The construction consists of installing approximately 800 feet of chain-link fence around a local school building, with two gates that allow access to vehicles and a nearby medical clinic. The project is led by Builder 3rd Class Tristan Kesselring (crew leader), Construction Electrician 2nd Class Joshua Zapien (safety lead) and Construction Electrician 1st Class Marc Artache (quality control expert).
The project began on May 15, 2018 when the project crew traveled five hours north on a Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM) provided by the United States Army Garrison – Kwajalein Atoll. The LCM support is critical for Seabees in the Kwajalein Atoll, as it is the primary method of offloading their project tools, materials, and equipment. Upon arrival on Ennibur, the Detail’s Equipment Operator, Petty Officer 3rd Class Brady Northlee, expertly offloaded all the project’s tools and materials through narrow passageways and crowded streets. “The Seabees never fail to amaze me. Even in unfamiliar environments, the “can-do” motto has repeatedly become a reality for this group,” said Ensign Hulse, the Officer in Charge of the Detail.
With the material offloaded, the eight Seabees on Ennibur broke ground by digging post holes for all the fence posts. When construction is complete, the Seabees will have dug over 80 holes, filled them with over 200 bags of Quikrete, and fastened over 800 linear feet of chain-link fence to the posts. The project will have a lasting impact on the surrounding community, providing protection for the students at the school, and making supervision of the students easier. “The educational impact can go a long way for this community,” said Builder 3rd Class Tristan Kesselring, the project’s crew leader.
NMCB-11 is a Seabee battalion specializing in contingency construction, disaster response, and humanitarian assistance. The battalion’s homeport is in Gulfport, Miss.