This monograph examines the light infantry division engineer battalion's agility. The factors and organizational elements that affect agility are discussed. Organizational weaknesses in the light engineer battalion are examined and changes that will improve agility are recommended. The monograph first examines agility and develops an agility model used to assess the doctrinal capability of the light infantry division's engineer battalion. The monograph next examines historical experiences of infantry divisional engineers in World War II and selected reports and studies since then. Historical pitfalls in organizational design are mentioned. Then an analysis is made identifying common agility deficiencies and how they historically have been dealt with. From this analysis of historical experiences, conclusions are drawn that lead to a number of recommendations. Finally, thirteen recommendations are presented that increase the agility of the light infantry division engineer battalion. The recommendations address training, personnel, equipment, and organization. They are prioritized by their impact on agility and strategic deployability. High technology improvements such as night vision devices, remote firing devices, exotic explosives, and computers and increased firepower are not addressed. Instead, recommendations focus on more traditional means to enhance agility.
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