By Sgt. Henry Bauer
769th Engineering Batallion, 35th Engineering Brigade
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Craters from improvised-explosive devices can be found throughout the thousands of miles of roadway that cover Baghdad and the surrounding areas. They are the direct result of IED blasts that were detonated by cowardly criminals against the people of Iraq, its Iraqi security forces and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers.
When the attacks occur, it is time for the Soldiers of the 230th Concrete Team to "pour" into action.
The team is based out of from Purvis, Miss., and is attached to the 769th Engineer Battalion, 35th Engineer Brigade, MND-B.
The 230th Concrete Team consists of Soldiers who specialize as concrete mobile operators and concrete masonry troops in performing what is known as rapid crater repair.
"Through precise planning from the 769th Eng. Bn. from Baton Rouge, La., these missions are flawlessly executed with the assistance of the 851st Vertical Engineer Company from Little Falls, Minn.," said Lt. Col. Keith Waddell, a native from New Roads, La., who serves as the commander for the 769th Eng. Bn.
"Since arriving to Baghdad in October, this small group has repaired over 105 craters using 828.5 cubic yards of concrete to better assist the local Iraqi people by making their roads safer to drive on and to prevent anti-Iraqi forces from using the same crater to cause further harm," said Capt. Jason Mahfouz, a native of Lake Charles, La., who serves as the operations officer for the 769th Eng. Bn. "These repairs also benefit the Soldiers of the Multi National Division – Baghdad to carry out their mission here in Iraq."
A local Iraqi who serves as an Iraqi citizen security officer said "the repairs made to the road are good. The smoother road makes for better driving."
Whether the sun is beginning to rise or set, the Soldiers from the 230th Concrete Team, with assistance from the 851st Vertical Eng. Co., prepare to head out to perform the rapid crater repair missions. The Soldiers and their equipment head out to various sites, day after day and night after night, to repair the roads that wait ahead of them.
"Once on site, and all security measures have been emplaced, the crater is dug out and shaped so that the reinforcing rebar can be properly placed," said Sgt. James Bridges from Gulfport, Miss., who serves as a concrete mobile operator with the 230th Concrete Team.
Because of the hardness of the rock below the roadway, sometimes a pneumatic jackhammer is used to shape the crater that is being repaired. It is a physically demanding task due to the fact that the Soldiers wear sixty pounds or more of protective gear. Once the road is shaped, the Soldiers of the 230th Concrete Team begin to pour concrete from their concrete mobile vehicles.
The task can be challenging at times to get the concrete at the proper texture and consistency. At times, sand needs to be shoveled manually into the mixer. Once the proper mixture is established, the tiring task of spreading the concrete evenly is performed with metal concrete rakes and shovels, said Bridges.
Once the concrete is evenly spread out, it is smoothed over with a large float to ensure that it is evenly packed on top. While the process is performed, another Soldier uses a hand trowel to assure that the edges of the newly repaired crater are smoothed over the adjoining edges of the roadway.
Once the crater is repaired, these Soldiers, who have nicknamed themselves the "Goons," sign the newly repaired roadway with their nickname, date and time. Before leaving the newly repaired area, the Soldiers mark the site in the hopes that passing vehicles in the night will not damage the setting concrete. Once properly marked, the entourage of vehicles move further down the road towards the next crater awaiting much needed repair, said Bridges.
It is with the tireless and physically demanding effort from the Soldiers of the 230th Concrete Team and the 851st Vertical Eng. Co. ensure the roadways throughout the Baghdad area are safe once again for the citizens of Iraq and their brothers and sisters in arms.