Roles for architects within the military?

I've always been interested in architecture and I'm considering how I might combine that with military service. What kind of job roles or projects could architects expect to take on within the military?

Architecture skills are definitely valuable within the military! Both in deployment and in garrison, military architects are often engaged in tasks like planning, designing, and overseeing construction of field or base structures. This can include everything from bridges, roads, or fortifications to barracks, medical facilities, or mess halls.

In the U.S. military, many of these roles can be found within the Army Engineer Commands or the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command. Army engineers, for example, have a whole range of roles from designing infrastructure to managing construction projects.

Additionally, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is one of the world's largest public engineering, design, and construction management agencies - they employ many civilian architects in addition to military personnel. Their work extends beyond classic military architecture to civil projects like dams, canals, and flood protection.

Another avenue could be as a Civil Engineer Corps (CEC) Officer in the Navy—these officers deal with engineering and construction support for the Navy and Marine Corps, from designing bases to improving quality of life for service members.

There’s even the Air Force Civil Engineer Center, which handles infrastructure planning for that branch. Architects there might work on housing, runways, or even specialized facilities for spacecraft.

In summary, architecture roles in the military are varied, wide-ranging and can have a very real impact on military readiness and personnel's quality of life. They also often come with the opportunity to work on unique or specialized structures that might not be found in civilian architecture.