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By Spc. Shanita Simmons
Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs
GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba – In February, Joint Task Force Guantanamo welcomed a new rotation of Troops to the 474th Expeditionary Civil Engineering Squadron in Guantanamo Bay. They became the newest group of Airmen to hit the ground ready to do their part in fighting the War on Terror.
As members of the 474th take on the objectives of their mission, Air Force Lt. Col. Frederick Olison, commander of the 474th, said he is confident his Airmen will execute their tasks in a professional and first-rate manner.
"The Air Force has done an excellent job with training us and putting a good composition of people together who can perform an excellent job here," said Olison, who makes his home in Murphy, Texas. "This is a historic mission we are taking apart in, and I am amazed at the versatility and talent that has been displayed by these Airmen thus far."
With a group of civil engineers who are skilled plumbers, carpenters, electricians, heavy equipment operators and air conditioning and heating specialists on hand, the 474th arrived in February ready to put finishing touches on construction projects initiated by their predecessors.
"We are currently trying to finish the construction phase of the Expeditionary Legal Complex and to maintain the areas completed by the proceeding units. However, our main mission is sustainment. We are charged with making sure the entire ELC, Camp Justice and all the surrounding buildings are running smoothly," said Air Force Master Sgt. Scott Clarkson, of Burleson, Texas, first sergeant for the 474th. "We may be tasked with doing anything from performing minor work orders to major repairs."
When the Air Guard reservists previously attached to the 474th departed last month, they were replaced by approximately 50 Guard Airmen attached to civil engineering squadrons out of Texas and Mississippi. Although the majority of the new personnel came from the 136th CES from San Antonio, Texas, Clarkson added that his group also includes Airmen from the 172nd CES out of Jackson, Miss. and the 149th CES of San Antonio, Texas.
Clarkson admits that the greatest challenge here is not the mission itself, but performing it within a joint environment. Typically, "prime beef units" consist of civil engineers tasked with designing, building, maintaining, and tearing down buildings and airfields according to established Air Force standard operating procedures. However, the joint environment here has challenged the 474th to learn to integrate their normal operations with the larger Joint Task Force structure.
Unlike his predecessors, Clarkson added that his Airmen will have the advantage of actually seeing the fruits of their efforts once commissions are held within the ELC. Since many military and civilian personnel supporting military commissions will reside within Camp Justice, the 474th will focus on preventive maintenance to ensure that facilities such as showers and latrines are in working order. Clarkson added that since Camp Justice has its own power supply and water treatment plant, the ELC campus will resemble a city within a city, and they are essentially the public works department.
"When commissions begin to take place within the ELC, it will be our responsibility to make sure that everything in the main courtroom building and tent city is in good working order," said Clarkson, a member of the 136th CES. "When things break down, we will fix it. We are ready for whatever happens."
Air Force Staff Sgt. Nick Skinner, a structural apprentice who hails from Grandberry, Texas, said he is excited since this mission enables him to put all of his Air Force training to good use.
"It's a good, fun mission. I am getting the opportunity to apply all the knowledge I have obtained," said Skinner, who is on his first deployment. "I have been able to apply practically everything I have learned during this mission."
Although members of the 474th spend many arduous days working under the Guantanamo sun, Clarkson added that the unit makes good use of its downtime by participating in various recreational activities.
"There is a lot to do here," said Clarkson. "You can also find many of us out snorkeling, boating, scuba diving or participating in a sporting tournament."
Clarkson added that the creative minds within his unit have developed their own unique sporting events such as red neck golf, go carts and washer board tournaments.
When this rotation departs sometime around August 2008, they plan to leave behind a little more than their Texas and Mississippi charm. They also intend to leave a legacy that exemplifies the hard work they have put into performing this mission.
"Our predecessors did a great job of getting this place built up. Now it is our job to make it better for the people who replace us," said Clarkson. "Our hope is that each team that deploys here will help make this campus better for the people they replace until this place runs like clockwork."
| Date Taken: | 03.18.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 03.19.2008 10:42 |
| Story ID: | 17532 |
| Location: |
| Web Views: | 128 |
| Downloads: | 106 |
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