Army Bridge Crewman (MOS 12C)

When you are in the military, you never know when you’ll have to improvise in a foreign territory.

An Army Bridge Crewman (MOS 12C) is responsible for providing bridge and rafting support for their platoon.

Bridge Crewmen are extremely skilled engineers that are relied on by ground infantry and other divisions to construct quick yet safe bridges.

Learn what it takes to become an Army Bridge Crewman (MOS 12C) including required training and education.

Education, Qualifications, Training, and Duty Stations

army 12c — An Army Bridge Crewman (MOS 12C) learns how to use different equipment like bridge trucks to make their job easier. Image: Wikimedia Commons

The Army assigns new recruits a Military Occupational Speciality (MOS) or military job.

In most cases, you get to pick your MOS as long as you meet basic qualifications and minimum test scores on the ASVAB.

Here is what you need to do to qualify for Army Bridge Crewman (MOS 12C)…

Related Article – Army Firefighter (MOS 12M): Career Details

Education

The U.S. Army takes education seriously, which is why it requires new recruits to have at least a high school diploma.

The other acceptable form of education is a General Education Diploma (GED).

Recruits take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) to determine eligibility for Military Occupational Specialties (MOS).

An Army Bridge Crewman (MOS 12C) is required to have a minimum ASVAB test score of Combat (CO): 87 to become qualified for this MOS.

Speaking with a local Army recruiter can get you more information on how to prepare for the ASVAB test.

Qualifications

There are other basic qualifications to become an Army Bridge Crewman (MOS 12C).

Bridge Crewmen are required to be citizens of the United States.

Additionally, there are physical fitness and basic medical exam requirements.

You need to demonstrate normal vision (no colorblindness) for MOS 12C and have a valid driver’s license.

The Department of Defense does not require security clearance for MOS 12C, which means you won’t have to undergo an extensive background check.

The Army suggests that aspiring Bridge Crewmen like to engineer and build things and know how to use hand and power tools.

You will perform most of your work outdoors in a variety of strenuous conditions, so prepare for MOS 12C by getting into peak physical condition.

Training

The Army starts all new recruits, regardless of MOS, at Basic Combat Training.

Basic Combat Training (BCT), or boot camp, last 10 weeks in the U.S. Army.

After completing boot camp, soldiers start to focus on advanced training related to their Military Occupational Specialty.

An Army Bridge Crewman (MOS 12C) receives 14 weeks of additional One Station Unit Training, which includes the time spent in BCT.

MOS 12C will learn about basic construction methods and engineering principles.

You will receive field training in building bridges, handling road maintenance and repair, as well as rough carpentry and rigging.

Duty Stations

Those serving in the Army in MOS 12C can expect to be potentially based at one of the following duty stations:

Inside the Continental US (CONUS)

Fort Bliss, TX
Fort Carson, CO
Fort Cavazos, TX
Fort Johnson, LA
Fort Knox, KY
Fort Leonard Wood, MO
Fort Liberty, NC
Fort Moore, GA
Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA

Outside the Continental US (OCONUS)

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, AK
USAG Bavaria, Germany
USAG Hawaii
USAG Italy, Vicenza

What does an Army Bridge Crewman Do?

An Army Bridge Crewman (MOS 12C) keeps the forces moving, literally.

Their job is to engineer and construct bridges for dry and wet gap-crossing areas.

The MOS is incredibly important in the Army because troops are often in foreign places where roads and easy places of access are not in existence.

When the platoon reaches a place that is unsafe or lacks the infrastructure to cross, Bridge Crewmen take over and engineer a plan to traverse the rough terrain.

The Army highly values Bridge Crewmen (MOS 12C) because of their knowledge and capabilities.

An Army Bridge Crewman (MOS 12C) often saves the day when it comes to building a safe passage for travel during combat operations.

Bridge Crewmen need to work under a variety of conditions.

It can include building bridges while under enemy fire or during natural disasters.

Consequently, it is a very physically demanding and blue-collar type of job where you can’t be afraid of getting your hands dirty or getting into combat.

