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CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Marines with Engineer Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, conducted route repair and culvert installation operations along Route Red in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, Jan. 26 - 30.
A low-water crossing, or wadi, along the route completely washed out due to heavy rains, hindering the freedom of movement for both coalition forces and the local populace.
“The culvert denial systems got clogged with debris and runoff,” explained 2nd Lt. Eric Slockbower, the Combat Engineer Platoon commander. “This led to a build-up of water, which flooded the surrounding farmland, eroded the berm and eroded through the road.”
The engineers of CLR-2 were tasked to repair an approximately 78-foot section of the road.
“We are repairing this route because the wadi has washed out,” explained Staff Sgt. Calvin Akery, the Heavy Equipment platoon sergeant. “We are putting in some culverts to try and divert the water through the culverts so that we can use this road.”
The new culverts are constructed with two, 36-inch galvanized pipes. It is critical to place the culvert pipes properly so as to ensure water can flow freely under the crossing, providing water to farmland located to the north and south.
With the raining season quickly approaching, the necessity to repair the berm and install new culverts was imperative to ensure vehicles could continue using the route. When dry, vehicles and people are able to cross, but must travel off the road to do so. When there is adverse weather, the bridge becomes the only crossing point.
“You look at this place and its dry right now, but when the water comes down this is probably going to be the only passible place for 10 to 20 miles,” said Akery, a native of Titusville, Fla.
The construction work also included installation of culvert denial systems, which are rebar cages placed over the opening of the pipes to prevent insurgents from emplacing improvised explosive devices inside.
The repaired berm, new culverts and culvert denial system will prove beneficial to coalition forces, Afghan forces and the local populace.
“A lot of convoys and also the Afghan people can use this road (again),” said Akery. “It benefits everybody.”
The operation required a combined effort of motor transport Marines, combat engineers, and heavy equipment operators.
“It’s a lot of hard work. (There has been) a lot of mud, a lot of mush and a lot of looking out because we do have a bypass (here with) a lot of civilian traffic,” explained Akery. “We have a lot of young Marines, and they are working real hard.”
The Marines completed the project knowing their efforts were appreciated.
“It went really well,” said Slockbower, a native of Richmond, Va. “We had a lot of interaction with local farmers and civilians. They were all happy we were fixing the road.”
| Date Taken: | 01.30.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 02.11.2013 23:32 |
| Story ID: | 101826 |
| Location: | CAMP LEATHERNECK, AF |
| Web Views: | 276 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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