Loseby, an Iraqi soldier and their interpreter review measurements as Army Pfc. Garrett Childress, far left, looks on during a reconnaissance mission to evaluate a bridge near Contingency Operating Base Garryowen, Iraq, Oct. 18, 2009. U.S. Army photo by 2nd Lt. Benjamin Hann  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Engineers from the 10th Iraqi Army Field Engineer Regiment Detachment joined their trainers from Company E, 4th Battalion, 6th...

11/3/2009 - ZABUL PROVINCE, Afghanistan (AFNS) -- "Roads bring people. People bring business and business improves life for everyone." These words, spoken in 2006 by Canadian Brig. Gen. Daniel Pepin, then the deputy general for reconstruction projects in Afghanistan, have proven prophetic, as, three years later, the ability to move vehicles and goods along roads here has been greatly enhanced, improving the lives of Afghans across the country. In response, Taliban insurgents routinely target the newly-built infrastructure. Air Force engineers assigned to the Zabul Provincial Reconstruction Team have countered, along with Army security forces, by conducting missions along Highway One,...

KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Oct. 1, 2009 – Members of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Afghanistan Engineer District North performed site assessments and a helicopter flyover to view construction and road projects here Sept. 20. Col. Ayoub, Afghan National Border Patrol commander, left, discusses a project in the Sarkani district of Afghanistan’s Kunar province that will house 90 to 100 border policemen, Sept. 20, 2009. With him, left to right, are Martin Reed, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Afghanistan Engineer District North construction representative and quality assurance lead, a translator, and Army Maj. William Lewis, the district’s resident officer in charge....