Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Jon Cupp | Ansonia, Conn. native, Spc. Mike Mobley, a carpentry/masonry specialist for the...... read more read more
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CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – It’s been said that time is a valuable commodity, in short supply, but according to Ansonia, Conn. native, Spc. Mike Mobley, a carpentry/masonry specialist for the Marion, Va.-based 760th Engineer Company, U.S. Army Reserves, attached to the Little Rock, Ark.-based 489th Engineer Battalion, time is something never wasted by 760th troops on the job sites where they work the deconstruction of structures here on the Marine Corps base.
From the moment they get to a site in the morning to the time they leave, sometimes late into the evening, Mobley and his teammates are on the job, pulling down drywall and removing interior fixtures from buildings slated for demolition. The team’s efforts are part of the Fort Bragg, N.C.-based 82nd Sustainment Brigade-U.S. Central Command Materiel Recovery Element’s mission to responsibly deconstruct areas as bases throughout Afghanistan transform and sites are prepped for the eventual return to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
“Our jobs are time essential and we work hard to meet our goals every day, ensuring we get structures prepped carefully and on time,” said Mobley. “The one thing I’ve learned out here is time is precious and our mission is extremely important to prepping areas for down-sizing and transfer.”
Along with stripping down the buildings, Mobley and the crew he works with ensure that reusable items from the buildings are separated for later use within theater or readied for transfer to Afghans.
“It’s always a good idea to save money and tear down in a way that allows us to save recyclable materials and anything that can be used later by Afghans such as metal from the structures,” said Mobley, who has spent about six years in the Reserves.
Once 760th troops have cleared buildings, teams from the Saluda, S.C.-based 124th Engineer Company, South Carolina Army National Guard, also attached to the 489th Eng. Bn., bring in hydraulic excavators and other equipment to tear down the structures and assist in cleaning up the site.
During his downtime, Mobley works on the things that keep him resilient while deployed and works on planning out his future goals.
“I’m constantly going to the gym, playing pool or ping pong at the MWR,” said Mobley. I’ve also been saving money so that I can eventually buy a house one day. When I get home, I also plan on going back to school at Naugtucka Valley Community College so I’ve been getting ready for that. I’ve completed about a year of college, but I want to go back and take some more general studies classes and possibly pursue a business management degree.”
Mobley’s supervisor, Middletown, N.Y. native, Staff Sgt. Jacob Brouillard, a construction supervisor for the 760th Eng. Co., who currently calls Queens, N.Y. home, praised the 26-year-old troop’s performance and his ability to get the job done.
“He always gives 100 percent to any task and he’s definitely one of the best Soldiers I’ve had the opportunity to work with,” said Brouillard. “Anything he does, whether it’s scoring a 300 on his Army Physical Fitness Test or prepping a site for deconstruction, he always excels at everything. He works very hard and is hands down, one of our best troops.”
Mobley said that his time in the combat theater has been worthwhile.
“I enjoy the work and the deployment has been a great opportunity for life experience, there’s not too many people who can say they’ve done things like this,” said Mobley. “The experience gained on the jobs sites here will help me with my future goals as eventually I’d like to run my own construction company one day.”
“I really just felt like doing something for my country and it’s an honor getting to serve your country during a time of war and to be part of such a historical mission,” he added.
Mobley and his fellow 760th troops have spent about six months in the combat theater and said they plan on maximizing what little time they have left at Camp Leatherneck to ensuring their deconstruction efforts continue to yield tangible results and to set the unit that follows after them up for success.
| Date Taken: | 03.29.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 04.17.2014 09:24 |
| Story ID: | 126406 |
| Location: | CAMP LEATHERNECK, AF |
| Hometown: | ANSONIA, CT, US |
| Hometown: | FAYETTEVILLE, NC, US |
| Hometown: | FORT LIBERTY, NC, US |
| Hometown: | LITTLE ROCK, AR, US |
| Hometown: | MARION, VA, US |
| Hometown: | MIDDLETOWN, NY, US |
| Hometown: | QUEENS, NY, US |
| Hometown: | WEST LAFAYETTE, OH, US |
| Web Views: | 322 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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