HurricaneRelief

Seabees Respondin Force to Katrina and Rita

PURPLE HEARTS FROM IRAQ

W I N T E R2 0 0 6

CARAT EnhancesPartnerships inSoutheast Asia

NAVAL FACILITIES ENGINEERING COMMAND

Michael K. LooseREAR ADMIRAL, CEC, USN COMMANDERCHIEF OF CIVIL ENGINEERS

John E. Roark Jr.EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

James D. FairbanksFORCM (SCW)FORCE MASTER CHIEF PETTY OFFICEROF THE SEABEES

Harrell T. Richardson (Ret.)FORCM (SCW) FORCE MASTER CHIEF PETTY OFFICEROF THE SEABEES

Virginia BuenoPUBLIC AFFAIRS & COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

FIRST NAVAL CONSTRUCTION DIVISION

Robert L. PhillipsREAR ADMIRAL, CEC, USNCOMMANDER

Albert Garcia IIIREAR ADMIRAL, CEC, USNRDEPUTY COMMANDER

Kevin C. TimmonsCMDCM (SCW)COMMAND MASTER CHIEF

Daryl C. SmithPUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER

STAFF

Raina T. WilliamsPublic Affairs SpecialistEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Senior ContributorsPH2 Michael SandbergPH3 John P. CurtisJO3 Chris Gethings JO3 Ron Kuzlik

ContributorsCDR Meg ReedJOC Melinda LarsonJO1 Dennis J. HerringJO1 (SCW) Jess Johnson PH1 Robert McRillPH1 (AW/NAC) Michael MoriatisJO1 Jeffrey PierceJO1 Chad PrittPH1 David VotroubekJO1 (SW) Rob WesselmanJO2 Brian P. BillerJO2 (SW) Paul CageJO2 Lynn IronPH2 Eric S. PowellJO2 Barbara SilkwoodYN2 Donna Lou MorganPH3 Greg PierotPH3 Ja’laon RhinehartJOSN Joanne De VeraLance Cpl. Wayne EdmistonA1C Barry LooStacy L. PearsallCorey Schultzand every Seabee everywhere, everyday.

3 Seabees Respond in Force to Hurricane Devastation

5 Seabees Provide Vital CommunityReconnaissance and Clean-up Support

6 Key West Seabee Maintenance UnitRepairs Armed Forces Retirement Home

7 Seabees Provide Home for DolphinsDisplaced During Katrina

8 Recent Seabee Graduates Receive Navy Achievement Medals

9 Reserve Seabees Actively SupportHurricane Recovery Efforts

10 Gulfport Seabees Receive InternationalMilitary Support

11 U.S., Mexican Navies Join Forces inSchool Repair

11 Seabee Efforts Prevent Hurricane RitaFlooding

12 Mobile Utilities Team Brings Power,Comfort After Hurricane Hits Land

12 USO Performs for Katrina Relief Workers

GULF COAST RELIEF: HURRICANES KATRINA AND RITA

(Cover) Builder 1st Class Charles Fury, assigned to Naval MobileConstruction Battalion 40 (NMCB 40), sits atop a High MobilityMultipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) while transiting throughflooded streets in Port Sulphur, La., to the Buras Levee.

Photo by Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class John P. Curtis

W I N T E R2 0 0 6 1

WINTER06

Seabees assigned to NMCB 40 load metal debris left behind from Hurricane Katrina at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans.

Photo by Photographer’s Mate 1st Class Robert McRill

13 Purple Hearts and Memorials

16 Former Navy Quarterback Serves in Iraq

16 Seabee Father, Son Reunite on Sands of Taqaddum

18 Navy’s New Lighterage SystemRevolutionizes Ship-to-Shore Transport

GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR

COOPERATION AFLOAT READINESS ANDTRAINING (CARAT) EXERCISE SERIES

20 End of Successful Philippines PhaseBrings CARAT Series to Close

22 U.S., Philippines Seabees BuildSchoolhouse Addition

[contents continued on next page]

SEABEE MAGAZINE2

Winter 2006

MILITARY RECIPIENTSUnits or organizations with Seabees assigned are authorized no-cost distributions of SEABEE Magazine(ISSN 1546-8429). Send requests by mail or fax on officialletterhead signed by the commanding officer or officer incharge, citing number of unit personnel, to the editor at themagazine’s postal address or fax number shown below.

CIVILIAN SUBSCRIPTIONSPaid subscriptions to the official magazine of the U.S. NavySeabees, SEABEE Magazine, are available from theSuperintendent of Documents, P. O. Box 371954,Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954, or call (202) 512-1800 and askfor the publications order desk. The best method forobtaining a paid subscription is to point your Web browserto http://bookstore.gpo.gov and enter the Search termSEABEE. This returns a means to enter your subscriptionvia a secure credit card transaction. Current subscriptionprices are $25 per year or $7 per issue FPO/APO/domesticand $36 per year or $9.80 per issue foreign.

POSTMASTERSend address corrections to the editor-in-chief at the mag-azine address shown below.

AUTHORIZATIONThe Secretary of the Navy has determined this publicationis necessary in the transaction of business required by lawof the Department of the Navy.

