Posted on 06/08/2006 4:22:42 PM PDT by SandRat
AL ANBAR, Iraq -- Seabees and soldiers of the 9th Naval Construction Regiment (9th NCR) completed major projects that will directly aid Iraqi Security Forces in their efforts to reinforce security and maintain stability in the area.
The goal was to create several security posts in Al Anbar Province. These posts would be manned entirely by the Iraqi Army and would help them to maintain law and order.
Constructing these posts would be risky. Prolonged construction periods in this area might endanger construction workers. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 40 (NMCB 40) decided it would be better to build the base accommodations ahead of time. Prefabricated living spaces, security posts, latrines, and other projects could be transported by convoy and quickly set up at each site.
The overall operation was a cooperative effort between the Seabees and the U.S. Army.
"We got a general concept from the Army on the layout, but they gave us the opportunity to express our ideas and make a plan," said Chief Utilitiesman Ismael Macario, assistant officer-in-charge of NMCB 40.
Builder 1st Class Andrew Bugs was the special projects supervisor for this mission. He coordinated operations with the U.S. Army to find out exactly what needed to be constructed.
"We are building all the steel and wooden structures for their fighting positions and are preparing the berthing spaces with electrical and air conditioning," said Bugs. "The U.S. Army will drop it off, and then we"ll build the sites. Once finished, the Iraqi Army will take them over."
NMCB 40 Seabees are constructing these projects at a detachment site. The environment is harsh. The construction crews are used to working under challenging situations, but here they must constantly wear full body armor. The additional gear is heavy and restricts their body movement. Depending on the construction situation and the heat factor, this can be taxing to even the most seasoned workers.
Steel Worker 3rd Class Pablo Sanchez copes with the situation like everyone else. He helped reinforce steel conex boxes so that they would support the weight of a heavy steel fighting position and layers of sandbags. This unit will house a defensive machine gun nest for the Iraqi Forces.
"Collectively our crew burned about 500 welding rods on this project. We build a lot of things for people, but this is the first time that I"ve been able to set a camp up for the Iraqi Forces. I hope this helps to protect the Iraqi troops so they can accomplish their work," said Sanchez.
The plan was sound, but it had one sticking point - a swamp. It lies at the end of a waterway that separates the Seabees from the project sites. Movement around the far end of the waterway was even less desirable because it meant placing the convoy at greater risk from other hazards.
To solve the dilemma, the Army"s 46th Engineer Construction Battalion (46th ECB) was called in to create a road along the waterway and directly across the edge of the swamp. The 46th ECB is a subordinate unit to the 9th NCR and is a valuable pool of highly skilled engineers that the Seabees can rely upon to handle difficult projects. The mixture of services working directly under the 9th NCR is a tribute to the skill levels each unit possesses. In this case, units of the Army had the personnel and heavy equipment available to meet the demands of the project.
1st Lt. Joseph Kilner of the 46th ECB was put in charge of building the 1.1 Kilometer road. Soldiers operating bulldozers, bucket loaders, dump trucks and road graders spent days moving large volumes of earth to create a new convoy route. The crew used over 2,000 cubic yards of rubble to fill in the edge of the canal from its 6-foot depth. Then, the trouble began.
As the dirt fill kept sinking into the mire, the engineers realized they were in for the long haul.
"We used over 4,000 cubic yards on only 350 feet," said Kilner. "We discovered that the wet marshy ground has so much organic material in it that it eats up everything we put in it."
The soldiers would have to put a lot more work into the road before it would support a convoy of trucks. Day after day a seamless procession of heavy equipment operators would push, shovel, haul, and grade the dirt and gravel. The unceasing procession of heavy construction equipment was testament to the U.S. Army"s goal of completing the project on time.
Staff Sgt. Ronnie Kilgore of the 3rd Earth Movers Platoon, 46th ECB, made sure the job was done right. "We"ve been working long hours trying to get this done," said Kilgore. "Even though it"s hot, we still work hard. We know it"s important that we get this road complete.
The importance of this road goes well beyond any single military project. It provides military teams with the ability to operate more effectively. "It makes the insurgents have to watch more areas now," said Kilner. "It"s already driving them nuts."
While the 46th ECB strengthened the road for convoy trucks, NMCB 40 completed its prefabrication projects. The U.S Army was invaluable in supplying materials and handling the logistics.
"The Army is loading the trucks and moving them out for us. They are providing us with security," said Macario.
Soon afterward, the Army"s 506th Infantry (1st Battalion), a supported unit of the 9th NCR, and the Seabees successfully completed the security projects. Iraqi Security Forces are now in place and are increasing their efforts to provide security.
"The force protection measures we are taking will be saving their lives. It is a show of force. This is a center point for turning one area over to the Iraqis. It is very, very important, said Macario. "We have troops training the Iraqis how to maneuver, and the Army is taking them out on patrols. We have Seabees out here building positions and assisting them in force protection - helping them take back their country."
Soldiers, Seabees, Marines and Iraqi Security Forces can take pride in this effort. The combination of new Iraqi control points and the new access road will help to provide a safer environment for the citizens of Iraq.
Engineers.
What else needs to be said....
Quid quid nominatur fabricatur
You name it , we build it
OICC SWPAC
When they're done. maybe we can ask them to build a 1,700 mile wall on our Southern border.
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