By Religious Programs Specialist 3rd Class Jamar Pegues NMCB 11
JEREZ, Spain - Twenty-three Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11 participated in a volunteer project at the La Cartuja monastery in Jerez, Spain, June 27, 2015.
The La Cartuja Monastery has been a regular community relation site for the deployed Seabees in Spain. Seabees from NMCB 8, 1, 74 and now 11 have all been a part of the preservation of this Spanish monument over the years.
Seabees volunteered to reorganize and move heavy objects to clear out a space for a new chapel, along with minor landscaping of the courtyard which included pruning and removing weeds from around trees.
“I’m happy I had the chance to volunteer and experience such a preserved monument, while I was in Spain,” said Information Systems Technician Seaman Jeffery Dumag.
During the event, the Seabees received a history lesson about the monastery which dates back to 1476 and was used exclusively to house monks.
Cmdr. Jorge R. Cuadros, commanding officer of NMCB 11 showed his support by volunteering and providing translation due to the language barrier between the monastery staff and the Seabees that volunteered.
‘’I had a great time helping out. It was a beautiful monastery and full of history. It was splendid,’’ said Utilitiesman Constructionman Alicia Gonter.
NMCB-11 is a Naval Construction Force battalion specializing in contingency construction, disaster response, and humanitarian assistance. The battalion's homeport is in Gulfport, Mississippi. NMCB-11 is currently forward deployed to multiple locations in support of U.S. Africa Command, U.S. European Command, U.S. Central Command, and U.S. Pacific Command areas of responsibility.