PORT HUENEME, Calif. - Seabees with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4 (NMCB 4), completed Exercise Turning Point 22-01, a pre-deployment evaluated Field Training Exercise (FTX) Feb. 20.
Seabees, since 1942, have been the Navy’s go-to for construction and an integral part of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Forces. Though the overall job of Seabees hasn't seen much change, the mission has evolved considerably since its conception in World War II. During the approximately 3 week long evaluation process, NMCB 4 was tasked to execute this evolved mission by establishing and sustaining simulated Expeditionary Advanced Bases (EAB) and Advanced Naval Bases (ANB) throughout multiple remote locations in California.
The tested skills and operations displayed during NMCB 4’s FTX are vital to U.S. Navy Expeditionary Combat Command’s (NECC) mission of Clear, Secure, Build, and Protect.
During Exercise Turning Point 22-01, NMCB 4 deployed task-organized engineer units to numerous sites at Fort Hunter Liggett (FHL), Naval Base Ventura County, and Vandenberg Space Force Base (SFB). This distribution simulated deployments that Seabees experience in the Pacific and the associated logistical challenges of working in isolated, austere, and forward deployed environments.
“We live in an ever changing world that demands us to think on our feet and adapt at a moment's notice. Seabees have been providing joint forces, allies and partners the unique capability of expeditionary logistics in austere conditions dating back to the first battalions in the Pacific during WWII.” said Capt. Troy Brown, Commanding Officer, NMCB 4. “Due to the nature of our deployment environment and the challenges of peer-to-peer competition we find ourselves in, we have adapted our abilities as a general engineering force to pioneer new ways to dominate in the littorals and reinforce maritime lethality.”
Since maritime conflict will require integration of all naval forces, Turning Point 22-01 included the seamless integration of Seabees with their Marine engineer counterparts. Marines from 7th Engineer Support Battalion and Marine Wing Support Squadrons 371 and 372 worked alongside Seabees to provide engineering solutions for the establishment of simulated EABs and ANBs to support Fleet maneuver.
“Exercise Turning Point was an opportunity to showcase our ability to deliver engineering solutions during Major Combat Operations,” says Lt. Cmdr. Steven Bischak, operations officer, NMCB 4. “In a real life situation with limited resources, our supported commanders need Seabees to be able to truly think and build like engineers, while at the same time integrating with other elements of the Joint Force. This exercise has tested and refined our ability to do exactly that so that we can enable expeditionary logistics for the Fleet operating throughout the Pacific.”
During the exercise, NMCB 4 performed critical engineering tasks to support continuation of mission despite unending simulated enemy attacks. In the air domain, NMCB 4 supported tactical aircraft sorties by building a Forward Arming and Re-fueling Point (FARP), Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) pad, and 3,000 foot tactical airfield. In addition, NMCB 4 demonstrated its Airfield Damage Repair capabilities by repairing a runway that suffered damage from enemy munitions, allowing aircraft to continue using airfields despite enemy action. In the sea domain, NMCB 4 conducted Port Damage Repair (PDR) capabilities such as constructing expeditionary mooring, fenders, and sheet pile installation to ensure that ports remained open to support naval logistics. On the ground, NMCB 4 secured supply routes by erecting bridges, constructing roads, and providing potable water through well drilling and purification of water from local lakes.
Throughout the exercise, NMCB 4 was tested with its response to various situations that could arise from a hostile environment including simulated missile and ground attacks. . NMCB 4 was able to achieve mission success through protective posture, defensive tactics and battle damage repair. These defensive operations ultimately ensured that friendly forces had the infrastructure and logistics able to sustain themselves in a future fight.
NMCB 4 completed all stages of evaluation successfully and now stands ready for its future deployment this summer to INDOPACOM, where it will support a free and open Indo-Pacific.
| Date Taken: | 02.20.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 03.03.2022 18:15 |
| Story ID: | 415717 |
| Location: | PORT HUENEME, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 236 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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