Posted on 07/29/2005 6:05:36 PM PDT by SandRat
Only a week after leaving Hawaii, 50 soldiers began upgrading the Kandahar Airfield infrastructure.
This April, after flying more than 12,000 miles, 298th Engineer Detachment soldiers were ready to hit the ground running. Only a week removed from Hawaii, 50 soldiers started upgrading the Kandahar Airfield infrastructure. Carpenters, electricians, plumbers, masons, heavy equipment operators and mechanics worked on improving existing facilities, preparing the surfaces for and expanding the motor pool and flight line, and providing personnel for the base force protection mission.
The tropical engineers, started as part of the Fort Lewis-based 864th Engineer Battalion’s Task Force Pacemaker team, accomplished their assigned missions over the first two months of the deployment without their own tools and heavy equipment.
Their missions are continuing under the direction of Combined Task Force Bayonet, the Vicenza, Italy-based 173rd Airborne Brigade.
"Our tools and equipment were in shipping containers, but we were still able to accomplish the missions on schedule."
U.S. Army Cpl. Howard H. Higa
“Our tools and equipment were in shipping containers,” said U.S. Army Cpl. Howard H. Higa, a carpenter from Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and a first line supervisor of the one of the building projects, “but we were still able to accomplish the missions on schedule.”
Maj. Anthony Adams, executive officer from the 864th, said, “Every project is important, but overcrowding in some facilities made the completion of some projects more critical.”
“The logistics were the biggest challenge,” added Staff Sgt. Gulstan K. Poepoe, also a carpenter from Ewa Beach. “Everything from ladders, tools and vehicles were scrounged from soldiers with their bags packed ready to redeploy or the base contract staff.
“The logistics for construction was labor intensive; it included the physical movement and inventory of all the hardware and construction materials.”
“The 173rd Support Battalion actively engaged the 298th soldiers,” said Sgt. Kirk K. Halemano of Kalihi, Hawaii. “We rebuilt their entry way from an open stairway to a roofed porch with benches. Other home improvements included putting finishing touches on the conference room and building work areas. We’re kept busy, not waiting for our container to arrive; we’re here to help rebuild Afghanistan.”
“Our heavy equipment operators are already outside the wire,” said Staff Sgt. Dzuong K. Le, another carpenter from Ewa Beach. “They’re helping build the Tarin Kowt Road in outskirts of Kandahar City.”
“Our latest project comes on the heels of the arrival of our containers of tools and heavy equipment,” said Staff Sgt. Kenneth K. Kaania, a carpenter from Aiea, Hawaii, and the latest project coordinator. “We’re now working on the infrastructure of the forward operating bases outside the wire, outside of Kandahar Airfield.
“We’ve prefabricated, as much as possible -- guard towers, latrines, showers and decks."
“As with many of our jobs,” Kaania continued, “non-carpenter engineers cross-train during our prefabrication phase, but they’ll get their opportunity to do their specialty when we add electrical and plumbing to the various structures.”
U.S. Army Spc. Alan D. Pascua, a 298th Engineer Detachment electrician from Waipahu, Hawaii, evens the roofline edge of a newly constructed porch at the 173rd Support Battalion Headquarters at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Stephen M. Lum
Army National Guard Engineers Ping
Our guys are a proud bunch and will do an excellent job no matter what they are taxed to do. There's nothing better than a motivated "pineapple".
Tim the toolman Taylor in uniform!
ar ar ar
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AR = ALOHA RONNIE
Shipping Containers = MATSON
ALOHA RONNIE = MATSON, 33 Years
http://www.Matson.com
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Thanks for the ping!
I notice FOX news channel carried a piece on a military hospital in Iraq that treats Iraqi civilians. Perhaps we're finally going to start seeing more of the constructive role our military plays in rebuilding that country in the MSM. ( I hope.)
We stand a chance with Fox but not with the others.
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