Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5

Hometown: Port Hueneme, Calif., CA, US

NMCB 5; ‘Pride and Ownership’ while completing NBVC construction

01.23.2015 | NAVAL BASE VENTURA COUNTY, CA, US
Story by Petty Officer 1st Class John Paul Curtis

By Steel Worker Constructionman Dominque Brown
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5

NAVAL BASE VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. - Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5 and Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) celebrated the completion of a restroom facility construction project with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC), Port Hueneme Jan. 23.

NMCB 5 began construction of the facility in December 2013 and completed the project on Oct. 3, 2014, a day prior to the start of NMCB 5’s monthlong field training exercise at Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif.

NBVC Commanding Officer Capt. Larry Vasquez said keeping momentum and completing a project without turning it over in a homeport training cycle is tough for NMCB Seabees while personnel are transitioning to new commands, going through training courses, and participating in long field exercises.

“Completing this project in just one [homeport] cycle is huge,” said Vasquez.

Many Seabees were involved in the completion of this project, but one in particular was recognized, the crew leader, Builder 2nd Class Nathan Manning.

“BU2 Manning led the project and instilled pride and ownership in the crew,” Lt. Cmdr. Chris Casne, NMCB 5’s operations officer. “The crew was just phenomenal. With the personnel on the crew changing out, it is rare that all of them maintained the pride ownership throughout the whole project.”

When asked what it meant to work, start-to-finish, on this project, Manning’s response was, “It means a lot and to see it finished and to see it completed is an exceptional experience.”

This restroom facility is in a well-placed sports field located near housing, a soccer field, hockey rink and a wide open field where many units do physical training. The project was used as a training project and in doing so saved the Navy $290,000 in labor costs.

“This project matters for readiness,” said Casne. “It truly tested everything we do.”

Seabees, created to fill contingency construction needs in World War II, use local construction projects to train Seabee personnel in their respective job rating and skillset.

Casne said it was a great project, because it had significant work requirements for all of the construction skills in the battalion.

During an 18 month homeport, completed five projects from start to finish on NBVC and completed additional community construction projects in Colorado, Nevada, Alaska and California through the Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) program.

NMCB 5 is deploying to the Pacific area of responsibility in support of humanitarian assistance operations and to maintain relationships with regional governments through bilateral construction projects.