EDITORIALSEABEE Magazine (formerly Beeline) is scheduled quarter-ly (except for combined or other special issues) by theNaval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) PublicAffairs Office from the historic Washington Navy Yard, “theQuarterdeck of the Navy.” Our readership consists ofActive and Reserve Seabees and CEC officers and theirfamilies, as well as veterans, retirees and the general public. Letters and electronic mail are welcome on allSeabee-related topics and, if published, are subject to edit-ing for length and clarity. Written and photographic submissions that show Active and Reserve Seabees are strongly encouraged. We prefer to receive all written and photographic submissions by e-mail toseabeemagazine@navy.mil. Film or digital images shouldinclude captions and be unmodified; digital files shouldmeasure at least 300 dpi at 5x7 inches. All submissionsmust include the author’s full name, rank/rate, postaladdress, duty contact telephone number(s) and e-mailaddress. Submissions by regular postal mail are stronglydiscouraged due to security precautions that may damagefragile contents. If necessary, send all postal mail to:

NAVAL FACILITIES ENGINEERING COMMANDAttn: Editor-in-Chief, SEABEE Magazine (Code PA)

1322 Patterson Avenue, S.E., Suite 1000Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374-5065

Contents do not necessarily reflect the official views of theDepartment of Defense, the Navy, NAV FAC, the CivilEngineer Corps (CEC) or the U.S. Navy Seabees.Inclusions of or references to any product or service in edi-torial content do not constitute endorsement by the U. S .N a v y, NAV FAC, the CEC or the Seabees. All trademarks,service marks or other symbols, names, images or logos areand remain the sole property of their respective owners.Military address corrections, story and photo submissions,and requests for writer’s guidelines may be sent to the mag-azine’s postal or e-mail address. Paid-subscriber addresscorrections must be sent to the GPO address above.

CONTACTSE-mail: seabeemagazine@navy.milVoice: (202) 685-9127 or DSN 325-9127Fax: (202) 685-1484 or DSN 325-1484

To learn more about the Seabees and Seabee opportunities, discover us on the Internet atwww.seabee.navy.mil. For information on Navy careers,see www.navy.com. To learn more about the technical CivilEngineer Corps and the global activity of the NavalFacilities Engineering Command, we invite you to visit theNAVFAC Web site at www.navfac.navy.mil.

STAY NAVY. STAY SEABEE.

N E W S B R E A K

23 First Class Petty Officers Association (FCPOA)

Volunteers Refurbish Okinawa School

23 NASCAR Great Visits Seabees

24 Seabees Aid Pakistani Earthquake Victims

24 Operation Bearing Duel Evaluates Seabee Skills

F I N A L W O R D

25 “Seabees Make Me Proud”

Force Master Chief Harrell T. Richardson (Ret.)

President George W. Bush conveys his gratitude to Chief BuilderDan Walker, right, and Lt.j.g. Sam Werschky for the excellentwork accomplished by the Seabees of Naval Mobile ConstructionBattalion 1 (NMCB 1) in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. NMCB 1 has been instrumental in the widespread relief effortsacross Gulfport, Miss.

Photo by Senior Chief Photographer’s Mate Thomas Coffelt

President George W. Bush conveys his gratitude to Chief BuilderDan Walker, right, and Lt.j.g. Sam Werschky for the excellentwork accomplished by the Seabees of Naval Mobile ConstructionBattalion 1 (NMCB 1) in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. NMCB 1 has been instrumental in the widespread relief effortsacross Gulfport, Miss.

Photo by Senior Chief Photographer’s Mate Thomas Coffelt

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H u r r i c a n eRelief

(Below) Seabees assigned to Amphib-ious Construction Battalion 2 (ACB 2)construct a fuel bladder on the beach ofBiloxi, Miss., in support of HurricaneKatrina relief efforts. Navy and MarineCorps involvement in the hurricanehumanitarian assistance operations is ledby the Federal Emergency ManagementAgency (FEMA), in conjunction with theDepartment of Defense.

Photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Michael Sandberg

The hurricane season of 2005 will go down in history as one of the most devastating on re c o rd. • Hurr i c a n eKatrina will likely be re c o rded as the worst U.S. natural disaster to date. The storm left catastrophic damageand thousands of casualties along the Gulf Coast and south Florida, after first touching down near Miami onAugust 25 and in Plaquemines Parish, La., four days later. • The Gulf Coast suff e red a second blow whenH u rricane Rita landed in Louisiana and Texas on September 24. Again leaving death and destruction in itswake, Rita hit many of Katrina’s alre a d y - a ffected locales. • On the following pages, witness Seabees’ hero i ce ff o rts to help reestablish the cities and towns, rebuild the pro p e rty and renew the spirit of the people along theGulf Coast in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita…

SEABEE MAGAZINE4

H u r r i c a n eRe lief Seabees’ Efforts in Response to Hurricanes:

M A K I N G A D I F F E R E N C ESeabees were quick to help bases along the Gulf Coast get back online and operational fol-

lowing Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. To d a y, Seabees continue to provide recovery and public

works support, and have executed more than 700 missions on military bases and communi-

ties from Alabama to Louisiana.

Road Assessments ....................................................2,695 miles

Roads Cleared ................................................................750 miles

Debris Removed ..........................................................20,000 tons

Schools Repaired ..........................100 (serving 40,000 students)

Public Buildings ......................................................................30+

Water and Fuel Deliveries ....................................237,000 gallons

Food Distribution........................................1,600 families per day

Utilities (water, sewer, electric)..................................455 projects

Seabees observe firsthand thedevastation from HurricaneKatrina as they travel alongRoute 90 in Gulfport, Miss. U.S. Navy photo

Utilitiesman 3r d Class SamuelGutierrez, assigned to NMCB40, removes debris from thesurrounding buildings onboard Naval Air Station NewOrleans near Belle Chasse, La.

Photo by Photographer’s Mate

3rd Class John P. Curtis

Here’s a snapshot of Seabee accomplishments to date...

As one retired Navy senior chief andWaveland, Miss. resident said so simply,

“I keep telling peoplei t ’s not a knight on awhite horse who’sgoing to save you, it’sSeabees on a gre e nNavy truck.”

As one retired Navy senior chief andWaveland, Miss. resident said so simply,

“I keep telling peoplei t ’s not a knight on awhite horse who’sgoing to save you, it’sSeabees on a gre e nNavy truck.”

