Photo By Spc. Allison Churchill | Jackson, Miss., native Petty Officer 2nd Class Kenneth Collier, steelworker, Team 2,...... read more read more
By Spc. Allison Churchill
41st Fires Brigade Public Affairs Office
FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELTA, Iraq – Amphibious construction battalions usually build water structures such as piers and bridges.
In just over six months, Team 2, Detachment India, Amphibious Construction Battalion-2, completed more than seven projects and lent their talents to several more, including the 41st Fires Brigade tactical operations center, one of the largest wooden structures occupied by U.S. forces.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Kristopher Maleport, engineer aide and Virginia Beach, Va., native, said mobile detachments typically take on land-locked assignments. These projects are different from the usual for this small group of Seabees from an amphibious detachment.
The assignment has also been longer than usual. The battalion's contract started in July 2007 and won't be finished until at least July 2009, said Lt. Cmdr. Michael Hermanson, Team 2's officer-in-charge.
Seabees serve on six-month deployments; Det. India is sending new teams, instead of having the Navy's other ACB finish the work, said Hermanson, who calls Norfolk, Va., home.
"They bring a lot to the fight," said Lt. Col. Brian Pierce, garrison commander, 41st Fires Brigade. Aside from building the brigade TOC, Team 2 built the post office, Provincial Reconstruction Team office building, ammunition temporary holding point, unmanned aerial vehicle site, Class IV warehouse where they store the construction material and several checkpoints.
Team 2 also started a chapel and brigade annex, which will be completed by Team 3 of Det. India, ACB-2.
"They exceeded the standard," said Pierce. "The work is truly remarkable."
Although the Sailors build everything to standards that guarantee a structure for five years, they still appreciated kind words from the Rail Gunner leadership.
"It feels good when someone comes up to you and says 'thanks, you did a really good job on this,'" said Petty Officer 2nd Class Kenneth Collier, a steelworker and a native of Jackson, Miss. He said the recognition is especially nice since the Seabees often blend in with the Salvadorians and Georgians on the FOB because they also wear the desert combat uniforms.
The previous team built six patrol bases in Wasit province, which are manned by the 1st Georgian Brigade, and remodeled a chapel and medical facility for the Georgians, Hermanson said.
Along with completing the chapel and brigade TOC annexes, Pierce said the next team has nearly 20 projects scheduled.
| Date Taken: | 07.17.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 07.17.2008 03:38 |
| Story ID: | 21566 |
| Location: | AL KUT, IQ |
| Web Views: | 532 |
| Downloads: | 281 |
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