Reserve Seabee Regiment Readies to Relieve Active-Duty Counterpart in Iraq

Navy NewsStand ^ | Journalist 1st Class Brian Brannon

[SandRat]

PORT HUENEME, Calif. (NNS) -- For the first time in the global war on terrorism, a reserve Seabee regiment is scheduled to relieve its active-duty counterpart in Iraq about mid-spring.

Following the completion of Seabee readiness training at Naval Base Ventura County, the 9th Naval Construction Regiment (NCR) is slated to take the job of providing construction engineering support to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Forward (MEF) from the 30th NCR in Western Iraq.

Cmdr. Mark Bellis, operations officer for the 9th NCR, said the reserve regiment is preparing to manage joint coalition construction assets over an area about the size of California.

"We will provide the command and control for all the general engineering assets working for the MEF in Western Iraq," Bellis said. "We are deploying as a reserve regiment under our own pennant."

Cmdr. Stephen Meyer, training officer for the 9th NCR, said the regiment will work closely with other Reserve and active seabee components, as well as Marine, Army and National Guard units in a joint-combined environment.

"That's pretty much the direction things are going," Meyer said. "I don't think it's going to be a 'me and you' type of environment any more. I think it's going to be an 'us.'"

Subordinate units under the command and control of the 9th NCR will include Naval Mobile Construction Battalions (NMCB) 25 and 40, the Army 46th Combat Engineering Battalion (Heavy) and the Marine 9th Engineering Support Battalion.

Reflecting the Seabees' motto, "We build - We fight," the Navy units are currently training in both combat and construction techniques at Naval Base Ventura County. Combat training includes combat lifesaving, communications, convoy support and weapons training. Construction training includes working with heavy timber, building and maintaining water systems, water purification, bridge construction and road maintenance.

While the 9th NCR leadership arm will provide engineering, supply, material, equipment and personnel management, Seabees from NMCB 25 and 40, along with their engineer counterparts in the Army and Marine battalions, will build and maintain Iraqi infrastructure.

"Our battalions provide the full spectrum of construction engineering continuing all the way from base camps to permanent facilities," Bellis said.

Capt. Terry Wilkerson, commander of the 9th NCR, said the Seabees under his command are looking forward to the chance to lend their skills and experience to Operation Iraqi Freedom.

"It is a big responsibility in terms of being able to go forward and serve our country and the Navy and the Marines," Wilkerson said. "We are all very proud to be doing that. The morale and esprit de corps is just sky-high, and I'm honored and humbled to be leading such a great group of highly motivated and patriotic Americans."

[SandRat]

Sea Bee PING

[Calpernia]

Cmdr. Mark Bellis, operations officer for the 9th NCR, said the reserve regiment is preparing to manage joint coalition construction assets over an area about the size of California.

"We will provide the command and control for all the general engineering assets working for the MEF in Western Iraq," Bellis said. "We are deploying as a reserve regiment under our own pennant."