W I N T E R2 0 0 6 5

Before Naval Mobile Construction Battalion40 (NMCB 40) could begin Hurricane Katrinacleanup in Southern Louisiana, the SeabeeEngineering Reconnaissance Team (SERT) touredNew Orleans, consolidating parish priorities —road accessibility, school repair, etc. — and creat-ing a plan of action.

With a concrete plan in hand, SERT and Bravocompany loaded an MTVR (medium tactical vehi-cle replacement) with chain saws and clean-upequipment, and headed for Plaquemines Parish’shighest priority, the Belle Chasse post office.

“First, we cleared the large fallen trees block-ing postal trucks and removed downed power linesin the parking lot,” said Construction Mechanic2nd Class Matt Klier, “so the post office could re-open as quickly as possible.

“Next, we found a historical landmark which

had been turned into a library,” Klier said. “Therewere about 12 trees down and roofing was scatteredeverywhere. Working together, we cut up the trees,stacked the wood and removed all excess debrisfrom the area.”

Several miles up the road, a middle school hadsustained severe roof damage, and trees and debriswere scattered throughout the schoolyard. Beforebeginning school cleanup, the Seabee crew spotteda couple across the street who had just returned totheir home. Fallen trees and debris littering thefront and back yards made it impossible to reachthe house. One by one, the Seabees made theirway to the house, cutting and stacking enormoustree branches, clearing a path for the couple.

“They just came over and asked if they couldhelp,” said local resident Theresa Wade. “We reallyappreciated it.”

Seabees Provide Vital Community Reconnaissance and Clean-up Support

By Journalist 2nd Class Barbara Silkwood, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 40 Public Affairs

Seabees assigned to NMCB 1 helpclear trees downed by HurricaneKatrina in the Gulfport area.

Photo by Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class Ja’laon A. Rhinehart

T hey just came over and asked ifthey couldh e l p . ”

– Plaquemines Parish resident

“

SEABEE MAGAZINE6

H u r r i c a n eRe lief

Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 202(CBMU 202), headquartered in Little Creek, Va . ,has a standing disaster recovery mission. The KeyWest detachment arrived at the Armed ForcesRetirement Home in Biloxi, Miss., with a 27-personteam the day after Hurricane Katrina subsided.

The retirement facility, built in the 1800s andconstructed to withstand Category 5 hurricanes, ishome to more than 400 retiredm i l i t a ry personnel. It is a popularliving arrangement for retirees,with a seven-month waiting list.The home is filled with militaryartifacts and souvenirs from allm i l i t a ry services.

Unlike many of the buildingson Biloxi’s coast, the retirementhome remained standing afterK a t r i n a ’s onslaught. However,water pushed its way through thelower level and flooded the entiref l o o r. Because of the extremedamage following the storm, resi-dents were evacuated. The build-ing is currently vacant except forstaff working on plans to repairand rebuild.

CBMU 202’s ongoing mis-sion at the retirement home is toestablish security of the facility,p r e s e rve salvageable items, and perform clean-upactivities throughout the 11-story building andgrounds. Several other buildings on the site werelost, including employee cottages, a church, ware-

houses, and tool shops. More than 250 cars weresprawled across parking lots and lawns.

Chief Warrant Officer Charles Heatherly ofHendersonville, N.C., Officer-in-Charge of the proj-ect, explained that the hurricane started to escalateduring the evening meal so the residents were imme-diately moved to the upper floors. When the CBMUdetachment arrived, several Seabees thought the

scene looked as if time werestanding still since many residentshad left their unfinished dinnerson the tables.

Heatherly says his Seabeeswill stay as long as required. “Thedetachment is glad to help out —it could be any of us living heres o m e d a y,” he added.

Construction Electrician 1s t

Class Antonio Murray of Chicago,Ill., used equipment in the AutoHobby Shop for necessary electri-cal rebuilding tasks throughoutthe facility. “The home is a cher-ished place for all militaryretirees. The memorabilia in thebuilding is a reminder of why wes e rve, and it must be saved,” saidM u r r a y.

Equipment Operator ChiefDoyle Bitgood of Canterbury,

Conn., provided on-site operations oversight. Hewas inspired to visit the home seven years ago afterlearning about it, and is glad to be back to help withr e c o v e ry efforts. ( C o n t i n u e d )

Key West Seabee Maintenance Unit Repairs Armed Forces Retirement Home

By Cmdr. Meg Reed, 1st Naval Construction Division Public Affairs Office

Hospital Corpsman 1s t C l a s sJoshua Ross (left) helps aNew Orleans PlaqueminesParish resident change atire on his bulldozer.

Photo by Journalist 1st ClassJames Pinsky

“The home is a cherished place for all military

retirees. The memorabilia inthe building is areminder of whywe serve, and itmust be saved.”

– Construction Electrician 1st ClassAntonio Murr a y

W I N T E R2 0 0 6 7

Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC)Gulfport opened its doors in mid-September to Kelly,Toni, Jackie and Noah — four Atlantic BottlenoseDolphins displaced when a reported 40-foot stormsurge from Hurricane Katrina destroyed their homeat the Marine Life Oceanarium. They were soonjoined by four other dolphins — Shelly, Jill, Eli andTamara — who had been moved to NCBC Gulfportfrom the harbor.

The dolphins’ temporary home included threeportable saltwater above-ground pools — one 22,000gallons and two 10,000 gallons — filters, pumps andmonitoring equipment from the U.S. Navy MarineMammal Program in San Diego, Calif. In addition toproviding a safe shelter for the stranded shipmates,the dolphins received medical care for injuries sus-tained during the storm while at NCBC Gulfport.

