Awards
AEA recognizes the importance of rewarding hardworking Engineer Soldiers and their Spouses for going above and beyond in their Support of the Engineer Regiment
Army Combat Engineer Sergeants
The Army Combat Engineer Sergeants (ACES) award is a component of the U.S. Army Engineer Regimental Award
Program and is administered by the Army Engineer Association (AEA). This award is an annual recognition for an Engineer Squad
Leader/Section Sergeant deemed to be the best in his/her Battalion, separate Company or Detachment. The units Command team
determines its own selection procedure and performance criteria.
AEA sponsorship of the program has been supplemented by support from JCB starting in 2019.
Awardees will receive the following:
- One-year complimentary membership in the AEA.
- Special Personalized Trophy with Official Engineer Regimental Coin.
- Special Award Certificate.
- World-wide recognition in the official AEA magazine, THE ARMY ENGINEER.
Eligibility
The selected Soldier must hold Engineer PMOS Squad Leader/Section Sergeant (SGT/SSG) performing duty in an Engineer Unit.
There will be only one award per Engineer Battalion, Separate Engineer Company/Detachment. The ACES program is open to Active Duty, Army National Guard and Army Reserve Engineer Battalions, Separate Engineer Companies/Detachments
Background
The ACES award was conceived in concept and initiated in 1995 by COL (Ret) Leon “Moose” Albin. Colonel Albin started his Army career in 1932 in the National Guard. He was rapidly promoted to the grade of Master Sergeant.
Receiving a commission as a Second Lieutenant, Corps of Engineers at the start of the Second World War, he served with distinction in the Pacific Theater of operations and was recognized as one of the most capable combat engineers to come out of that conflict. He has commanded the 1 st , 17 th , and 547 th Engineer Battalions. Impressive field and command experience led him to become one of the Corps of Engineers experts on doctrine and equipment development. Following his retirement from military service and then entry into Department of the Army Civilian service during the Vietnam War, his Army engineering achievements continued. Colonel Albin remained a tireless volunteer Director with the AEA until his death in October 1998.
Colonel Albin’s considerable time as an Engineer Commander convinced him that a unit’s reputation and combat effectiveness will depend upon the abilities of the Squad Leaders to accomplish the mission and take care of the soldiers.
