Posted on Sep 28, 2017

Will it be math-intensive to serve as an Engineer Officer?

5.21K

I'm heading to Army OCS in a few months and I've been doing reading into the branches and Engineer Officer has really peaked my interest.

I find the sorts of jobs they engage in to be very appealing. My main hesitance comes from the fact that I'm not a fan of math. I'm not bad at math, I just don't really enjoy it and I cant see myself doing well in a job that would require a lot of complex math.

By branching Engineer, am I asking for trouble?

Edited >1 y ago

Posted >1 y ago

Follow this discussion

Responses: 5

CSM Richard StCyr

Posted >1 y ago

Engineers do a lot of math. Nearly all recon missions require some form of calculation, Demo tasks, obstacle bands, bridging, and the construction units have the concrete and material calculations. The Engineer bible has the quick tables and the FMs have examples of how to do the figures.
As long as you can do basic math and high school algebra you should be fine. I figure if a hick like me could learn it and be successful then anyone who wants to learn should be able to master it.

(2)

Comment

(0)

show previous comments

CSM Richard StCyr

>1 y

CPT Lawrence Cable - I was the CSM for the 554th which EBOLC and the advance course fall under. One of the joys was mentoring and training young LTs. The Power Distro is like DDC Controls and resides in the relm of MMS (mathematical mystery shit) but since they get to use calculators now unlike us old folks. They fare a lot better. But as far as the electrical grids they may encounter and have to fix.. ain't no training but OJT gonna get them ready for that.

(0)

CPT Lawrence Cable

>1 y

CSM Richard StCyr - I was a branch transfer, so I didn't do the Engineer Basic (Infantry Officer), but I did have to do the Advanced Course. I went through in 1989, not too long after they had moved the Officer Side from Belvoir. Luckily, I have a pretty extensive construction background, mechanical and structural, so I wasn't completely lost. OTOH, I had never done horizontal construction and bridging has to be about the hardest single structural course of study. I think I had nightmare about rolling loads. I don't remember them letting us use calculators at the time and I'm old enough that I actually still have a slide rule. Most people on here will have to google what that is.
The facilities were almost new then and they were VERY nice. Nice school building and a great library. The unaccompanied officers quarters were the nicest that I ever stayed in while in the Army.

(1)

(0)

CSM Richard StCyr

>1 y

CPT Lawrence Cable - The facilities are still nice. I have my Dads slide rule, he used it at the paper mill to calculate batch mixtures for additives to the paper pulp. He could also do calculations using a framing square that were mind blowing.

(0)

CPT Lawrence Cable

>1 y

Your Dad's Slide Rule, now I feel ancient :^). I framed houses for awhile back in the day and was taught to use the framing square to do all the calculations for rafter and jack length, heel heights, stair calculations, etc. I was never as fast as the old guy that taught me. Most carpenters today don't have a clue what to do with all those markings on the square.

(1)

(0)

SGM Mikel Dawson

Edited >1 y ago

Posted >1 y ago

Do bear shit in the woods??? When I went to BNCOC (12B) it seemed like all we did was math. My head hurt so bad every evening I needed beer to keep it straight (some nights Jack). Just imagine what it is like for an officer.

You're no fan of math, neither was I, but you will be force fed so much you will learn or die trying. In my day we had to learn to do all the demo formulas and math on paper, no calculators, because the mission couldn't stop if your calculator went tits up. Don't know about today.

(1)

Comment

(0)