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Roles | Equipment

Corporal McMillan, AACAP 2004

The role of the 21st Construction Squadron is to provide construction engineering support to a deployed force in order to support land, joint and specified operations for the defence of Australia and its national interests. Considering a Constructions Squadron?s typical spectrum of tasks, construction engineering may be subdivided into three broad fields:

• Manouevre Support – the maintenance of force movement / mobility in an area of operations through the construction, repair and maintenance of movement / mobility infrastructure such as roads, bridges, runways and port facilities.

• Force Protection – activities enhancing the ability of a force to survive enemy actions and the physical environment in which the force is required to act through the construction of force protection assets and the conduct of battlefield clearance operations.

• Force Infrastructure – the construction, maintenance and repair of infrastructure or facilities required to ensure force longevity within an area of operations.

The 21st Construction Squadron consists of professional and military engineering officers, works managers, draftsmen, engineer surveyors, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, plant operators, combat engineers, combat storemen, clerks, drivers, vehicle mechanics, cooks and medics. Specific groupings are tailored to the requirements of the supported operation.

The Squadron is normally located at Gallipoli Barracks, Enoggera (Brisbane).

The Squadron holds and operates are large amount of key engineering equipment including Rollers, Bulldozers, Mine Detection Equipment and Water Purification Sets, allowing the Squadron to be employed in numerous capacities.

The Squadron is capable of: ? commanding and controlling engineer effort ? working within all types and levels of conflict, either independently or as part of a larger force ? living well in the field for extended durations ? assisting tactical and operational mobility including bridge construction, airfield damage repair and road construction and repair ? conducting limited explosive ordnance clearance ? conducting limited high risk search ? constructing obstacles ? conducting demolitions ? constructing physical force protection measures ? supporting deception and counter surveillance ? constructing, repairing and maintaining infrastructure ? producing potable water ? producing construction materials including milled timber and crushed rock ? maintaining and repairing allocated equipment ? supplies and stores management