Corps of engineers

In the United States activities of the Corps of Engineers encompass both military and civilian engineering and all related planning, organization, training, operation, supply and main­tenance. Many public structures, such as the Washington Monu­ment, the Library of Congress, the Pentagon have been built by the Corps. In the more recent past, the construction support of the space program, such as NASA Headquarters in Houston and the launch­ing facilities at Cape Kennedy, was accomplished by the Corps. The CE works hand in glove with the Environmental Protection Agency to prevent further pollution of streams and waterways and to restore them to their former purity. But the most important mission of the Corps (carried out by the engineer troop units) is provision of combat engineer support to the Army units.

Engineer troop units

The mission of engineer troop units in a theater of operations are to facilitate the movement of friendly forces, impede the movement of enemy forces, provide engineer staff planning and advice to all commanders in the theatre of operations (TO) and to provide all engineer services required in a TO. To accomplish their respective missions, engineer troop units in a TO are capable of —

Participating as a part of the combined arms team in all forms of combat operations (combat engineer units). This includes the offense, the defense and the retrograde in all types of operations, including airborne, airmobile and amphibious operations. In these operations they perform specialized tasks, alone or in cooperation with other units — such as the construction, destruction, breaching, or passage of obstacles and barriers; river crossings; and employment of atomic demolition munitions (ADM). Engineer combat units may be committed as units to engage in infantry type combat.

Constructing, rehabilitating, maintaining and repairing all types of facilities such as depots, hospitals, protective shelters, roads, railroads, bridges, ports, POL pipelines, airfields, heliports, etc.

Providing potable water for field troops.

Providing mapping and terrain intelligence, as well as advice on demolition and camouflage or demolition or cam services when required.

Decontaminating vital areas contaminated with chemical agents or radioactive materials.

1.	Answer the questions.

1. What construction support was accomplished by the Corps of Engineers in the more recent past in the USA?

2. What is the most important mission of the Corps of Engineers?

3. What are the missions of engineer troop units in a TO?

4. What tasks do engineer combat units perform in combat operations?

5. What types of facilities do engineer troop units construct, rehabilitate, maintain and repair?

2.	Translate words and word combinations into English

Військова інженерна частина, інженерне забезпечення бойових дій, форсування річки, трубопровід, підривні роботи, інженерне командування, полегшувати рух своїх військ, приймати участь в бою.

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