As of soldiers in non-combat duties the aqueduct of Caesarea should not be too far from you Wilf. Some "graffitis" of the legionaries who have bult it still can be seen. The legionares were conducting highway patrols, serving as scriptors in the province's adminstration etc. Dont wanna show off with my weak latin so I just repeat the old roman saying: there is nothing new under the sun.

With respect given where respect is due I think contemporary western privates can do much more.