Photo By Kristen Wong | Lance Cpl. Tyler Channey, a combat engineer with Combat Logistics Battalion 3, pulls...... read more read more
Subscribe
MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII - The holidays may be approaching, but that is not slowing down Combat Logistics Battalion 3 Marines, who are still wrapping up projects this year, and will soon be taking on more.
Approximately 30 Marines from combat engineer and heavy equipment platoons of Combat Logistics Battalion 3, are currently finishing six new concrete slabs at Puuloa Range Training Facility. Construction started Nov. 6 and was slated for completion Jan. 11. However, the Marines plan to be finished by Dec. 19, 2014.
The six slabs, installed at the 200, 300 and 500-foot lines, are filled with rubberized matting. The matting helps Marines avoid severe red dirt stains normally sustained on their cammies and boots when training on the range.
This is the fifth project the battalion has undergone during Fiscal Year 2014 for Marine Corps Base Hawaii. This fiscal year, heavy equipment platoon also built a convoy live-fire course at Pohakuloa Training Area. Combat engineer platoon built an entry control point at Forward Operating Base Bellows and trenches enabling amphibious assault vehicle training aids to cross a ditch. The unit has also expanded K-Bay’s Range 5 by adding more targets, for a total of 57.
Ralph Scott, the range safety officer for the Operations and Training Directorate at MCB Hawaii said the base saved more than $1 million during the fiscal year by employing Marines for projects.
“In the grand scheme of things, we saved the Marine Corps a lot of money because of the man hours we can work,” said Sgt. Cody Walker, the shop foreman for combat engineer platoon, Headquarters and Service Company, CLB-3, and one of the Marines in charge of planning the work.
While civilians are limited to their own work hours, Walker, of Dinuba, Calif., said the Marines have a little more flexibility, whether they work earlier in the morning or later in the evening. During this project, he said the platoon faced challenges like setting goals for completion and trying to meet those goals. The Marines also had to be cautious and precise when pouring the concrete.
“(One of the challenges) was making the rotation of the concrete trucks match our pour plan so that we had enough time to work the concrete,” said Sgt. Jeremy Boerner, the construction chief for Combat Engineer Platoon.
“The nature of the project had to be exact,” said 1st Lt. Christopher Hawley, combat engineer platoon commander, CLB-3. “There’s no room for error.”
Because this project required such precision, Hawley, of Kingsville, Mo., said it was a good training opportunity for the Marines.
Hawley and Walker added that timeliness was crucial to the project because the range needs to be operational again for Marines in January. Time, it seems, was in their favor as Walker said the forms, or lumber put together to create the mold for the concrete, was completed a week ahead of schedule.
“This project was significant because it will be used by Marines for annual rifle (qualification) for years to come,” said Boerner, of Canton, Ohio.
The unit is scheduled to take on 10 more upcoming projects, such as building a stairway to allow shooters access to K-Bay’s Range 11. The Marines will also be adding courtyard walls, gates and window and door shutters to the shipping containers that were modified into makeshift mud-huts at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows. The battalion also plans to build new entry control points at three forward operating bases at PTA and a new footbridge over a stream at Bellows.
The rise in future projects may be attributed to the new initiative by the 130th Engineer Brigade, based on Schofield Barracks. The brigade is one of the few, if not only, active-duty military organization on island certified in survey and design.
Scott said the brigade initiated monthly meetings with key civilian and military personnel to plan future construction projects on the island. He said government agencies can start looking at projects that can be useful for the future instead of waiting till the need arises.
“It’s a large engineering effort,” Scott said. “(Through monthly meetings with 130th Brigade we’re able to) design efficiently and economically.”
| Date Taken: | 12.19.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 12.19.2014 16:52 |
| Story ID: | 150810 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, HI, US |
| Hometown: | CANTON, OH, US |
| Hometown: | DINUBA, CA, US |
| Hometown: | KINGSVILLE, MO, US |
| Web Views: | 192 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, CLB-3 keeping busy with projects, by Kristen Wong, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT