Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 1 participates in exercise Saber Guardian 2023

Photo By Petty Officer 3rd Class Alejandro Calderon | BORDUSANI, Romania (June 4, 2023) A NATO ally tank crosses the freshly launched medium girder bridge in Bordusani, Romania, June 4, 2023. NMCB 1 operates as a part of Navy Expeditionary Combat Command and is assigned to Commander, Task Force 68 for deployment across the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa area of operations to defend U.S., allied, and partner interests. (U.S. Navy photo by Steelworker 3rd Class Alejandro Calderon)  

ROMANIA

07.01.2023

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Sean P Rinner 

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 1

BORDUSANI, Romania – Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 1 participated in exercise Saber Guardian 23 in Bordusani, Romania, from May 17 to June 9, 2023, along with Soldiers from the U.S Army and NATO allies from Romania, Albania, Bulgaria, France, and the Netherlands.
During the opening ceremony, Brig. Gen. Iulian Daniliuc, Romania’s 2nd Infantry Division Deputy Commander, emphasized the importance of strengthening resilience within NATO.
“More than ever, difficult, unconditional causes warrant us to strengthen the resilience of our own group, NATO’s alliance, and our collective defense capacity,” said Daniliuc.
Saber Guardian provided an opportunity for the Naval Construction Force (NCF) to demonstrate the organic bridging capabilities of the Naval Mobile Construction Battalions by sending a detachment to construct a Medium Girder Bridge (MGB) over a short-gap crossing. It also provided a unique opportunity to demonstrate integration with multinational NATO Allies in a simulated contingency environment.
Throughout the course of the exercise, U.S. Navy Seabees successfully bridged a 30-meter canal to maintain Ground Lines of Communication (GLOC) and sustain freedom-of-movement for combat forces subordinate to the Romanian 2nd Infantry Division.
“Our Bridge Detachment consists of a total 25 personnel who have all been trained to rapidly launch and de-launch the MGB in a contingency environment,” said Ensign Grace Schroder, NMCB 1 Bridge Detachment’s officer-in-charge. “It is important to introduce competing factors such as adjacent unit schedules, realistic time constraints, and logistical considerations in order for our Seabees to develop expertise in their craft. This exercise provided the ideal opportunity for the Bridge Detachment to exercise their skills under such conditions and proved that we are ready to operate in any clime and place.”
Saber Guardian was linked as part of multiple exercises occurring under the umbrella of Defender 23.
Defender 23 is a U.S. Army Europe and Africa (USAEUR-AF) led exercise focused on the strategic deployment of continental United States (CONUS)-based forces, employment of Army Prepositioned Stocks (APS), and interoperability with Allies and partners. Defender 23 demonstrated USAREUR-AF’s ability to aggregate U.S. based combat power quickly in Eastern Europe, increase the lethality of the NATO Alliance through long-distance fires, build unit readiness in a complex joint, multi-national environment, and leverage host nation capabilities to increase USAREUR-AF’s operational reach. DEFENDER 23 encompassed three linked, but separate exercises: Swift Response, Immediate Response, and Saber Guardian.
NMCB 1 is forward deployed to execute construction, humanitarian assistance, and theater security cooperation in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Sixth Fleet areas of operation in direct support of Commander, Task Force (CTF) 68.
22nd Naval Construction Regiment (NCR) provides command and control of Naval Construction Forces in U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command areas of responsibility in direct support of CTF 68.
CTF 68, headquartered in Rota, Spain, commands all Navy Expeditionary Forces in U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command areas of responsibility and is responsible for providing explosive ordinance disposal operations, naval construction, expeditionary security, and theater security efforts in direct support of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and U.S. Sixth Fleet.
For over 80 years, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) has forged strategic relationships with allies and partners, leveraging a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability.
Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of responsibility. U.S. Sixth Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR.

• Date Taken: 07.01.2023
• Date Posted: 08.09.2023 09:42
• Story ID: 451010
• Location: RO