The History of SAME

Formed “in the interest of National Defense… bringing together all phases of U.S. engineering, [in both the] civil sector and military, for the advancement of knowledge…and the rapid mobilization of engineering capabilities.” -The Charter of the Society of American Military Engineers, founded in 1920.

SAME is the premier professional engineering association in the United States for connecting architects, engineers and builders in the public sector and private industry, uniting them to improve individual and collective capabilities for national security. Our goal is to unite A/E/C entities and individuals in the public and private sector so that we can prepare for – and overcome – natural and manmade disasters, acts of terrorism and improve security at home and abroad.

That goal grew from our nation’s experiences in World War I. More than 11,000 civilian engineers were called to duty when the United States entered the conflict. As they returned home after “the war to end all wars,” many feared we would lose this collective knowledge and the cooperation between public and private sectors that proved vital to combat success. Industry and military leaders vowed to capitalize on the technical lessons and camaraderie shared during their battlefield experiences.

SAME was formed from this vow. In 1919, Maj. Gen. William M. Black, USA, the Army’s Chief of Engineers, appointed a nine-officer board to consider the formation of an “association of engineers” that would preserve, and expand upon, connections formed in war and promote the advancement of engineering and its related professions. Early in 1920, the first SAME Posts were established, providing former colleagues and new members opportunities to connect face-to-face, and establishing Post-to-community relationships across the United States.

The original nine-member board appointed by Maj. Gen. Black also arranged the donation of Professional Memoirs, a magazine published by the Engineer Bureau since 1909, and its assets, to SAME with the blessing of Gen. John J. “Blackjack” Pershing, USA. Those memoirs were subsequently renamed The Military Engineer, which has been continuously published since it debuted in 1920, and the magazine became the cornerstone upon which the Society of American Military Engineers was founded.

U.S. Vice President Charles Gates Dawes – while still in office – served as SAME’s 8th president. The year before assuming his role as president of SAME, Dawes was awarded the 1925 Nobel Peace Prize for his work on German reparations in 1924.

Engineers built America into what it is. They designed and built cities, harbors, ports and our interstate transportation system – first surveyed by then-Maj. Dwight D. Eisenhower, USA. Today, engineers from both the public and private sectors are more necessary than ever in the continuing Global War on Terror (GWOT) and as responders both to natural and man-made disasters. Over 25 years ago, SAME members devised a system to help the government come to the aid of communities suffering from both man-made and natural disasters – the Fast Start Plan.

There are nearly 400 SAME members who have belonged to the organization for 50 years or longer!

The design of the SAME seal as it has progressed, from 1920 to the present.

At practically every step, military and civilian engineers have exchanged knowledge and worked side-by-side, which built America’s engineering prowess. This exchange is the taproot of SAME’s mission, vision and values…