“Our role is to provide and maintain a place forthese animals to live comfortably,” said Bob Olds,project manager with U.S. Navy Marine MammalProgram. “We were chosen for this task because wehave all the experience, equipment and resourcesn e c e s s a ry for quickly setting up and maintaining anappropriate home for these displaced dolphins.”

Olds and other personnel with the U.S. NavyMarine Mammal Program continuously monitoredand maintained the filtration and temperature con-trol equipment needed for the dolphins’ temporaryhome. NCBC personnel provided 24-hour security.

“This facility is outstanding,” said Tash Solangi,public relations representative for the Marine LifeOceanarium. “The Navy has given us everything wecould ever need to keep our dolphins safe and on afast-track to recovery. ”

The dolphins were found in Gulfport Harbor onSeptember 10 by Institute for Marine MammalStudies (IMMS) personnel in a Harrison CountySheriff Department helicopter. IMMS trainers andveterinarians have monitored and cared for the dolphins since that time.

Ensign Michael Dobling, Public Wo r k sOperations Officer, said NCBC was extremely proudto provide shelter for the dolphins.

“Our Seabees have been out in town since thehurricane, helping local residents recover, ”explained Dobling. “This is just another prime exam-ple of the willingness and capabilities our base can,and will, provide.”

Seabees Provide Home for Dolphins Displaced During KatrinaBy Journalist 3rd Class Chris Gethings, U.S. Fleet Forces Command Public Affairs Detachment, Gulfport

Several retirees returned to the facility to gathertheir belongings. “They were extremely grateful tothe Seabees and wanted to return the help in anyw a y,” said Bitgood. “Regardless of Katrina’s devasta-tion, they want to come back home.”

In addition to the Key West Seabees, 185 members of CBMU 202 from detachments in

Washington, D.C., King’s Bay, Ga., and Jacksonville,Fla., are working on recovery projects throughoutthe Mississippi area.

E d i t o r ’s Note: The Armed Forces Retirement Home inBiloxi, Miss., continues to work with the Department ofDefense, Office of Management and Budget, and Congre s sfor funding to support the reopening of this facility.

Kelly, an Atlantic BottlenoseDolphin displaced whenHurricane Katrina destroyedher home at the Marine LifeOceanarium in Gulfport,Miss., is carefully placed in a temporary saltwater pool facility at the NCBCGulfport. The above-g r o u n dpool, along with other neces-sary filtration equipmentneeded to care for sea mammals, was provided by U.S. Navy Marine MammalProgram personnel from SanDiego, Calif.

Photo by Journalist 3rd Class Chris Gethings

(Continued from previous page)

Seabees assigned toNMCB 133 tear through aplywood floor as theyhelp restore and rebuildHope Haven, a child-ren’s abuse shelter inWaveland, Miss., des-troyed during Hurr i c a n eKatrina. Hope Haven provides safe refuge forabused and neglectedchildren in Mississippi.

Photo by Photographer’s Mate

2nd Class Michael Sandberg

SEABEE MAGAZINE8

H u r r i c a n eRe lief

Before they became full-fledged Seabees, a groupof pre-graduation “A” Schoolers and ConstructionInspectors had a trial by fire as they jumped intoHurricane Katrina relief work in Gulfport, Miss.

The students had completed courses at NavalConstruction Training Center (NCTC) and werepreparing to graduate when the storm hit.Without hesitation, they immediately transitionedto disaster relief clearing local property strewn withfallen trees, and distributing food, water and cloth-ing in the Gaston Point area.

For their dedication and hard work, 27 NavyAchievement Medals were awarded to graduatingstudents for supporting hurricane relief efforts.

“It’s unusual for someone to earn a medal soearly in his Navy career,” said Chief WarrantOfficer Tom Neely, Operations Officer forNCTC. “But I think the true gratificationcomes from knowing that they were able tohelp people recover from the hurricane.”

During relief work, Seabee studentscleared trees and debris from two localschools, Gaston Point and West Elementary.Both schools participate in an NCTC partner-ship program, Reading to Succeed.Through the program, Seabeesencourage students to enjoy readingfor pleasure, as well as for educa-tion. Other relief efforts includedsupporting shelters in town,cleaning the housing area inLadd Circle, and conducting the

initial cleaning of trees and debris from major baseroads.

Builder Constructionman James Pace ledcrews to clean vital areas on base so that emergencycrews could launch rescue efforts. “It felt great toclear the way,” said Pace. “We could see what wasneeded and what we had to do to help. Eventhough we weren’t official Seabees yet, we weredetermined to help our community.”

Steelworker Constructionman RecruitMatthew Long worked at the warehouse providingsupport to people seeking shelter from the hurri-cane. “It felt great to see how each job we didmade a difference,” said Long. “Keeping a smileon our face while helping someone who lost every-

thing was challenging, but satisfying.“I also enjoyed helping out our vet-

erans from the Armed ForcesRetirement Home as theycame in and tried to make thebest of it,” Long said.

The A School studentsgraduated with two different rat-

ings: Builders and Steelworkers. NCTC also teaches Advanced

B u i l d e r, Construction Electrician,Advanced Construction Mechanic,

Advanced Planning and Estimating, andAdvanced Equipment Operating.

Recent Seabee Graduates Receive Navy Achievement Medals By Corey Schultz, Navy Public Affairs

W I N T E R2 0 0 6 9

Reserve Seabees Actively Support Hurricane Recovery EffortsBy Cmdr. Meg Reed, 1st Naval Construction Division Public Affairs Office

R e s e rve Seabees from Naval Mobile ConstructionBattalion 18 (NMCB 18), headquartered inWashington state, worked side-by-side with theiractive-duty counterparts during hurricane reliefefforts in Gulfport, Miss.

