Photo By Sgt. Abraham Morlu | Staff Sergeant Alisha Prevette scrapes mortar over the bricks she has already set, to...... read more read more
Raeford, NC - In an effort to increase the strength of its forces, the North Carolina Army National Guard is building two new structures to help maintain vehicles and provide storage for the soldiers at the Raeford Armory. Soldiers from the 429th Concrete Platoon, the 105th Engineering Battalion, and the 258th Engineering Utilities Detachment, spent their annual training honing their vertical engineering skills building the second of the two buildings.
The project aims to give the 105th a place to maintain its vehicles and store materials, while giving the soldiers of the 105th, 258th, and 429th hands on experience with mixing mortar, brick laying, and checking grade, as well as a chance to work on their leadership skills.
The first of the two buildings was completed over drill weekends during the 2018 fiscal year. It was set to be completed during the annual training, but due to logistical constraints, drill weekends were the best option. Those problems were fixed and the engineers are able to build the second of the two buildings during their annual training.
“The project has gone great,” said Sgt. Mitchle Perkins of the 429th. “The soldiers retained the majority of what they learned last year while constructing the first of the two buildings.”
The construction has a four week timeline, which is no easy task. The three units broke into two groups, one to start the project and the other to finish. They will each have two weeks to work on the construction. Many of the soldiers participated. The majority of the soldiers have only worked on horizontal projects, bridges and roads, but these two projects are their first experience with building vertically. Though this is a challenge, the soldiers were eager to dive in to meet the challenge head on.
“This is my first time laying block, but this training has given me the knowledge and confidence to take on another project of the sort as an immediate asset and leader of a team,” said Sgt. Deshawn Epps of the 429th.
The soldiers set the grade for the ground, then use concrete to construct a foundation on which to build the walls. The walls are made of brick, and the soldiers use their new found skills, to lay it with precision. Each layer of brick must be precisely set to grade with a laser, to ensure it is straight and flat.
“Any deviation with this measurement will compound with each layer making a one eighth of an inch deviation at the bottom into a half inch or more at the top, said Perkins. “It's not like carpentry where you can just cut the half inch excess off.”
The project also provides an opportunity for soldiers to grow as leaders. There are two teams; one working from 5:30 a.m. until lunch and the next working from 1:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. They are broken up so soldiers have the opportunity to work with soldiers from the other units, allowing soldiers to pass on knowledge and best practices bettering each other and spreading that strength within the Guard.
“Having just returned from a deployment, and being in a team lead position, I can pass on what I have learned doing this job overseas,” said Jacob Pope of the 258th. “You cannot beat hands on experience as an engineer and the NCARNG has created invaluable assets with this training.”
The current soldiers will finish the walls and start the framing for the roof and the second wave will finish the roof, plumbing and electrical by the end of their two weeks. This shows what soldiers can accomplish with the resources they are given in a short period of time.
| Date Taken: | 06.24.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 06.26.2019 20:17 |
| Story ID: | 329356 |
| Location: | RAEFORD, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 127 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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