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CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Hundreds of Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3 have been taking extra time to focus on both deployment and getting qualified in the Seabee Combat Warfare Specialist program.
NMCB 3 has been deployed to Afghanistan since November and has set an aggressive goal to qualify 230 of its Seabees in the SCW program before the end of deployment.
The SCW qualification process is different from other platform-based warfare qualifications in that the final board requires a practical demonstration of in-depth knowledge of construction battalion operations. The depth and breadth of knowledge tested ratchets up or down with respect to the paygrade of the person qualifying. For example, an E1-E3 would have to plan and present a 14-man foot patrol, while a chief petty officer or ensign would have to plan a large mission of 125 Seabees, including construction projects, convoys, security and transporting of all equipment and personnel from a home base to a forward location in a tactical environment.
Being deployed to a contingency area has been a unique but valuable situation for the SCW trainees. The deployment environment has given the Seabees a chance to get hands-on experience with a lot of the training in the warfare curriculum.
“The fact that you’re able to do practical application and touch everything in the TOA [table of allowance] adds to the learning experience” said Command Master Chief Percy Trent. “The program overall allows the command to maximize unit readiness, so Seabees are prepared when they are pushed out to work at the forward operating bases during deployment.”
Being deployed to a contingency area has been a unique and valuable situation for the SCW trainees.
The Seabees have been going to SCW classes five days out of the week, and have also sought detailed information from battalion subject matter experts.
“Petty Officer Acosta was a big help with CBR [chemical, biological, radiological defense],” said Seaman Summer Heritier, construction electrician constructionman. “He was instrumental in my preparation for my SCW board.”
Having qualified members available and having all of the equipment available for hands on practice helped the understanding of the topics covered in the classes and has proven to be a beneficial opportunity for the members seeking to earn their warfare pin.
The battalion has been working hard to reach their goal of 230 qualifications on deployment, but it has not been an easy task. “It is nice to know that, even though the program can be rough at times, we are contributing to professional development of the junior Seabees who will take our places in the future,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Crystal Corner, construction electrician, NMCB 3’s SCW Coordinator.
As of February, the battalion has qualified 62 members in SCW and will continue toward their goal of 230 members by the end of deployment.
NMCB 3 is an expeditionary element of US Naval Forces providing construction, engineering and security services in support of national strategy, naval power projection, humanitarian assistance and contingency operations.
For more news from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3, visit www.navy.mil/local/nmcb3/.
| Date Taken: | 03.01.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 03.03.2011 09:39 |
| Story ID: | 66396 |
| Location: | CAMP LEATHERNECK, AF |
| Web Views: | 193 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NMCB 3 Uses Deployment Environment to Complete SCW Qualifications, by PO2 Christopher Carson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