“Our heart goes out to the people affected bythis horrific event, and our unit is proud to beamong the first responders during desperate times,”said Cmdr. Bradley Posadas, NMCB 18’s command-ing officer. “I’m very proud that reserve personnelfrom both Helena, Mont., and Central Point, Ore.,detachments were there with other Seabee brethrenfrom NMCB 1 to lend a helping hand.”

NMCB 18 began its work at Naval Air StationMeridian, Miss., where 1,000 evacuees from theGulfport area were transferred to an on-base shelter.R e s e rve Seabees manned the shelter’s welcome cen-t e r, working side-by-side with the Federal EmergencyManagement Agency (FEMA) and the AmericanRed Cross.

In addition to welcome center duty, NMCB 18personnel cleared massive amounts of debris on thebase and surrounding roads, and in other communi-ty areas. In their spare time, Seabees assisted fellowNavy personnel and community members in cleaning up yards and other areas. Without theSeabees’ assistance, some of the debris removal proj-ects would have taken many months.

NMCB 18 members took pride in being able tos e rve with their fellow Seabees and provide relief tolocal citizens. Construction Mechanic 1s t Class DaleM i l l e r, a maintenance mechanic/millwright fromMedford, Ore., said he was glad for the opportunityto assist.

“People have been extremely welcoming,” saidMiller. “We came to help them, but they tried tohelp us.”

Construction Mechanic 2n d Class Ben Sandu ofPortland, Ore., is a firefighter and independent con-t r a c t o r, but wanted to help. “They asked for volun-teers, and that’s what I signed up for when I joinedthe Navy.”

James Sollee, Equipment Operator 2nd Class ofCentral Point, Ore., a public works water crewworker, agreed. “It’s our turn, our duty,” he said.“Others have been called to Iraq, and we’ve beencalled here.”

After four days in Meridian, the detachmenttraveled back to the Gulfport area to support NMCB 1 by contributing diverse and specialized con-struction and engineering skills to complement theiractive-duty counterparts.

NMCB 18 is headquartered in Ft. Lewis, Wa s h . ,and maintains 14 detachments within seven states:Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregonand Wa s h i n g t o n .

Builder Constructionman LissethBriceno, NMCB 40, cuts wood for aNational Guard “tent city” on boardNaval Air Station Joint ReserveBase New Orleans.

Photo by Chief Journalist Kevin Elliott

Builder Constructionman LissethBriceno, NMCB 40, cuts wood for aNational Guard “tent city” on boardNaval Air Station Joint ReserveBase New Orleans.

Photo by Chief Journalist Kevin Elliott

SEABEE MAGAZINE10

HurricaneRelief

Gulfport Seabees Receive International Military Support By Journalist 3rd Class Chris Gethings, U.S. Fleet Forces Command Public Affairs Detachment, Gulfport

Just outside of Biloxi, Miss., an elementary school wasthe first stop in an international humanitarian effortin the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Marinesfrom Camp Pendleton, Calif., Mexican marines fromamphibious warship ARM Papaloapan (A 411),Sailors on board USS Bataan (LPD 5) and Dutchsailors on board HMS Van Amstel (F 831) cametogether to convert the ravaged D’IbervilleElementary School into a food and water distributioncenter.

“We’re only a small percentage of the manpow-er helping to clean up this loca-tion, but I think everyone ismaking quite a difference,”said Dutch Lt. Cmdr. Bas VanDen Akker, supply officer onboard Van Amstel. “All of mysailors are just glad to be herehelping out our fellow man,”added the Amsterdam,Netherlands, native.

Seabees, Sailors andMarines cleared fallen trees,removed hanging debris andcleaned areas adjacent to theschool where tin roofing andother materials had landed.Dutch sailors spent an addi-tional two days at a Baptistchurch distributing suppliesdirectly to local residents.

“Despite their great loss,the people and other organiza-tions involved in the relief

effort have been absolutely wonderful to us,” saidAkker. “They all made us feel our help was appreciat-ed 100 percent.”

The four commands from three different coun-tries worked together and had little trouble develop-ing common ground for communication, despitelanguage barriers.

“I speak Spanish, so I’ve been talking to theMexican marines to help them communicate withother Sailors and Marines,” said AviationOrdnanceman Airman Anthony Perez Vasquez, of

USS Bataan. “It doesn’t evenmatter that a lot of our guysaren’t multilingual; we’re allworking like machines to getthis school cleaned up for thekids. We all agree that’s theimportant thing.”

“Everyone’s getting alonggreat — it’s unlike anything I’veever seen,” said Marine LanceCpl. Ricardo Ruiz, with MarineExpeditionary Unit 11, basedout of Camp Pendleton, Calif.

“All of us have the samegoal out here, helping the peo-ple who need it most. I think it’sabsolutely wonderful that for-eign military is here with theexact same motivation we havetoward this humanitarian reliefeffort,” added Ruiz.

“We’re only a small

percentage of the manpower

helping to clean upthis location, but I think everyone is

making quite a difference.”

– Dutch Lt. Cmdr. Bas Van Den Akker,supply officer on board Van Amstel

An NMCB 7 equipment opera-tor clears debris in JonesPark, Gulfport, Miss. Theclean-up effort was performedin conjunction with supportfrom the U.S. Coast Guard,Fish and Wildlife Commission,and Sheriff’s Department. Photo by Photographer’s MateAirman Paul Williams

Sailors assigned to the amphibiousassault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), withthe help of Mexican Marines, removedebris at D’Iberville Elementary Schoolduring Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.The school served as a shelter, provid-ing food and medicine to the evacuees. Photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd ClassMichael Sandberg

WINTER2006 11

U.S., Mexican Navies Join Forces in School RepairBy Journalist 2nd Class Lynn Iron, USS Whidbey Island Public Affairs

Crewmembers from USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41),Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 7 (NMCB 7)and the Mexican amphibious ship MS Papaloapan(P 411) combined efforts to clean up local schoolsin the Biloxi school district following the hurricanedevastation.

