Story by Builder 3rd Class Gustavo Zambrano
CHINHAE, South Korea – U.S. Navy Seabees deployed with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5’s Detail Chinhae participated in a soccer tournament at the Jinhae Naval Base Nov. 15.
The soccer game is an annual event hosted by the ROK Naval Base, Jinhae. The Seabees of NMCB-5 teamed up with members from Commander Fleet Activities, Chinhae (CFAC) to field a team.
The team's captain, Ensign Kenneth Heinzerling, Detail Chinhae’s officer-in-charge (OIC), led the effort against local teams from different Korean military branches. The groups included the Korean marine corps, navy, submarine forces, and clubs from Changwon and Jinhae.
The Seabees were eager to have fun and build esprit de corps amongst the U.S. and ROK military and have been anticipating this soccer event, according to Heinzerling. The Seabees deployment rotation, as well as operational commitments by the security forces, left little time for preparation.
"It's all about coming together and having a good time,” said Heinzerling. “It doesn't matter if you are good at the game or not; it is the sportsmanship you put in it that makes it fun. I know that if we remain persistent, by the end of the day, we will walk off of the field with our heads held high.”
As athletic as they are, not many were proficient in soccer, said Heinzerling. Being mindful of the short timeline, the American forces from CFAC put their best cleat forward and kept their minds on the game.
“Regardless if we win or lose, we will still be able to go home and say that two naval forces have come together to create a U.S. Navy team to play against one of the most skilled soccer teams in Korea,” said Heinzerling. “Not very many people can say that."
Before the game started, the Seabees toured the submarine base led by one of the ROK submariners and explored their navy heritage. After the game, the U.S. Navy team returned to their designated warm-up area where Chief Utilitiesman Jose Quiros, the Detail Chinhae’s assistant OIC, prepared a luncheon for the bilateral event showcasing traditional Latin American cuisine.
What this team thought would be a shutout turned into quite a game, as they played the ROK submarine forces' "Lotus" soccer team first, said Quiros. The teams were equally matched defensively, making it very difficult for them to score. The "Lotus" side eventually prevailed, defeating the U.S. team.
NMCB-5 is deployed across the Indo-Pacific region conducting high-quality construction to support U.S. and partner nations to strengthen partnerships, deter aggression, and enable expeditionary logistics and naval power projection. The battalion stands ready to support Humanitarian Aid/Disaster Relief and Major Combat Operations throughout the region.