Courtesy Photo | Cpl. Scott Carter, Company A, 46th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy), a native from...... read more read more
By 2nd Lt. Michael Cirillo
926th Engineer Brigade
BAGHDAD, Iraq – The 46th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy), continues to make numerous upgrades and improvements to civilian and military living quarters in Baghdad. The most recent project sent Soldiers from 1st Platoon, Company A, based in Fort Polk, La., to Combat Outpost Comanche to upgrade force protection for Company C, 1st Battalion, 35th Armor Regiment.
In mid-September the engineers were tasked with building guard tower fighting positions on the roof of a three-story structure, building platforms in two guard towers, and conducting electrical repairs.
"The towers they had here were inadequate," stated Cpl. Scott Carter, 46th ECB (H), a native of Rochester, N.Y. "The new fighting positions will make the guards happier. They're the ones that have to spend all the time in there. Guard shifts are long, so building them something nice keeps morale up along with giving them more protection."
The newly-built fighting positions will give the Infantrymen the ability to observe key terrain in the Sadr City area while providing cover, shade and protection to guards on duty.
Building the wood-framed structures was tough enough, but with the added job of carrying all the building materials up three flights of stairs, and navigating through cramped hallways, it made the job even tougher! However, the 46th ECB (H) engineers stay in great shape in the desert and worked hard to complete the project - ahead of schedule.
Before the engineers made the improvements to the guard towers, Soldiers on duty had to climb a straight 15-foot high ladder to reach the top of the towers. Now guards climb 6 feet to a platform and then another 6 feet to a second platform, before reaching the top of the tower. These added platforms provide a quick break and is a safety feature provided during the climb up and down.
In order to complete COP Comanche's electrical repairs, the Company A team met up with trained electricians from 1st Platoon, Co. A, 46th ECB (H).
The electricians noted much of the wiring was not weather proof and with the rainy season approaching that could be hazardous.
"The wiring at COP Comanche wasn't up to standard and there was a lot to fix," commented Kevin McDaniel, a native of Los Angeles, Calif., and an electrician with 1st Plt.
The electrical upgrades completed by the electricians of the 46th ECB (H) were numerous, including rewiring two generators, rewiring a bathroom panel box, running new electrical systems to that panel box, and rewiring two freezers.
McDaniel is confident that the repairs he made with his team of electricians will make life more comfortable on COP Comanche whether they are running on generator or city power.
Before heading out, the team went one step further and built benches for Soldiers to use in their eating and smoking areas, a coffee table complete with a marble top, and shelving units.
Lastly, the engineers turned an open air "prison yard" type gym into an indoor exercise building, by just building two walls, installing a couple lights and an air conditioning unit. Now COP Comanche has a cool gym, a comfortable place to work out.
One Soldier from the 46th ECB (H) commented on how the little upgrades make a big difference to the Soldiers living and working at the remote COP.
"It is nice to be able to do the extra things," stated Spc. Joshua Smith, a Company A Soldier from Sacramento, Calif. "We have our required projects to do that make things better and safer, but it is the extra stuff that makes Soldiers happy."
| Date Taken: | 11.04.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 11.04.2008 13:19 |
| Story ID: | 25908 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 140 |
| Downloads: | 113 |
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