“We are trying to get the kids back in school asquickly as possible, and help return their lives to asclose to normal as possible,” said Biloxi SchoolDistrict Plant Supervisor Roanie Bogard.

Interior Communications Specialist 2nd ClassMario Zetino, father of two children, was especiallyhappy to help.

“I have two daughters and would really appre-ciate this kind of help for my kids’ education if wewere in this type of situation,” said Zetino. “Thereis no better feeling than knowing you are helping achild reach the stars as fast as they can.”

Although the school system is mostly con-cerned about the children’s education, they alsohave the parents in mind.

“Once we get the children back in a safe envi-ronment, it will be one less thing for their parentsand guardians to worry about,” Bogard said.

While the multi-national crew of Sailors andMarines cleared the school area of debris as part oftheir relief efforts, many of them did not fully real-ize the impact their actions were having in theBiloxi school district.

“We have approximately nine schools in thedistrict,” said Bogard. “Two of them were floodedwith more than six feet of water. Everyone whohas been helping restore the schools has saved usapproximately $50,000 in manpower and equip-ment alone. We are very appreciative of theirhard work and dedication.”

Post-Hurricane Katrina, Seabees from NavalMobile Construction Battalion 40 (NMCB 40)were called into action when Plaquemines Parish,located in southeastern Louisiana, experienced ris-ing water from Hurricane Rita, threatening theintegrity of the Jesuit Bend levee.

Working alongside Plaquemines Parish resi-dents and the Air National Guard, Seabees filledand placed sandbags at the base of the levee breakoriginally caused by Hurricane Katrina. The 150-foot long sandbag wall was completed in time tobeat high tide, protecting the community from any further flood damage.

“As the line of sandbags grew,” explained Lt.Cmdr. Christopher Adams, NMCB 40 OperationsOfficer, “the large push of water against the levee

was slowing and beginning to recede. Miles away,water was also subsiding in other sections of thelevee — a good sign.”

“The Seabees were mass-producing sandbagsand dumptruck loads of fill material for the localfolks to place on the emergency levee,” said Capt.Kelly Schmader, Joint Forces Maritime ComponentCommander (JFMCC) Logistics Engineer. “It wasan impressive display of teamwork between 100+highly motivated Seabees and members of the localparish.”

Adams said he was proud to work alongsidethe fine people of Plaquemines Parish to see themthrough that trying time, providing support andcomfort wherever they could.

Seabee Efforts Prevent Hurricane Rita FloodingBy Yeoman 2nd Class Donna Lou Morgan, Joint Forces Maritime Component Command Public Affairs

SEABEE MAGAZINE12

Just hours after Hurricane Katrina cleared the Gulf Coast region, theNavy’s Mobile Utilities Support Equipment (MUSE) team in PortHueneme, Calif., received a “911” call from the Naval ConstructionBattalion Center (NCBC) Gulfport, Miss., requesting power restora-tion manpower and equipment support. MUSE is the Naval FacilitiesEngineering Command’s (NAVFAC) resident power expert andoften the first responder to utility emergencies around the world.

“Within four hours of the request, two 800-kilowatt generatorsand one 2500-kilovolt-amp substation were packaged for immediateshipment to Gulfport. Within 12 hours of the request, MUSE techswere en route to NCBC Gulfport,” said Senior Chief ConstructionMechanic Kevin Hughes, MUSE Program Manager. “Responding toemergencies is our business.”

At NCBC Gulfport, the MUSE team took care of all priorities forthe Emergency Operations Center using smaller tactical generatorsranging from 30 to 200 kilowatts. Techs restored power to the NCBCmain galley, which served more than 1,700 plates per meal. In addi-tion, MUSE powered seven buildings including a converted ware-house used to house more than 2,000 personnel from the FederalEmergency Management Agency (FEMA) and U.S. Public HealthService (USPHS) doctors and nurses. MUSE technicians installedand repaired generators, moving sewage to the local wastewater treat-ment plant and averting a potential disease outbreak within the com-munities of Gulfport.

At Naval Station Pascagoula, three MUSE generators and two substations brought base power backon line. The New Orleans MUSE Det set up a 1.5-megawatt power plant at Naval Air Station Joint ReserveBase in Belle Chasse, La., supporting the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Joint Task Force OperationsCenter. The New Orleans Det went on to Naval Support Activity West Bank to supply power to naval facilities and more than 2,500 incoming troops from the Army’s 82nd Airborne and 1st Cavalry, and Navypersonnel. Naval Support Activity East Bank also received power restoration via MUSE techs, escorted byNaval Mobile Construction Battalion 40’s (NMCB 40’s) SERT (Seabee Engineer Reconnaissance Team).

Soldiers from the 41st Brigade out of Portland, Ore., welcomed having lights on again. As one com-mented, “It’s the small things you take for granted.”

Builder Constructionman Joseph Godfrey,NMCB 40, clears debris at Saint RosalieSchool in New Orleans, La.

Photo by Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class John P. Curtis

H u r r i c a n eRe lief

Mobile Utilities Team Brings Power, ComfortAfter Hurricane Hits LandBy Navy Facilities Expeditionary Logistics Center Public Affairs

Thousands of Hurricane Katrina relief workers fromall branches of the U.S. military received some much-needed rest and relaxation when the United Serv i c eOrganizations (USO) put on a special show at NavalConstruction Battalion Center (NCBC) Gulfport,Miss. Since August, more than 3,000 Seabees haveworked at disaster sites along the battered coastline.

The USO show featured comedian Jeffrey Ross,c o u n t ry music star Neil McCoy and perf o r m e rWayne Newton.

