Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Lopez | 200307-N-TP832-1075 PORT HUENEME, Calif. (March 7, 2020) Master Chief Petty Officer of...... read more read more
PORT HUENEME, Calif. (NNS) – Seabees, service members, civilian staff and their guests attended the 78th annual Seabee Ball held at the historic Camarillo Ranch House in Camarillo, Calif., March 7.
The ball was held to commemorate the 78th anniversary of the U.S. Navy Seabees, 153rd anniversary of the Civil Engineer Corps, and 178th anniversary of Naval Facilities Engineering Command.
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Russell Smith served as the event’s guest of honor and Capt. David McAlister, commodore of Naval Construction Group (NCG) 1, served as the event’s host.
In attendance were personnel from Naval Base Ventura County, NCG-1, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 3, 4, 5, 18, 22 and 25, Underwater Construction Team 2, 1st Naval Construction Regiment, Naval Construction Training Center Port Hueneme, Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center, Center for Seabees and Facilities Engineering, and Civil Engineer Corps Officer School.
McAlister kicked off the event by thanking the local community and families for making the event possible.
“I would like to give my sincerest thanks to all of our community leaders, families and individual who do so much to take care of our Seabees and make events like this possible,” said McAlister. “This community truly cares about those who serve our country and they never cease to amazing me with their unending support. I would like to especially thank our Seabee families. None of us would be here today without your support and dedication to allowing us to serve our country. Being a Seabee family member is not for the faint hearted for many different reasons, so I truly thank you for your selfless support.”
Before introducing the guest of honor, McAlister spoke to the current state of the Naval Construction Force (NCF).
“This past year has been very active for the entire Pacific Fleet NCF with deployments, mobilizations, and training missions from every active and reserve NCF unit,” said McAlister. “In each of these missions the Seabee ‘Can Do’ attitude never wavered, nor the ability to accomplish any mission no matter how difficult or challenging. It is especially evident as the NCF began re-posturing our forces through the Indo-Pacific, aligning with Pacific Fleet strategic objectives. Also, to the introduction of new technology and techniques that have increased our effectiveness. With each of these efforts, Seabees continue to build the lethality of every supported commander.”
Since WWII, Seabees have deployed to fight in some of the largest battles in U.S. history. Navy Seabees were some of the first Americans to hit land on D-Day and have served in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. The men and women of the Seabees have been deployed globally in every theater around the world constructing bases, building airfields, conducting underwater construction, and building roads, bridges and other support facilities while providing protection for themselves and those around them.
In delivering his remarks, Smith focused on the history of the support Seabees have provided to the Navy and the nation, and how their continued support shapes the future and furthers the interests of the United States. He spoke of the need for Seabees during the Pacific Campaign of WWII and how instrumental their capabilities were from airfield damage repair to rapid resupply support.
“Without logistics you cannot win a war, and without infrastructure you cannot aggress effectively, and the Seabees were created to ensure that we could fight our way across the Pacific and end that war,” said Smith.
Smith said the need for Seabees in WWII remains the same today.
“History has a way of repeating itself,” said Smith. “Seabees give us the ability to repair those runways so we can land and launch aircraft, and they can repair a port so we can pull a ship in and get supplies on and off. Without all of these things you cannot progress and you cannot win a war - and there’s never been a time where Seabees have been more relevant to the fight.”
On March 5, 1942 the Department of the Navy granted permission for use of the term “Seabee” for all construction force personnel. Today there are seven rates that make up this historical force: the builder, the utilitiesman, the construction mechanic, the construction electrician, the equipment operator, the steelworker and the engineering aide. The term “CB” in its original state is abbreviated from the Latin phrase Construimus, Batuimus, meaning “We Build, We Fight,” and is the official Seabee motto. The nickname “Seabees”, as we use it today, originated from “CB” and incorporates a more naval connotation.
Today, Seabees deploy all over the world to remote locations ready to support and respond to major combat operations, humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations, theater security cooperation, and military engineering missions to support Navy objectives. Smith said this support can have profound effects, especially in the remote locations Seabees operate in.
“The education level, knowledge and skills that you all possess and practice is unsurpassable, and what you’re doing with it is valuable to the Navy,” said Smith. “You are key to our relationship building. You go somewhere and work with communities that might not have a school, for example, and you build that structure for them and you all do it so well. But you don’t just put up a structure, you create a structure that endures. In doing so, you go in there and you change people’s experiences. You change a community, and in some cases, you are the only American’s some of these people will ever meet, and they will base their entire opinion of the U.S. on what you just did for them. That is something intangible that you cannot buy, and Seabees go out and get it done every time. So even when we’re not actively fighting, what you all are doing is furthering the goals of the U.S. and better posturing us for peace or for war.”
Those who attended the ceremony enjoyed dinner, dancing, the traditional cake-cutting led by the oldest and youngest Seabees in attendance, and joined together to sing the Seabee Song.
Each birthday week, Seabees everywhere are encouraged to enjoy stories of the past and memories of those left behind. They honor their heritage through formation runs, deployment stories and celebrations at Seabee Balls everywhere; they embrace laughter through camaraderie and reflection. Seabees everywhere today can remember, and look forward to the future of the NCF, while emulating the greatness of seventy-eight years of Seabees past. General MacArthur himself said, “The only trouble with Seabees is that you don’t have enough of them.”
Seabees are the expeditionary engineering and construction experts of the naval service. They provide task-tailored, adaptable and combat-ready engineering and construction forces that deploy to support Navy objectives globally.
For more information visit https://seabeemagazine.navylive.dodlive.mil/
| Date Taken: | 03.07.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 03.10.2020 14:58 |
| Story ID: | 364898 |
| Location: | CAMARILLO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 939 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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