NMCB-11 Completes NIEX, Turns Sights to Deployment

GULFPORT, MS, UNITED STATES

06.18.2019

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Collin Turner 

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11

GULFPORT, Miss. -- Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11 took part in Naval Expeditionary Combat Command’s (NECC) Navy Integrated Exercise (NIEX), June 3-14 on board Naval Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport, Mississippi.

NIEX is an exercise in the battalions advanced homeport phase of readiness training that prepares the battalion for upcoming deployments, and focuses on the command and control (C2) of the construction battalion as well as supporting units in a challenging, operational environment.

“This is not only a major certification exercise, but it provides a unique opportunity for the battalion to work closely with NECC forces which deepens our understanding of other units capabilities and limitations, builds lasting partnerships and ultimately strengthens interoperability needed to fight and win decisively at sea,” said Senior Chief Equipment Operator Matthew Dooley, NMCB-11’s operations chief.

The purpose is to exercise the battalions C2 and staff planning within the context of an adaptive force package. NMCB-11 demonstrated their communications skills during the increasing challenging scenarios; designed to test the command’s ability to plan under pressure. Many of the scenarios the battalion faced were based on events deployed U.S. forces have seen over the past two-decades of contingency operations.

While conducting the exercise, NMCB-11 constructed a command post in a simulated tactical environment and established operational planning teams and working groups. C2, along with planning for each scenario, emphasized the importance of understanding and being able to provide combat support during major combat operations.

“The biggest challenge (during the exercise) was communication between individual units, especially during an exercise of this scope with forces distributed around the globe,” said Senior Chief Dooley. “Leveraging our liaison officers from Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), Coastal Riverine Squadron (CRS), and Navy Cargo Handling Battalion (NCHB) is an area we really focused on to ensure we are providing the very best information to higher headquarters, adjacent and subordinate units. The input the liaisons provided was critical to our overall success and they did a fantastic job of educating our staff on their respective warfare areas.”

Homeported in Gulfport, Mississippi, NMCB-11 is part of the Naval Construction Force (NCF). The NCF is a vital component of the U.S. Maritime Strategy and are comprised of deployable battalions capable of providing contingency construction, disaster preparation and recovery support, humanitarian assistance, and combat operations support.

• Date Taken: 06.18.2019
• Date Posted: 06.21.2019 09:08
• Story ID: 328625
• Location: GULFPORT, MS, US