Young plumber saves the day

Photo By Sgt. William Parsons | U.S. Army Pfc. Brandon Dummitt, with the 304th Engineer Company in of Bryan, Ohio, checks the piping of a drainage system he improvised from a jersey barrier at Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif., April 18, 2013. The old system flooded Base Camp Ward during Combat Support Training Exercise 91 13-01, which is planned and coordinated by the 91st Training Division (Operations) at Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif. The exercise gives participating units an opportunity to rehearse military maneuvers and tactics such as base security, convoy operations and battle reaction drills during simulated enemy attacks as well as apply their military occupational specialty skills in a theater of operations. The exercise provides realistic training to units to successfully meet the challenges of an extended and integrated battlefield. (Photo by Army Sgt. William A. Parsons/Released)  

FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, CA, UNITED STATES

04.20.2013

Courtesy Story

214th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

By Sgt. William A. Parsons

FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, Calif. – Soldiers were showering ankle deep in foul water. The expanding pool of filth dumped by the laundry machines was well on its way to becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

It soon became clear the wastewater drainage problem at Base Camp Ward could no longer be ignored.

The U.S. Army Reserve’s 304th Engineer Company soldiers from Bryan, Ohio, needed a solution fast. Several days this week they were hard at work using their skills during scenario-based training for Combat Support Training Exercise (CSTX) 91 13-01, everything from infrastructure reconnaissance to construction, and they needed to be able to come home to a hot, comfortable shower after a long day.

Then someone called in a young private first class from Ohio.

Within 30 minutes of inspecting the drainage system for Base Camp Ward, Pfc. Brandon Dummitt of the 304th Engineer Company from Bryan, Ohio, solved a crisis which had stumped at least a dozen other officers and noncommissioned officers.

“My squad leader came in and said, ‘Dummitt, get up! You’re the only plumber we got. You need to get out there and help us,'” said the 20-year-old Dummitt.

Growing up in a small town, Dummitt said he has always enjoyed building things for friends, such as a giant bunk-bed-balcony out of spare materials. As a civilian, he also builds things for people at his construction job.

At Base Camp Ward, Dummitt’s leadership requested his expertise to solve a very messy problem.

There were three pressurized shower drains feeding into a y-valve and three washing machine drains all feeding into a four-inch drainage pipe, Dummitt explained.

“So the problem was, with the pressurized ones, they would squirt into that y-valve and it would shoot back into the showers making them smell like dirty water,” he said.

In fact, the pressure was so strong it would actually dislodge the y-valve completely, flooding a large section of the base camp with dirty water, Dummitt added.

There was simply too much water being funneled into such a tiny drainage pipe.

To make matters more complicated, the original solution created by Dummitt’s platoon was denied.

“We came up with an initial plan and we submitted our bill of materials. Then we were told more than likely we weren’t going to get what we needed,” said Sgt. Matthew Jenkins, Dummitt’s squad leader.

Unable to get the requested plumbing materials, the engineers were left with only their wits and whatever was lying around the base camp.

“We scoured the camp for anything we could find. As our platoon leader was leaning up against one of the jersey barriers, Dummitt just looked at it and was like, ‘Use that,'” said Jenkins.

And with that, the idea for Dummitt’s jersey-barrier-drainage-system was conceived.

The barrier is hollowed and can hold water, explained Dummitt.

“Right on the top where they fill it with sand and water, that’s your vent pipe. On the side it has a spout on the bottom,” he said.

With Dummitt’s guidance, the engineers drilled three holes on each side of the barrier to fit the shower and laundry pipes. The spout on the bottom was fitted with PVC piping and connected to the drainage pipe. After tilting the barrier so that it drained properly, the problem appeared to be solved.

“It was serious initiative on his part ... also just great ingenuity,” said Jenkins. “At a lack of appropriate resources, he was able to come up with a solution and fix the problem.”

With the drainage issue resolved and Base Camp Ward in his debt, Dummitt then drew the attention of someone special.

“I was told to go out and speak with Brig. Gen. Jon Lee, commander 91st training division, and get a coin from him,” said Dummitt. “When I came back inside my squad leader said, ‘Hey you made me really proud today. I’m glad to be your squad leader.’”

Despite the praise Dummitt received, the young soldier still remained humble about his invention.

“I let my platoon leader take a little credit, because he was the one leaning up against it,” Dummitt laughed.

CSTX is planned and coordinated by the 91st Training Division (Operations) at Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif.

The exercise gives participating units an opportunity to rehearse military maneuvers and tactics such as base security, convoy operations and battle reaction drills during simulated enemy attacks as well as apply their military occupational specialty skills in a theater of operations. The exercise provides realistic training to units to successfully meet the challenges of an extended and integrated battlefield.

• Date Taken: 04.20.2013
• Date Posted: 04.20.2013 16:02
• Story ID: 105539
• Location: FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, CA, US
• Hometown: BRYAN, OH, US