Soldier takes on the challenges of combat engineer career

HOHENFELS, BY, GERMANY

03.21.2021

Story by Sgt. Amanda Fry 

Joint Multinational Readiness Center

HOHENFELS, Germany - Pfc. Sierra Wierzbicki, a Combat Engineer with the 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion, Airborne, Bastion Company, is not afraid to get her hands dirty. The Illinois native was able to expand her resume at the Hohenfels Training area recently, when she and her unit arrived to work with the Troop Construction Program at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center.

“I’m doing a 12N [Horizontal Construction Engineer]’s job right now, and it gave me a lot of respect for that job,” Wierzbicki said, adding that the training has given her a new skillset as she learns to run a variety of heavy equipment.

The Troop Construction Program allows soldiers to train on equipment while completing projects in the Hohenfels Training Area. The projects build infrastructure vital to the training exercises hosted throughout the year in Hohenfels.

During the March training project, combat engineers with the 54th BEB out of Vicenza, Italy, had the opportunity to train alongside horizontal construction engineers, and learn operate a variety of heavy equipment to repair and resurface an aircraft runway in the training area.

Wierzbicki was the only female from her unit to attend the training. She said that serving as a female in the military has provided unique challenges, especially in the demanding work environment combat engineers face in their day-to-day duties.

“Honestly, I have a lot to prove,” she said. "But it is really cool because I am picking up on things as well and you get a lot of help along the way.”

• Date Taken: 03.21.2021
• Date Posted: 03.21.2021 07:16
• Story ID: 391919
• Location: HOHENFELS, BY, DE