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Military Career: Construction Equipment Operators

 

Overview

Each year the military completes hundreds of construction projects. Tons of earth and building materials must be moved to build airfields, roads, dams, and buildings. Construction equipment operators use bulldozers, cranes, graders, and other heavy equipment in military construction.

What They Do

Construction equipment operators in the military perform some or all of the following duties:

  • Drive bulldozers, roadgraders, and other heavy equipment to cut and level earth for runways and roadbeds
  • Lift and move steel and other heavy building materials using winches, cranes, and hoists
  • Dig holes and trenches using power shovels
  • Remove ice and snow from runways, roads, and other areas using scrapers and snow blowers
  • Operate mixing plants to make concrete and asphalt
  • Spread asphalt and concrete with paving machines
  • Drill wells using drilling rigs
  • Place and detonate explosives

Branches of the Military

Army
Navy
Air Force
Marine Corps
Coast Guard

Helpful Attributes

Helpful school subjects include shop mechanics. Helpful attributes include:

  • Interest in operating heavy construction equipment
  • Preference for working outdoors

Training Provided

Job training consists of 4 to 12 weeks of classroom instruction, including practice operating construction equipment. Further training occurs on the job and through advanced courses. Course content typically includes:

  • Operation of different types of construction equipment
  • Maintenance and repair of equipment

Physical Demands

Some specialties require normal hearing, color vision, and heavy lifting.

Work Environment

Construction equipment operators work outdoors in all kinds of weather conditions. They often sit for long periods and are subject to loud noise and vibrations. They may work indoors while repairing equipment.

Civilian Counterparts

Civilian construction equipment operators work for building contractors, state highway agencies, rock quarries, well drillers, and construction firms. Civilian construction equipment operators may also be known as operating engineers, heavy equipment operators, well drillers, or riggers.

Below is a list of similar civilian occupations:

Construction and Well Drillers
Crane and Tower Operators
Forklift Operators
Material Moving Machine Operators
Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators
Paving Equipment Operators

Opportunities

The services have about 10,000 construction equipment operators. Each year, they need new equipment operators due to changes in personnel and the demands of the field. With time, they have the opportunity to become construction supervisors or construction superintendents.


Source: U.S. Department of Defense, Washington D.C.