NMCB 3 volunteers help Japanese seniors welcome autumn to Okinawa

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Chris Fahey | Equipment Operator 3rd Class Anatolie Munteanu, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 3, helps Okinawan contractors wire wood supports to the metal frame of an outdoor awning. Six volunteers from NMCB 3 volunteered their time to help build a celebration area for more than 50 Japanese senior citizens living at the Hijigawa No Sato Senior Home to use during an annual festival. One of the first battalions commissioned during World War II, NMCB 3's legacy stands strong in its ability to build and fight anywhere in the world as either a full battalion or as a group of autonomous detachments, simultaneously completing critical engineering and construction missions. For this deployment, NMCB 3 has split into nine details to perform critical construction projects in remote island areas such as Timor-Leste, Tonga, Cambodia and the Philippines. The teams will also conduct operations in Atsugi, Yokosuka and Okinawa, Japan; Chinhae, Republic of Korea and China Lake, Calif. The Naval Construction Force is a vital component of the U.S. Maritime Strategy. They provide deployable battalions capable of providing disaster preparation and recovery support, humanitarian assistance and combat operations support. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chris Fahey.)  

OKINAWA, JAPAN

09.27.2013

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Chris Fahey 

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3

OKINAWA, Japan - Moments after completing a 48-hour exercise in which Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NCMB) 3 successfully demonstrated their ability to provide humanitarian assistance anywhere in the Pacific Region, 6 volunteers traded their dirty work uniforms for Navy workout clothes and helped more than 50 Okinawan senior citizens get ready to party.

The group of volunteers helped a handful of Japanese contractors at the Hijigawa No Sato Home for Senior Citizens build a celebration area to enjoy this year’s Fall Festival – an annual party to welcome Autumn to Okinawa.

For NMCB 3 Volunteer Utilitiesman 2nd Class Ann Larson, the opportunity to help Hijigawa residents offered a chance to make up for lost time with her deceased grandmother.

“I was very tired – the exercise had us on non-stop rotating shifts,” said Larson. “When I was walking back to my room, I remembered how often my grandmother would say how bored she would get. Being a Seabee and either deployed or training, I didn’t get a chance to spend much time with her. Giving back to the community here in Okinawa was a chance to do for others, what I couldn’t do for her. I think she would have liked that.”
Each volunteer lifted their weight in chairs and tables as they assisted five Okinawan contractors transform an outdoor parking area into a festive location to eat and relax. The team had only a few hours to prepare, making the volunteers and essential part of the process.

“When I was talking to the contractors,” said Shoji Kudaka, an Okinawa native and community relations coordinator for Commander, Fleet Activities Okinawa, “they said the Seabees’ help was huge. They were able to carry more tables and chairs than them, which helped speed everything up. The volunteers were very motivated.”

NMCB 3 is part of the Naval Construction Force – a vital component of the U.S. Maritime Strategy. The NCF provides deployable battalions capable of providing disaster preparation and recovery support, humanitarian assistance and combat operations support.

One of the first battalions commissioned during World War II, NMCB 3’s legacy stands strong in its ability to build and fight anywhere in the world as either a full battalion or as a group of autonomous detachments, simultaneously completing critical engineering and construction missions.

For this deployment, NMCB 3 has split into nine details to perform critical construction projects in remote island areas such as Timor-Leste, Tonga, Cambodia and the Philippines. The teams are also conducting operations in Atsugi, Yokosuka and Okinawa, Japan; Chinhae, Republic of Korea and China Lake, Calif.

• Date Taken: 09.27.2013
• Date Posted: 09.28.2013 01:45
• Story ID: 114419
• Location: OKINAWA, JP