Job Description of MOS 12C

The official job description of Army Bridge Crewman (MOS 12C) according to the military branch is to “provide bridge and rafting support for dry and wet gap crossing.”

Some of the general job duties of MOS 12C include:

Operating trucks and light vehicles during combat operations.
Performing job roles as a deckhand on the bridge erection boat.
Assisting in the preparation of a bridge site, raft, or bridge operation.
Launching and retrieving ribbon bridge bays.
Assembling and maintaining military fixed as well as float bridges.
Installing of kedge anchorage systems, overhead anchorage systems, wire obstacle material, and demolition firing systems.

It is worth mentioning that Army Bridge Crewmen work closely with Combat Engineers (MOS 12B).

Combat Engineers detect and plant explosives as well as prepare firing positions.

Bridge Crewmen have a close relationship with Combat Engineers to make sure a foreign territory is safe to begin constructing a bridge or rafting system to keep personnel secure.

What does an Army Bridge Crewman make?

bridge crewmember — The Army provides a solid foundation to build a career and earn a decent living. Image: Defense.gov

An Army Bridge Crewman (MOS 12C) is not paid based on Military Occupation Specialty.

The Army pays soldiers based on military rank and years of service.

Pay Grade	Rank	Abbreviation	Minimum Monthly Pay
E-1 +4 months	Private	PVT	$1,917.60
E-2	Private Second Class	PV2	$2,149.20
E-3	Private First Class	PFC	$2,259.90
E-4	Specialist	SPC	$2,503.50
E-4	Corporal	CPL	$2,503.50
E-5	Sergeant	SGT	$2,730.30
E-6	Staff Sergeant	SSG	$2,980.50
E-7	Sergeant First Class	SFC	$3,445.80
E-8	Master Sergeant	MSG	$4,957.20
E-8	First Sergeant	1SG	$4,957.20
E-9	Sergeant Major	SGM	$6,055.50
E-9	Command Sergeant Major	CSM	$6,055.50
E-9	Sergeant Major of the Army	SMA	$6,055.50

Benefits

There are many benefits to joining the Army in addition to pay:

Vacation Time
Special Pay
Retirement
Medical Insurance
Affordable Life Insurance
Housing: Allowances for living expenses, utilities, and maintenance.
Food: Allowance for the on-base dining hall and access to tax-free department and grocery stores.
Education: Soldiers can earn full tuition, merit-based scholarships, allowances for books and fees, plus an annual stipend for living expenses.

Job Reviews

You can find some informative job reviews about a Bridge Crewman (MOS 12C) on job sites like Indeed.com:

The overall consensus is that serving the U.S. Army, particularly as a Bridge Crewman, is a rewarding and fulfilling MOS.

You will work long, hard days in the Army as a Bridge Crewman.

It is a combat job where you work on the front lines with ground infantry assisting with travel accommodations.

If you want an opportunity to see other parts of the world and potentially experience combat, it is a thrilling MOS that takes you to the front lines of the Army.

Civilian Job Opportunities

One of the many advantages of becoming a Bridge Crewman in the Army is how well it translates to civilian employment.

Bridge Crewmen can find jobs in the private sector in practically any field of construction.

Bridge Crewmen learn how to engineer and construct infrastructure under intense deadlines and pressure.

The job skills you acquire and the character it builds make you an outstanding job candidate for civilian jobs.

Some Bridge Crewmen complete additional schooling after their time in the military to work as engineers or architects.

Summary

An Army Bridge Crewman (MOS 12C) is an extremely important member of the ground infantry.

These soldiers engineer and build bridges so other troops can navigate difficult terrain in foreign territories.

It is an excellent MOS for getting your hands dirty, improving your building and engineering skills, and working in high-pressure and demanding environments.

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Rob V.

Rob V. is the founder of OperationMilitaryKids.org. While he never actually served in the US Military, he has a passion for writing about military related topics.

Born and raised in Woodbridge, NJ, he graduated from the New Jersey Institute Of Technology with an MBA in eCommerce.His hobbies include beach volleyball, target shooting, and lifting.

Rob is also a Commercially rated pilot and Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), with over 1,500 hours of flight time.