Maj. Gen. Paul Hamm (left) is being briefed on the Super "echo" training by 1st. Lt. Jeff Campbell (right), 779th Eng. Company Commander and Theatre Engineer Command (TEC) appointed Commandant of the MOS 21 Super Echo training.
by PFC David S. Thompson
326th Moblie Public Affairs Detachment
Due to the Army’s ongoing commitment to maintain the most adaptive and efficient military force in the world, the Army is always hard at work to close the gap between old, inefficient methods and newer, more relevant practices. One way the Army is currently fulfilling this commitment is to combine two general construction Military Operational Specialty (MOS) into one broader, more efficient MOS. During a three-week-span in May, more than 150 soldiers arrived at Camp Dawson, W. Va., to receive a week of instruction that is vital to the needs of Army.
“Historically, general construction engineers have been divided into two separate MOS: the 21J vertical construction operator and the 21E horizontal construction operator,” said 2nd Lt. Jeff Campbell, 779th Eng. Company Commander and Theatre Engineer Command (TEC) appointed Commandant of the course. “Now, these two MOS are being combined into one MOS, the 21 ‘Super Echo’, to ensure soldiers can demonstrate proficiency on all pieces of construction equipment.”
“This course is the first of it’s kind. We are really breaking new ground,” said Campbell. “The ‘Super Echo’ is a conversion of the 21E and 21J MOS’ into one. It used to be one heavy, and one light general construction equipment operator. Now, the Army is combining it into just one construction equipment operator MOS.”
The overall goal of the course Campbell said, is to provide units better trained, more experienced personnel who will be able to go back to their home units and train others; thus taking the burden of having to administer this training off the units, which requires a vast amount of the time and many sizable pieces of construction equipment.
“You have to be on the equipment and you have to burn diesel to be able to make this transition happen successfully,” said Lt. Col. Robert Johnson, 463rd Eng. Battalion Commander. “The training here is some of the best training any soldier could receive. We are providing one-on-one, hands-on training. We are able to tailor fit this course to proficiently train soldiers how to operate, safely maintain and efficiently use their equipment.”
“The importance of this course is to ultimately get soldiers MOS qualified. We identified the standards provided by the engineer’s schoolhouse and we are strictly enforcing those standards,” said Maj. Jon Brierton, 463rd Eng. Battalion S-3 OIC. “When a student completes the course requirements it makes the soldier a greater asset to their unit due to the fact they will be completely versed on all six pieces of construction equipment.”
Campbell said the group of instructors he was provided were far better than anything he could have asked for based on their collective professionalism and how instrumental they all were in facilitating the course.
“I think this course is excellent... A soldier is a soldier and I believe the more training you accomplish the better soldier you will become,” said Sgt. 1st Class David Brunner, 1-80th, a “Super Echo” course instructor.
Brunner said he was very well pleased with the support he has been provided as an instructor as well as the overall success of the course. “The students are receiving good training here. As an instructor, this is probably the best job for me; to train young soldiers and give them an education. I like to see smile on their faces.”
Sgt. Dwyane Graves, 328th Eng. Co., a student attending the “Super Echo” course would agree. “The training we have received is absolutely excellent. The instructors are great. We get a lot of seat time along with good instruction. The course is set up great, I’m pleased with the way everything is going and, out of all the extensive military training I have received in my career, this is one of the best courses I have seen set up.”
“This operation shows the agility and flexibility of the Army,” said Johnson. “It is phenomenal how fast all of this has occurred. The true winner in all of this, is the fact that soldiers were creatively thinking, and were executing to standard quickly and efficiently. This mission is a success.”
