Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Panter | Utilitiesman Constructionman Edward Skeen, of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4,...... read more read more
By Lt. j.g. Douglas Pan
PORT HUENEME, Calif. - The Naval Mobile Construction Battalion's ability to deploy the Air Detachment, a 89-man company of Seabees, along with their construction equipment anywhere around the world within 48 hours distinguishes the NMCB from any other military engineering unit.
The wide capabilities and fast response of Seabees have earned them a reputation for humanitarian assistance and disaster recovery efforts around the world. Air Detachments have been deployed to help in recovery efforts after earthquakes in Pakistan and Haiti, hurricanes in Mississippi, and tsunamis in Indonesia.
“The Air Detachment is a miniature battalion that is flexible in construction capability and responsive to engineering missions world-wide,” said Chief Utilitiesman Jason Hutchinson, Air Detachment operations chief.
NMCB 4 recently completed the first of several exercises that demonstrate the ability to quickly deploy the Air Detachment. Over 100 Seabees, all from NMCB 4, practiced their skills in a two-part Embark Exercise held from March 10 to 13.
The first part tested the battalion’s ability to deploy the 89-man Air Detachment from Port Hueneme over a 32-hour period.
NMCB 4 Seabees processed twenty pieces of construction equipment and prepared ten pallets of support equipment, a total of 250 shorts tons, for shipment by air and sea.
The unit worked around the clock in order to meet exercise deadlines.
“Everything was scheduled at the same time as the exercise. People who I thought would be there ended up in class,” said Equipment Operator 2nd Class Priscilla French. “But we took charge and got it done. At stations where there’d normally be six people, we did it with three. Every crew was working together. Off going shifts even stayed late into the night after turnover times to teach the oncoming shifts. There was great teamwork by everyone involved.”
The first part of the exercises ended with a challenging inspection by evaluators from Naval Construction Group 1. The inspection ensures that airlifted cargo is clean, free of leaks, and properly documented.
Steel Worker 1st Class Christopher Harris was nervous at first.
“We know what we’re doing,” he said. “So I’m hoping that they don’t find anything.”
“They were very thorough,” said Harris. “They noticed all the little things that we missed. It was an eye opener to understand everything that we have to get right in order to embark equipment. I will definitely be ready for the next one.”
“NMCB 4 did a great job,” said Christina Williams, NCG 1 Embark training manager. “There were times when the process could’ve gone much smoother, [but] they did complete all cargo preparation and all required documentation for a successful deployment of forces. I am confident that when the actual graded event comes up during FTX in April, they will use their lessons learned and excel. It’s great to see the classroom training we conduct come to fruition.”
The second part of the exercise tested the Air Detachment’s ability to bring itself home after a deployment. They were required to prepare the same amount of equipment and to go through the same rigorous inspection as the battalion despite their smaller size.
“Completing an exercise like this helps you remember how time sensitive some items are,” said Construction Mechanic 1st Class Jesse Koch. “If you miss minor things, you can throw off your entire operation.”
“We can do everything that a battalion can do,” said Lt. j.g. Delaine Anderson. “The embark exercise was great practice for Air Det Seabees to experience our fast pace and demonstrate our ability to move personnel and equipment just like main body.”
Although exhausted after operating around the clock, Seabees involved in the exercise all agreed that it was a valuable training event.
“It was difficult to manage 20 pieces of equipment in the beginning. The level of detail needed to get them deployed is incredible,” said Ensign Jason Tang. “What was surprising was to see how the chaotic start became organized flights at the end.”
“I learned about the whole mount-out process, and how equipment moves from station to station,” said Builder Constructionman Jennifer Casey. “I did a little bit of palletization during the last deployment when I went to Croatia. I know that the knowledge I’ve gained will be useful wherever I end up.”
Despite a successful training exercise, NMCB 4 does not plan to rest.
“We’ve got two weeks before the battalion’s 48-hour mount out, and a little less than a month before we move everything for FTX [Field Training Exercise], “ said Lt. j.g. Doug Pan. “It’s going to be a very busy month.”
NMCB 4 departs for their FTX in mid-April, and expects to return in early May.
| Date Taken: | 03.13.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 04.08.2014 19:54 |
| Story ID: | 125014 |
| Location: | PORT HUENEME, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 114 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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