CONSTRUCTION ELECTRICIAN (CE)

OVERVIEW

Construction Electrician (CE) is the electrical-construction rating in the U.S. Navy's Naval Construction Force. CEs install power-generation equipment (mobile diesel generators, prime power plants), run overhead and underground electrical distribution, install interior and exterior building electrical systems, climb and rig poles for pole-line construction, and install fiber-optic and copper communications systems.

CE works alongside the other Seabee ratings (BU, CM, EA, EO, SW, UT) in NMCBs and supports every Seabee construction project from initial site survey to final commissioning.

The Seabees — the Naval Construction Force (NCF) — are the U.S. Navy's expeditionary engineers, building airfields, camps, bridges, roads, and piers in austere locations worldwide. Seabees deploy with Naval Mobile Construction Battalions (NMCBs), Underwater Construction Teams (UCTs), and Naval Construction Regiments. Their motto, "Construimus, Batuimus" — "We build, we fight" — captures their dual role.

A-school for the rating runs ~12 weeks at Naval Construction Training Center, Gulfport, MS, where Sailors complete the technical foundation needed to report to their first fleet command. Entry requires the ASVAB line score AR+MK+EI+GS=201 and an enlistment obligation of 4–6 years. CEs advance through the standard enlisted paygrade structure (E-1 through E-9), competing in the Navy-Wide Advancement Examination (NWAE) at E-4 through E-6 and via the Selection Board at E-7 through E-9. Senior CEs typically serve as Leading Petty Officer (LPO), Work Center Supervisor, Leading Chief Petty Officer (LCPO), or Command Master Chief (CMC), and may pursue Limited Duty Officer (LDO), Chief Warrant Officer (CWO), or commissioning programs such as STA-21, MECP, or OCS.

Across the active force, CE Sailors are essential to the Navy's mission readiness, and the rating remains an in-demand career field with strong reenlistment bonuses (SRB), advancement opportunities, and pathways into Navy Reserve, civilian DoD, and industry careers after service.

WHAT CEs DO

Construction Electricians install electrical service entrances, panelboards, and branch circuits in new construction; run overhead and underground primary and secondary distribution; install transformers, switchgear, and motor controllers; perform pole-line construction (line crew climbing, framing, transformer hanging); install fiber-optic backbone and copper telecom cabling; and operate prime-power diesel generation plants on contingency deployments. CEs also troubleshoot and repair existing electrical systems on Seabee-occupied installations.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Construction Electricians install electrical service entrances, panelboards, and branch circuits in new construction; run overhead and underground primary and secondary distribution; install transformers, switchgear, and motor controllers; perform pole-line construction (line crew climbing, framing, transformer hanging); install fiber-optic backbone and copper telecom cabling; and operate prime-power diesel generation plants on contingency deployments. CEs also troubleshoot and repair existing electrical systems on Seabee-occupied installations.
• Stand watches and qualify on the rating's Personnel Qualification Standards (PQS), maintain training jackets, and mentor junior CEs as required by the chain of command.
• Lead the CE work center as Leading Petty Officer or Work Center Supervisor — managing maintenance documentation in 3M/MFOM, parts ordering, and personnel qualifications.
• Support general military training (GMT), damage control, force protection, and watch-bill assignments common to every Sailor regardless of rating.

HISTORY

Construction Electrician was carved out of the original wartime Seabee specialty rates (CB1c–CB7c) in the post-WWII reorganization. The rating has remained the Seabee electrical specialty since the late 1940s and has expanded to cover modern fiber-optic and prime-power generation systems.

Modern CE projects include the prime-power plants supporting forward operating bases, photovoltaic solar systems on contingency installations, and complete electrical distribution for expeditionary base camps.

The Naval Construction Force was established on 5 March 1942 by RADM Ben Moreell of the Civil Engineer Corps to provide militarized construction units for World War II — replacing civilian contractors who, under the laws of war, could not resist enemy attack. The Seabees built bases, airstrips, and pontoon causeways across the Pacific and Europe and have deployed in every conflict since.

Today the Construction Electrician (CE) rating is overseen by the Enlisted Community Management (ECM) office at My Navy HR and the Center for Personal and Professional Development. Modern CEs benefit from the Sailor 2025 personnel-system reforms, the Ready Relevant Learning (RRL) training continuum, and credentialing through the Navy COOL program — turning rating qualifications into industry-recognized certifications and licenses.

The rating's structure, training pipeline, and operational employment continue to evolve alongside the Navy's transition to Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO), Project Overmatch, and the Force Design 2045 fleet architecture, ensuring CEs remain central to the warfighting mission.

TRAINING PIPELINE

1. 1. Recruit Training (Boot Camp)~10 weeks
   Naval Station Great Lakes, IL
   Initial entry training for all U.S. Navy enlisted Sailors at the Navy's only boot camp.
2. 2. Construction Electrician A-School~12 weeks
   Naval Construction Training Center, Gulfport, MS
   Initial rating-skills training for CE accessions.
3. 3. Fleet / Operational TourFirst sea or operational tour
   Naval Mobile Construction Battalions (NMCBs)
   On-the-job training and qualifications in the CE rating with a fleet unit.

TYPICAL CAREER PATH

1. E-1/E-3
   Apprentice CE
   A-school at Gulfport; first tour with an NMCB electrical crew.
2. E-4/E-6
   Petty Officer CE
   Qualify as electrical crew leader, prime-power operator, and pole-line foreman.
3. E-7+
   Chief Construction Electrician
   CE Company Chief, NMCB Operations LCPO, or instructor at NCTC Gulfport.

TYPICAL PLATFORMS & UNITS

• Naval Mobile Construction Battalions (NMCBs)
• Underwater Construction Teams
• Naval Construction Group staffs
• Expeditionary contingency construction worldwide

EXAMPLE NECs

• CE-5631 Prime Power Production Specialist
• CE-5635 Pole-Line Construction Supervisor

RELATED RATINGS

• BU · Seabees (NCF)
  Builder
• CM · Seabees (NCF)
  Construction Mechanic
• EO · Seabees (NCF)
  Equipment Operator

RELATED BASES

• Navy Base · CA
  Naval Base Ventura County

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

SOURCES

• Navy Construction Electrician (navy.com)
• NAVFAC — Naval Construction Force
• My Navy HR — CE Rating Detail