CLB-11 Marines construct hut from ground up

Photo By Gunnery Sgt. Michele Hunt | Cpl. Dustin Lamb, a fire team leader with Engineer Detachment, Combat Logistics Battalion 11, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, uses a nail gun to secure part of the structure of a Southwest Asia hut during a field operation at Camp Pendleton, Calif., June 20. Constructing the hut readied them for any humanitarian assistance or disaster relief missions where infrastructure damage has occurred.  

CAMP PENDLETON, CA, UNITED STATES

06.20.2011

Story by Cpl. Michele Hunt 

1st Marine Logistics Group

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON Calif. – More than 30 Marines with Engineer Detachment, Combat Logistics Battalion 11, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, constructed a Southwest Asia Hut from the ground up in a training support mission for the 11th MEU here, June 20.

The detachment is made up of Marines with five different military occupational specialties: electricians, water technicians, heavy equipment operators, bulk fuel specialists and combat engineers.

“We all have our certain position, but we all want to learn something new,” said Cpl. Matthew R. Flynn, assistant squad leader with Engineer Det., CLB-11, 11th MEU. “It makes it easier to work together when you’re teaching someone who wants to learn.”

The detachment is originally part of the 1st Marine Logistics Group but was attached to the 11th MEU in May to prepare for a deployment to the Western Pacific in November.

“It’s my first time being on a MEU,” said Flynn, 22, from Kansas City, Mo. “I’m excited, it’s something new so I don’t know what to expect.”

The engineers have been on four field operations as part of the MEU to train for any situations they may come across during their deployment. Constructing the hut readied them for any humanitarian assistance or disaster relief missions where infrastructure damage has occurred.

“This training mission is to showcase the vertical construction capability in a joint training evolution with the Battalion Landing Team 31,” said 1st Lt. Jerad E. Bermingham, the officer in charge of Engineer Det., CLB-11, 11th MEU. “I planned for it to take two days, and they got it done in less than one.”

While construction is one aspect of the engineers’ job, their field covers many other expectations.

“We just came back from doing a demonstration range with an array of different munitions, specific for obstacle reduction and counter mobility,” said Staff Sgt. Jon S. Nelson, the staff non-commissioned officer of Engineer Det., CLB-11, 11th MEU. “These field operations show the versatility of the combat engineer MOS, and I think these Marines are doing an outstanding job.”

Nelson, 33, an Austin, Texas, native, said for many of the Marines, constructing this hut was the first time they had built something that large.

“These young Marines are hungry for the experience,” said Nelson, who supervises the projects to ensure safety measures and timeliness goals are met.

While the Marines are eager for new opportunities, safety remains an important factor in all the missions they conduct.

“Safety is paramount, especially in this job where we work with high explosives and pneumatic tools,” said Bermingham, 26, a Stevensville, Mich., native.

Once the hut was completed, the engineers got to break it in by being the first ones to sleep in their personally-constructed hut. With another project under their belts, the Marines are ready to move on to their next mission.

• Date Taken: 06.20.2011
• Date Posted: 07.06.2011 12:58
• Story ID: 73288
• Location: CAMP PENDLETON, CA, US