Soldiers Help Saipan Rebuild One Roof at a Time After Super Typhoon Sinlaku

Photo By Paco Hamm | Soldiers assigned to the 797th and 871st Engineer Vertical Construction Companies support temporary roofing operations in Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, following Super Typhoon Sinlaku, which struck the CNMI as a Category 4 storm on April 14. The Guam- and Hawaii-based U.S. Army Reserve engineer units deployed in support of Defense Support of Civil Authorities operations under the direction of FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help island communities recover from widespread storm damage.  

SAIPAN, NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS

05.30.2026

Story by Paco Hamm 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Honolulu District

Two U.S. Army Reserve engineer units based in Guam and Hawaii are concluding their role in a critical mission in Saipan supporting the temporary roofing mission as the island continues recovering from the devastation of Super Typhoon Sinlaku, which made landfall in CNMI April 14 as a Category 4 storm and carved a destructive path across the Commonwealth, damaging homes, infrastructure, and the environment.

The units, the 797th and 871st Engineer Vertical Construction Companies, deployed in support of the Sinlaku recovery mission as part of the Army Reserve’s responsibilities under Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) and at the direction of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

The USACE Honolulu District, in close partnership with the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) government, island Mayor’s office, FEMA and the U.S Department of War, installed the first temporary roofs in Saipan, Tinian, and Rota, bringing immediate protection to storm-damaged homes.

The joint roofing operation brings together U.S. Navy Seabees from Combined Task Force 75, U.S. Army Soldiers from the 797th and 871st EVC Companies, and contracted teams to accelerate installation and reach more families in need. Though support from the two Army units will drawdown, the overall temporary roofing mission continues.

“This has been an exceptional mission for our engineers to support their community,” said Col. Mary Jayne “MJ” Durham, commander of the 303rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade. “We have Soldiers who live here in Saipan, and the Army Reserve plays an essential role in the Pacific mission.”

For eligible homeowners, the program installs tin metal sheeting over damaged roofs, allowing residents to remain safe in their homes while planning permanent repairs.

“Our engineers have been performing a vital mission to help the community get back on its feet, and our Soldiers continue to maintain high morale,” Durham said.

Since early May, the two Reserve units have completed temporary roofing on 50 homes, directly impacting families across the island.

“As these Soldiers leave Saipan, they’re taking with them the relationships they’ve built with each other and with the communities they served,” Durham added. “They’re leaving with a deep sense of pride in what they’ve accomplished.

• Date Taken: 05.30.2026
• Date Posted: 06.02.2026 04:17
• Story ID: 566516
• Location: SAIPAN, MP