“ We had an amazing turnout,” said NCBCExecutive Officer Cmdr. John Rice, “especially sincethese folks get up early in the morning to continuedisaster relief work all along the coast every d a y. Theywork very hard and have truly made a difference inthe community. ”

“The show was awesome,” said BuilderConstructionman Colleen Evans with Naval Mobile

Construction Battalion 133 (NMCB 133). “This isdefinitely a great opportunity for all of us to get a lit-tle break and have some fun.”

“I thought the comedians were absolutely hilar-ious,” said Marine Staff Sgt. Victor Benson, anAmphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV) mechanic with2n d Amphibious Assault Battalion, 2n d M a r i n eDivision. “None of us has had much of a chance forentertainment lately, so this is a great opportunityfor everyone.”

The USO mission is to provide morale, welfareand recreational services to military men andwomen, entertaining servicemembers across theglobe since before World War II.

“It’s really just a huge ego boost for me,” saidcomedian Ross, who has performed for many military men and women over the years. “They’rereally the best crowds!”

USO Performs for Katrina Relief Workers By Journalist 3rd Class Chris Gethings, U.S. Fleet Forces Command Public Affairs Detachment, Gulfport

W I N T E R2 0 0 6 13

Purple H e a r t s

Iraq

The oldest military decoration inthe world today, the Purple Heartwas the first American award madeavailable to the common soldier.

Originally created and designed byGeneral George Washington,today’s award is made in the shapeof a rich purple heart bordered ingold, with a bust of our nation’sfirst president in the center and theWashington coat-of-arms at the top.The latter is believed to have beenthe source of the stars and stripeson the American Flag.

The Purple Heart is awarded to members of the U.S. armed forces who are wounded by aninstrument of war in thehands of the enemy andposthumously to the next of kin in the name of thosewho are killed in action ordie of wounds received inaction. It is specifically acombat decoration.

Freedom and liberty are not innate rights. They are precious, they are priceless, and they are great gifts that have to be earned, protected and defended at all costs.”

– Rear Adm. Michael K. LooseCommander, Chief of Civil Engineers

“

SEABEE MAGAZINE14

The following Seabees were killed in action

while mobilized to Iraq in support of

Operation Iraqi Freedom…

BU2 Michael Anderson..............................02 May 04

BUC Joel Baldwin ......................................21 Dec 04

CS1 Regina Clark ......................................23 Jun 05

EO3 Christopher Dickerson........................30 Apr 04

EO2 Trace Dossett ....................................02 May 04

SW2 Jason Dwelley ....................................30 Apr 04

SW3 Ronald Ginther ..................................02 May 04

BU2 Robert Jenkins ..................................02 May 04

SW3 Eric Knott ..........................................04 Sept 04

CM3 Scott McHugh ..................................02 May 04

The following Seabees were wounded in

action while mobilized to Iraq in support of

Operation Iraqi Freedom…

EO1 Douglas Alvarez

HM2 Hernal Beaumont

EO2 Todd BrannonCNCR William Briscoe

EA1 David Cliff

EO1 Frank Coffey Jr.CE1 Marvin Craig III

LT Kyle Croce

EO2 Henry DelvalleGM1 Michael Douberly

CM2 George Edwards

EO1 Aaron FelthousenEO2 Frederick Frank

CM1 Lewis Haynes

CM2 Brian HuntCM2 Albert Johnson

GM2 Thomas Johnson

CE2 Barry KloseEO2 Matthew Kreamalmyer

CMC Jerry Lawrence

PO2 Thomas LyonsEO3 Steven Mangrum

UTC Randall McGhee

HMC Anthony MullerEO2 James Nappier

BU3 George Parsons

EO1 Ronald PhilpotSW3 Michael Rambo

CM3 Odis Reyes

EO3 Kenneth ReynoldsBU2 William Rightsell Jr.

SW2 Gregory Risner

CE3 Christopher RitchieEO2 William Snodgrass

UT3 Clifton Springer

CM1 Mark SteffenerCM2 Robert Strickland

EO3 Matthew Terrick

CM2 David VernazaEO2 Michael Vorburger

BUC Robert Westover

EO1 Bryan WilliamsEOC Philip Winslett

CM1 Randolph Woodward

Purple H e a r t s

P U R P L E H E A R T R E C I P I E N T S *

* At t ime o f publication

W I N T E R2 0 0 6 1515

I n M e m o r i a m

Builder 3r d Class Fa b r i c i oMoreno’s rifle, Ke v l a r, bootsand dog tags are assembled in accordance to military tradi-tion during a memorial ceremony held in his honor inDjibouti. Petty Officer Morenowas assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3(NMCB 3), Combined JointTask Force-Horn of Africa, Hedied on October 14, 2005, in asingle-vehicle accident inManda Bay, Africa. Morenowas a member of a Seabeecrew working to restore andmaintain facilities on the forward operating base in thatlocation.

Air Force photo by Stacy L. Pearsall

SEABEE MAGAZINE16

Seabee Father, Son Reunite

Navy Master Chief Petty Officer Dean O. JoyceSr. and Army Sgt. Dean O. Joyce Jr., both HighPoint, N.C. natives, are reunited in Taqaddum inSeptember.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Wayne Edmiston

Former Navy Quarterback Serves in Iraq

By Journalist 1s t Class Chad V. Pritt

Each year, thousands of high school stu-dents across America apply to attend theU.S. Naval Academy. Some attend thisprestigious military institution for deeplyfelt patriotic reasons; some for the top-notch education; and some for the covetedstepping stone to military service. For oth-ers, it’s all of the above — plus football.

Lt.j.g. Brian Madden, 2002 graduate ofthe Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.,attended the institution as the startingquarterback for the Midshipmen. Maddenled his team as quarterback from his soph-omore year through the 2001 season. He is

currently deployed to Iraq with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 1 (NMCB 1).

