February
By Steelworker 3rd Class Frank Piner
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 74
GULFPORT, Miss. - This month, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 74 Detail Horn of Africa onboard Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, has made significant progress towards completing construction of a pre-engineered building.
The crew has nearly completed the roof, with only one more roof panel to place and has moved on to other construction activities such as interior electrical work and ventilation. Preparations have also begun for a concrete pour which, in the end, will create two ramps, allowing access to the building’s bay doors.
Project Crew Leader Construction Electrician 2nd Class Steven Danielson has been pleased with the work thus far saying, "I am very proud of the crew I have working out here. They have gone above and beyond with their work ethic on this project. I am excited to be able to close out a few construction activity summary sheets."
The five NMCB 74 personnel assigned to Public Works’ Self Help support have also been busy building cabinets for the base chapel, wooden benches for a tenant Army unit, and picture frames for decoration at the Seabee ball. Additionally, they have been working on daily camp maintenance issues, helping tenants with unexpected problems and supplementing the work of local contractors.
Another crew from NMCB 74 graded and compacted earth at a local airfield in preparation for a wash rack to be used for construction equipment, Humvees and other vehicles. The high amounts of dust and sand on the base can cause overheating problems for such vehicles and the wash rack will prove to be highly beneficial.
With its homeport in Gulfport, Miss., NMCB 74 is a 580-person Seabee battalion currently deployed to multiple locations in U.S. Northern Command, U.S. European Command, U.S. Africa Command, and U.S. Central Command areas of responsibility, providing general and contingency engineering support to combatant and component commanders in order to enhance their operational capabilities across the full spectrum of military operations. Operating forward, NMCB 74 strives to capitalize on engagement opportunities and build lasting relationships, ultimately paving the way for future partnerships.
For more news and information on NMCB 74, visit the Command Facebook page at https://www. Facebook.com/#!/FEARLESS74.