Preserving the Legacy: The Sapper Association

From Trench Warfare to the Elite Tab
The lineage of the Sapper dates back to the fortress sieges of the 16th century. For generations, these elite combat engineers have broken through the impossible, fighting and dying alongside their maneuver brethren to clear the way. Yet, despite this deep-rooted history, the premier Engineer Small Unit Leader Course has often faced obscurity and budget constraints. We owe it to those who came before us to secure our history, protect our legacy, and ensure the Sapper is represented and their spirit remains unbroken.

The Dawn of the Association:
The vision for the Sapper Association was first forged in 2008, but it wasn't until May 2018 that leadership and overwhelming support perfectly aligned. Founded and organized by MAJ (R) Ernest M. Urquieta, alongside a powerful vanguard of pioneer Sapper Instructors and active-duty advocates—including CSM (R) Ioakimo Falaniko, CSM (R) Joe Toth, CSM (R) Greg Glen, 1SG (R) Ted Hinojosa, and 1SG (R) Daniel Ochoa—the Association was officially established on May 31, 2018.

This monumental step followed the first Annual Sapper Rendezvous in Crocker, Missouri, where over 100 current and former Instructors, Commanders, and Chiefs gathered for a historic Sapper Muster to finalize bylaws, vote in board members, and solidify our organizational structure.

Honoring the Icons of the Regiment:
In 2018, the Best Sapper Competition was officially named in honor of LTG (R) Robert B. Flowers, the institutional backbone who successfully fought to have the Sapper Tab approved and accredited by the Department of the Army, cementing the coveted Sapper Tab into military history.

Driven by the tireless work and perseverance of our first Board of Directors—MAJ (R) Urquieta, CSM (R) Falaniko, CSM (R) Toth, CSM (R) Glen, SGM (R) Canter, CSM (R) Scott, 1SG (R) Ochoa, 1SG (R) Hinojosa, SFC (R) Rostad, MSG (R) Mann, and SFC (R) Timothy Jacobs—the Association continues to stand as a fortress of support for the Regiment.

Our Mission: Fueling the Future
Today, Sappers past and present stand united to protect our history by aggressively supporting current Sapper Instructors. Year after year, our mission grows to:

• Fund the LTG (R) Robert B. Flowers Best Sapper Competition, fully rewarding the 1st through 10th-place finishing teams.

• Recognize top talent by awarding the Soldier and NCO of the Year for the 1st Engineer Brigade at Fort Leonard Wood.

• Invest in education and community by establishing two Essayon's Memorial Scholarship Funds and developing the Cubs of Sappers Outreach Initiative Program.

• Honor the Cadre who selflessly train our nation's most versatile, dynamic combat engineers.

Help Us Archive Our History:
Our story belongs to you! We are actively gathering photos, memos, and personal accounts from former students, instructors, chiefs, commanders, and support staff.

• Submit your history: Email us at sapperhistory@gmail.com, to COL (R) Kevin Golinghorst or sapperassoc@gmail.com for archiving.

• Watch the legacy: Visit the Sapper History YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@SapperHistory and watch past and present Sappers share their stories.

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Keeping our history sound and protected! Always Making a Difference!

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SLTW!