Four’s fabulous FTX

Photo By Russ Stewart | Members of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4’s Convoy Security Element escort an Engineering Assessment Team into a simulated village during 4’s Field Training Exercise. The FTX helps evaluate and prepare NMCB 4 for deployment and is the culmination of a 10-month inter-deployment training cycle.  

FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, CA, UNITED STATES

05.06.2011

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Russ Stewart 

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4

FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, Calif. - For several weeks in March and April, the Seabees of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4 participated in a monumental field training exercise in the hilly terrain north of San Luis Obispo.

“From interacting with the [Afghan] role players to exercising command and control of distributed operations to analyzing intelligence, this has probably been the most realistic FTX I’ve been a part of, considering it’s exactly the kind of operational environment we’re expecting on deployment,” said commanding officer La Tanya Simms.

The uniqueness of 4’s FTX was accentuated by a visit from Rear Adm. Mark Handley, Commander, 1st Naval Construction Division. After touring forward operating bases, or FOBs, and talking with the troops, RADM Handley presented the Navy Battle Efficiency award to 4’s commanding officer and Command Master Chief Charles Thomas.

During the groundbreaking exercise, the battalion performed two “jumps” where personnel and equipment are moved from an established base to a non-secure area. Seabees provided their own security, both while moving to and while setting up the new FOB. Another distinction of this exercise was the use of “Civilians on the Battlefield” which uses American citizens of Middle Eastern descent as active role players. “The interaction with the [role players] gave everything a real-life feeling, it made all the scenarios real instead of trying to pretend that my buddy is a local national,” said Construction Electrician 3rd Class Garret Brady.

The training is designed to exercise all aspects of the battalion’s defensive and operational capabilities - from the basics of manning a fighting position on the company lines to more sophisticated skills such as deploying a bridge building detail, conducting engineering assessments, providing convoy security, or reacting to chemical warfare threats and improvised explosive devices. All of these evolutions take place while enduring weather extremes and austere living conditions. “We would sometimes see three seasons in one shift in the fighting positions; freezing in the morning, followed by warm sunshine, the snow or hail in the late afternoons”, said Petty Officer 2nd Class December Johnson-Goggin. “It was great when Construction Mechanic 2nd Class Ocie Felton and Equipment Operator 3rd Class Jay Hogue came by with hot coffee one very cold morning.”

Along with tried and true Seabee pre-deployment training scenarios, there were some innovative twists. For the first time, Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams were present to address simulated IEDs. Interacting with the EOD teams gave Seabees the opportunity to refine their IED procedures and integrate them into day-to-day operations. NMCB 4 followed this achievement with another first - the first successful deployment of the Ruggedized Satellite system during a battalion's FTX. Working with the advanced communication system gave the communications team valuable training experience and a deeper knowledge of systems that are vital to battalion communications in theater.

Whether it was the unique terrain and weather, numerous jumps, endless scenarios, realistic role players or even a visit from the admiral, the Seabees of NMCB 4 flexed their collective muscle to knock this FTX out of the park!

• Date Taken: 05.06.2011
• Date Posted: 06.16.2011 23:23
• Story ID: 72232
• Location: FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, CA, US