Courtesy Photo | Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 stand in front of their...... read more read more
FORT BELKNAP, Mont. - Recently, 18 Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 133 arrived at the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation to begin site preparation for a future housing development as part of the Department of Defense’s Innovative Readiness Training (IRT), a program designed to improve military readiness and simultaneously provide services to underserved communities.
The Fort Belknap IRT mission is to provide much needed housing for families of the local Assiniboine and Gros Ventre tribes. The lack of housing is an increasingly pressing issue within the Fort Belknap community. With over 300 families on the waiting list for housing, the community directors began to look for a solution in 2008 and after several years of planning, the Eagle Valley Housing Development was conceived.
The Fort Belknap leadership collaborated with Mr. Marvin Thurman, Program Manager for Operation Walking Shield (OWS), to garner support for the project. OWS is an organization that strives to improve the quality of life for American Indian families by coordinating programs that provide shelter, healthcare, community development support, education assistance, and humanitarian aid. The request for IRT support and funding was reviewed by the Congressional Committee for Civil-Military Programs and approved by the Secretary of Defense. The final tasking to execute the project trickled down through Department of Defense channels and was ultimately received by NMCB 133.
After six weeks of hard work, NMCB 133 Seabees moved over 40,000 cubic yards of soil, establishing 27 house pads, four roads, and two alleys, turning what was once a field of tall grass into the beginning of a 160 unit housing development. The IRT project significantly benefited the Fort Belknap Reservation, providing over $650,000 worth of construction service to the community. As the Seabees began the project, hope was given to the families of the reservation. “I hope that one day, they’ll be holding the keys to their own homes,” said Tribal President Mark Azure during the groundbreaking ceremony held Sept. 2.
As the Seabees turned the project into a reality, excitement for future progress in the community escalated. Fort Belknap Transportation Director John Healy expressed hope that once the initial housing development site is established, a new Wellness Center can be constructed to promote health and wellness within the community. Additionally, discussions for long-term green energy production with wind turbines and solar panels have also begun.
The IRT project was an excellent training opportunity for the NMCB 133 Seabees. Over a 40-day period, the crew received extensive on-the-job training with various construction activities involving multiple pieces of construction equipment. Each crew member accumulated over 250 hours of equipment operation time including dozers, graders, scrapers, rollers, loaders, dump trucks, and water trucks. They also learned the process of project planning from beginning to end. “Being in Montana has taught me how a group of individuals, though inexperienced, can accomplish great things through training such as this,” said Construction Mechanic Constructionman Tyler Hattenbach, who had the opportunity to spend more time behind the wheel than under the hood during this project.
As the Seabees departed from Fort Belknap, they hope to return one day and continue what they have started. “The impact of what our Seabees accomplished here will be felt for many years to come,” expressed Ensign Alex Liu, Detail Montana Officer in Charge. “This IRT was an awesome way to give back to the community. I hope Seabees will have the opportunity to come back and continue to make contributions in the future.”
| Date Taken: | 09.18.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 10.15.2015 12:12 |
| Story ID: | 179000 |
| Location: | FORT BELKNAP, MONTANA, US |
| Web Views: | 129 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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