Multi-National Division - Baghdad engineers build historic protective screen

Photo By 1st Lt. Janeene Yarber | Chief Warrant Officer 2 Langston Washington (left), engineer technician, 46th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy), and native of Houston, Lt. Col. Matthew Zajac (center), commander, 46th ECB (H), and a native of Schaumburg, Ill., and another Soldier inspect the heavy steel bracing that supports the 40-foot high sniper screen Sept. 1 at Joint Security Station Ur in northern Baghdad.  

IRAQ

12.07.2008

Courtesy Story

926th Engineer Brigade

By Capt. Angela Smoot and Sgt. 1st Class James Dean
46th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy), 926th Engineer Brigade

JOINT SECURITY SITE UR, Iraq – It all began in early July, when the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, contacted the 46th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy) and asked them to construct a sniper screen. But, this would not be the normal sniper screen design the engineers were used to constructing, but a super-sized version.

This gigantic sniper screen was needed to provide concealment for Soldiers at Joint Security Station Ur and to obscure a large piece of equipment. It would be a 40-foot tall, 300-foot wide stretch of sniper screen (a green mesh material), nicknamed the "Mother of All Sniper Screens," or the MOASS.

"The MOASS represents the collaborative efforts of a team dedicated to force protection of Soldiers and civilians," stated Capt. Lisa Landreth, 46th ECB (H) construction operations officer and native of Fair Play, S.C. "The original concept/design dates back to over a year ago, but due to the magnitude and scope, the final design was not approved until an exhaustive re-design process."

The planning and design of the final MOASS included input from numerous engineers from the 46th ECB (H) and the 926th Engineer Brigade based in Montgomery, Ala., serving with Multi-National Division – Baghdad.

"The MOASS is engineering at its best," commented 1st Lt. Chad Bacote, 926th Eng. Bde. project engineer and native of Darlington, S.C. "Once we had the initial design, it then became about how can we make this design better and still accomplish its original purpose."

With designs finally approved, Company A and equipment platoon of Headquarters Support Company, 46th ECB (H) Soldiers began work in the peak summer heat and commonly referred to the structure as a large erector set.

By early October the final phases of construction were underway, which included excavating materials for the emplacement of the gigantic footers which were 8 foot by 4 foot slabs of concrete with metal flange mounted on the top side.

Within six days, the motivated engineers assisted by two civilian crane operators, emplaced 32 of the 4,000 pound footers. At the same time, the welding team, led by Chief Warrant Officer 2 Langston Washington, engineer technician, 46th ECB (H), and a native of Houston, worked rigorously to weld the large I-beam frames together.

Crane operators hoisted 16 large steel structures into the air while the welders worked to fuse together the flanges that were mounted on the footers. The first section was an end section that was made up of three A-framed I-beams. This phase took an additional five days to complete, but this was the end of the mission for the welders.

Next, engineer Soldiers went to work in bucket trucks, suspended 40 feet high above the protective barrier walls of the military compound. These are similar to the bucket trucks of electric companies in the states.

"This kind of work is great. I was kind of nervous at first, being suspended in the bucket of the truck, 40 feet in the air and knowing that there was a threat of sniper fire. But I'm good at my job, and no one was hurt," stated Pvt. Jobe Tucker, a heavy equipment operator, who hails from Abbison, N.Y.

While high above the compound, the Soldiers placed the sniper screen, fence and cable onto the steel frame. There was a lot of trial and error as the Soldiers figured out what worked for the construction of the MOASS.

"Every day was a challenge," stated Sgt. 1st Class James Dean, 46th ECB (H), senior equipment supervisor and native of Colliers, W.Va. "It took the hard work and the minds of every Soldier that went out on that mission. This was the first time that any of us had ever constructed anything of this sort. We are horizontal engineers, truck drivers, generator mechanics and welders. Every phase of the project was different in its own way."

"In the end, the MOASS is a testament to the capabilities of brigade and battalion design cells, and the ingenuity of our engineer Soldiers," declared Landreth.

The first of its kind project took engineers from all areas of MND-B; vertical, horizontal and surveying to make the MOASS a reality.

"It took a lot of hard work and teamwork amongst all that were involved," stated Bacote. "The end result was a quality product that far exceeds anything that has been done before and a very satisfied customer."

• Date Taken: 12.07.2008
• Date Posted: 12.07.2008 02:29
• Story ID: 27283
• Location: IQ