Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Mark Wojciechowski | The vertical construction platoon of the 505th Engineers, North Carolina Army National...... read more read more
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Story and Photos By:
Staff Sgt. Mark Wojciechowski
133rd MPAD
BAQUBAH, Iraq (January 23, 2006) " As the Iraqi Army grows and more Iraqi units transition and develop, so does the infrastructure requirements within the forward operating bases throughout Iraq.
The vertical construction platoon from Bravo Company, 505th Engineers, out of the North Carolina Army National Guard, is at Forward Operating Base Warhorse making it happen.
This group of "Tar Heel Guardsmen" based out of Gantoinn, N.C., has been in Iraq since Oct. 15, 2005. They have been tasked with the mission to aid in the transition of forward operating bases from U.S. control over to eventual Iraqi Army control.
2nd Lt. Kevin Sigmon, the commander of the Vertical Construction platoon, said "our primary mission when we got on the ground was to establish a FOB footprint here at Warhorse that would allow the nearby FOBs to collapse down to enduring FOBs."
The vertical construction section is composed of carpenters, masons, plumbers and electricians.
"With those skill sets we can take it from the ground up," said Sigmon, who is a Lincolnton, N.C., native.
As coalition forces handover FOBs to the Iraqi Army, the vertical platoon is building more accommodations on enduring FOBs to support the consolidation of forces. The unit just finished constructing six buildings that will be used for either housing or office space.
To hone their skills stateside, the vertical platoon builds structures on drill weekends for non-profit organizations, including a community access center in Union Mills, N.C., that was completed before the deployment.
Staff Sgt. Robert Mote, a Grover, N.C. native and a Guardsman of 17 years, said, "Its just like we are building back in the states, but we miss our families here."
From the ground up " literally " these "Tar Heel Guardsmen" are playing a crucial role in the handover of the mission here to the Iraqi Security Forces. Every nail driven brings the Iraqi people one step close to a free and stable Iraq.
| Date Taken: | 02.03.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 02.03.2006 11:38 |
| Story ID: | 5308 |
| Location: | BAQUBAH, IQ |
| Web Views: | 154 |
| Downloads: | 21 |
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