Photo By Sgt. Michael Baltz | Air Force Staff Sgt. Guy Conley, deployed here with the 474th Expeditionary Civil...... read more read more
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GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba — The 474th Expeditionary Civil Engineering Squadron will have new faces to support the mission as West Virginia Air National Guard's 130th Airlift Wing departs after six months of service to Joint Task Force Guantanamo.
The unit, often referred to as Base Emergency Engineer Force, or Prime BEEF, turned over command to an Arkansas Air National Guard unit after a successful tour, July 30.
"The mission of the 474th [ECES] is the sustainment of Camp Justice and the Expeditionary Legal Complex," said Air Force 1st Sgt. Charles Brown, with the 130th Airlift Wing. "We have been responsible for ongoing operations with the infrastructure of the camps and Expeditionary Legal Complex, including heating and air conditioning, electrical wiring, plumbing and all the things we take for granted when we move into a new home."
The BEEF has conducted several projects supporting JTF Guantanamo.
"We kept Camp Justice and the ELC up and running. We were also able to get out and assist the rest of the JTF on projects," said Air Force Lt. Col. John Dulin, the outgoing commander of the 474th ECES.
"We worked on plumbing at Camp 5, the recreational yard at Camp 6 and additional facilities in Camp America for the service members that live over there," Dulin continued.
As a result of completing successful projects, the BEEF has become well known.
"Our presence is what made us successful," Brown said. "You can go anywhere on this base and say BEEF and they immediately think of us. I think our Airmen have gotten out into the broad community and demonstrated their skills and abilities, and people got a quality work product. When we leave here, we will leave a good name. I think we have set up the incoming unit for success, since we have a good first impression with several entities here."
Not only has Dulin's team been able to complete mission essential tasks, they have also been able to grow together.
"I now feel I have a unified unit," Dulin said. "The morale has been kept high. I haven't had a lot of issues where people were getting in trouble, and it seems most of the base is well satisfied with the work we have done."
Although the BEEF has been successful, working in a joint environment made things challenging.
"Being at Guantanamo, you have to get the mindset of a joint environment," Brown explained. "I have worked with all five services, and we all work differently. We might be talking about the same thing, but in two different languages, so it is important to be flexible."
With Morale, Welfare and Recreation events and living on an island, Airmen with the 130th have been able to enjoy this deployment.
"I enjoy going to the beach and all the activities here, the events and concerts," said Air Force Senior Airman Samuel Byrnside. "I stayed busy fishing."
Air Force Senior Airman Nathan Ansell has also enjoyed his first deployment.
"Getting to have hands-on experience with the high voltage [equipment] has been exciting," Ansell said. "It is cool to see how everything is run. You hear all the bad things in the press about Guantanamo, and now I can go back and really tell people how we do things here."
Most of the members of the 130th are looking forward to returning home to spend time with families.
"I cannot wait to go home and play with my kids," Ansell said.
For more information about Joint Task Force Guantanamo, visit the Web site at www.jtfgtmo.southcom.mil.
| Date Taken: | 07.29.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 08.06.2009 15:55 |
| Story ID: | 37225 |
| Location: | GUANTANAMO BAY, CU |
| Web Views: | 262 |
| Downloads: | 217 |
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