1LT Amanda Warren ’21 is taking a well-deserved moment to reflect after becoming one of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ newest Ranger-qualified soldiers.
“Ranger School pushed me to my physical and mental limits,” Warren said. “But I knew I was capable and well prepared.”
That grit has defined Warren’s journey, fueling her success through intense environments, but her motivation is not titles or achievements. It’s rooted in a greater purpose.
“I did not join the Army for a specific job,” Warren said. “It was the challenge and the idea of service that really appealed to me.”
Raised in a military family, she grew up surrounded by examples of selfless service. It was those same examples that drew her to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and eventually a commission as an engineer officer.
As USACE celebrates 250 years of service to the nation, Warren, a project manager in the USACE Jacksonville District, represents the next generation of USACE and Army Soldiers.
“What drew me to engineers was the versatility,” she said. “You can be a combat engineer, a construction engineer, do route clearance or even serve in a civil capacity. I didn’t want to be boxed into one role, I wanted to grow in as many directions as possible.”
Warren has amassed a wealth of experience as an Army engineer. Before being Ranger qualified, she was already a Sapper-tabbed officer with both airborne and air assault qualifications. She currently serves in the Technical Engineer Competency-Development Program, or TEC-DP), a unique assignment designed to immerse pre-career course engineer officers in USACE and equip them with experience and skills to excel in both military and civilian engineering roles.
She oversees everything from military construction and facility renovations to interagency projects as a project manager in TEC-DP, all while navigating the unique dynamics of a joint civilian-military workspace. But it’s her time supporting FEMA-led emergency response efforts that has left the deepest impression.
“Through emergency response, I’ve gotten to see firsthand what the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers does for people,” said Warren. “It’s some of the most real, impactful work I’ve experienced in the Army.”
