Photo By Lance Cpl. Cindy Alejandrez | Marines with 2nd Platoon, Alpha Company, 7th Engineers Support Battalion, 22nd Naval...... read more read more
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HABBANIYAH, Iraq – Combat engineers tackle a variety of uncommon jobs; therefore they must use experiences from previous tasks and think outside the box when operating in Iraq's uncommon working conditions.
This thinking helped Marines with 2nd Platoon, Alpha Company, 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 22nd Naval Construction Regiment, demolish an abandoned observation point in an effort to demilitarize roads in Iraq, May 16 and 17.
Their task included taking down concertina wires, clearing sand barriers, wooden posts and a countless amount of sandbags.
"We're trying to give Iraq back to the people and a look of normalcy when they drive down the street," said Sgt. Sean C. Jenkins, platoon sergeant, 2nd Platoon.
By taking the lessons learned during the last demilitarizing task, the combat engineers were able to finish the job more efficiently and quickly.
"We knew we could do better," said 2nd Lt. Michael E. Baliko, platoon commander, 2nd Platoon.
Jenkins, a 26-year-old from Oceanside, Calif., explained part of the job is to be able to accomplish any task that comes down in a timely manner.
A difficult part of their task was dealing with the concertina wire because after time the wire had become tangled, which made it hard to remove or salvage, explained Cpl. Jaime E. Gallegos, a 22-year-old from Huntsville, Texas, a combat engineer, 2nd Platoon.
Using heavy equipment to carry the wire as they moved along was one new method used to work faster. They picked up an estimated 10,000 linear feet of (concertina) wire, said Baliko.
Their creative thinking helped the Marines complete their part of the mission ahead of schedule. The extra time allowed them to also pick up the sand barriers, giving a hand to the relieving team.
"We had a timeline of 16 hours and were able to complete it in under 15 (hours)," said Baliko, a 25-year-old, from Fallston, Md. "I'd say, we got two thirds of the (barrier) take down."
Success was not only measured by meeting a timeline, but by the reactions of the locals who benefit from the project. Once completed, the area will be leveled, giving drivers a view of the vegetation growing behind.
"The Sheik visited the site," said Baliko. "They really care about their country and they really care about what's going on."
| Date Taken: | 05.17.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 05.24.2008 03:09 |
| Story ID: | 19762 |
| Location: | HABBANIYAH, IQ |
| Web Views: | 140 |
| Downloads: | 95 |
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