Engineer company improves conditions at FOB Endurance

Photo By Sgt. Mitch Armbruster | Pfc. Stephan Wilding, a heavy equipment operator with C Company 84th Engineer Battalion, refuels his bulldozer while working on a project at Forward Operating Base Endurance.  

QAYYARAH, IRAQ

04.14.2006

Courtesy Story

207th Public Affairs Detachment

FOWARD OPERATING BASE ENDURANCE, Iraq - Forward Operating Base Endurance is a large post with a growing population. Housing Iraqi and coalition forces, Endurance has many projects to be done.

Company C, 84th Engineer Battalion built a reputation as a hard working and proud group of Soldiers with the numerous improvement projects given to them on FOB Endurance.

Capt. Justin Putnam, Co. C commander, explained: his Soldiers are extremely excited about the work on FOB Endurance.

"We are getting more missions, projects and work than I was expecting," Putnam said. "We are four months into it and we have 30 projects lined up."

84th Soldiers primarily work on Rapid Pothole Repair (RPR) missions outside the FOB, but a number of secondary missions allow the Soldiers to improve areas on post.

"We do anything from concrete to woodwork," said Putnam.

Putnam's Soldiers have plenty of projects, which have alleviated the challenge of finding work for his Soldiers.

"Just staying busy, which was my biggest concern when we got here, because I know people get discouraged," Putnam stated. "I get the mission, it doesn't matter what it is, we're using our skills."

It took the 84th some time to show the other members of FOB Endurance just what they could do. By applying their skills on several projects, they proved they could do construction, work with concrete and use heavy equipment.

"People didn't understand what our capabilities were," Putnam said. Soldiers with the 84th displayed their capabilities and received high praise for their work.

"Everybody is happy with Q-West," said 2nd Lt. Kurtis Schaaf, combat logistics patrol commander for the RPR missions with the 84th.

A fuel expansion project, working at the Morale Welfare and Recreation center and dining facility are a few of the large projects the unit has worked on, but they are also busy improving their own motor pool conditions and performing maintenance on vehicles and equipment.

"Soldiers are getting good training," said Staff Sgt. Jack O'Neal, an NCO with the 84th, working with Soldiers on the motor pool improvement. "Time goes by fast when you're out having fun."

Whether they are pushing dirt or working on the roads outside of the FOB, the Soldiers with the 84th made a positive impact on Endurance.

"The Soldiers have built their own reputation. They are hard workers and we are here to work, do a good job and do it right," Putnam said.

"We have some very skilled operators that would do well in a civilian environment and we stand to lose those guys. We have good operators and workers and we want to keep them."

With the skills and training his Soldiers poses; good careers await them after serving their time in the Army. Putnam also explained the positive experiences his Soldiers have now could make a difference in the future.

"What better recruiting tool than to have somebody [veteran] that has been there (Iraq] say, 'the Army was a good thing, it was good for me and that is how I got where I am today?"

• Date Taken: 04.14.2006
• Date Posted: 04.14.2006 13:06
• Story ID: 6037
• Location: QAYYARAH, IQ