Playing for the Academy was an expe-rience of both individual and team accom-plishment.

“My sophomore year, I led the nationin rushing among QBs,” said Madden, aLawton, Okla., native. “I rushed for 987yards my sophomore year, and 1,100 mysenior year. Unfortunately, I missed myjunior year due to an ACL (anterior cruci-ate ligament) tear.”

Solid teamwork was behind theM i d s h i p m e n ’s near victory during a match-

up with Notre Dame his first year on thesquad.

“That was my first start, against a teamthat has beaten the Academy close to 40consecutive years,” said Madden, NMCB1 ’s assistant supply officer. “But we wentthere, in that highly competitive environ-ment, and pulled together as one teamagainst the powerhouse Notre Dame.

“ We were up 24–21 with 30 seconds top l a y, and somehow the magic of NotreDame beat us,” he said. “However, it wasone of our better experiences. We wereable to walk in there and almost pull off abig upset.

W I N T E R2 0 0 6 17

A father and son share many things — looks,habits, talents or simply a last name. But fora father and son who were reunited in Iraq,

their bond was a commitment to their nation and toeach other.

Master Chief Petty Officer Dean O. Joyce Sr. ,assistant officer in charge of Naval MobileConstruction Battalion 3 (NMCB 3) aboard CampTaqaddum, and Army Sgt. Dean O. Joyce Jr., a multi-ple rocket launch system crewman with 5t h B a t t a l i o n ,113th Field Artillery Regiment, both High Point,N.C. natives, reunited as Sgt. Joyce’s convoy rolledinto Ta q a d d u m .

Their reunion was something both say they willnever forget.

“It is a great experience to share being awayfrom home and serving our countries together,” Sgt.Joyce said.

Master Chief Joyce experienced firsthand howhis military life influenced his son’s career whenmeeting him in Iraq. And, seeing his father every d a yin uniform serving in the military influenced Sgt.Joyce in his decision to serv e .

“Ever since he was old enough to understandwhat I did for a living, he always wanted to be in them i l i t a ry,” Master Chief Joyce said.

M o r e o v e r, the two believe that it was fate that

brought them to this reunion. On the way to Taqaddum, Sgt. Joyce’s convoy encounteredtwo improvised explosivedevices. All members of the con-voy escaped unharmed.

“I am a firm believer thate v e rything happens for a reason,”said Master Chief Joyce. “God understands the lovebetween a father and son, and brought us together. ”

Being able to trade stories and share experi-ences when they get home is something they bothlook forward to, Sgt. Joyce added.

“ I t ’s great to know we are in country togetherchewing the same dirt and having the same experi-ences,” Master Chief Joyce said.

Even though fate brought them together, theseasoned Navy Master Chief still cannot hide hisfatherly instincts when they are separated.

“These few moments together are times when Iam not worrying about him,” Master Chief Joyce said.

One thing they both share more than anythingelse is their pride in what each other does.

“ You’re already proud to be a father, but serv-ing your country with your son is something thatmakes you very proud,” Master Chief Joyce said.“Life doesn’t get any better than that.”

“I think that it will go down as one ofthe Academy’s best football moments,because no one expected anything from usand we almost won,” Madden said. “Plus, itwas a great way to begin my collegiate foot-ball career.”

Madden, who has played football sincehe was 10 years old, graduated from theAcademy with a bachelor of science degreein economics.

“I had no idea that I’d go to the NavalA c a d e m y,” said Madden, who wasapproached by an Academy scout his sen-ior year in high school. “I grew up inOklahoma and Sooners football has alwaysbeen big.

“As a senior, the Naval Academylooked like the best option,” he said. “TheMidshipmen were coming off a great sea-son and graduating their quarterback. So,I thought there might be a good chance Icould start.

“Not only did I have the opportunity tostart, I received a great education and agreat job as a Naval officer,” Maddenadded. “And, I’ve certainly met a lot ofgreat people through the military. ”

The game of football, with the largestfan base among college teams, featuressome of the most intense rivalries, Navy vs.Army being one of the oldest and mostintense over the course of 115 years.

“Obviously Army–Navy is a huge rival-ry,” Madden said. “Each year, there aremillions of people rooting for it one wayor the other.

“Even with the rivalry, we’re one teamin our war effort in Iraq,” he said. “It pres-ents such an invaluable opportunity foryoung leaders to step up and learn to man-age in a very challenging environment.”

Madden and NMCB 1 are currentlydeployed to Iraq in support of OperationIraqi Freedom, providing engineering sup-port throughout Al Anbar Province.

E d i t o r ’s note: This season’s football match-up saw theMids lay claim to the Commander-In-Chief’s Tro p h yfor the third straight year… Navy 42, Army 23.

on Sands of Ta q a d d u mBy Lance Cpl. Wayne Edmiston

SEABEE MAGAZINE18

INLS

INLSNavy’s New Lighterage System Revolutionizes

W I N T E R2 0 0 6 1919

The Navy is currently testing a new andimproved lighterage system that can be

assembled into causeways, docks or ferries,providing the Navy and Marine Corps with as a f e r, more versatile way to deliver vehiclesand critical supplies from ship to shore dur-ing war or peacetime operations.

“The new system will enhance theN a v y ’s Logistics Over the Shore capabilitiesand replace the Navy’s existing lighteragesystem,” said Charlie Blum, an engineerwith Naval Facilities EngineeringC o m m a n d ’s (NAV FA C ’s) Sealift SupportProgram Office, which manages the newlighterage program.

E x p e d i t i o n a ry Wa rfare Training GroupPacific and Amphibious ConstructionBattalion 1 (ACB 1) are currently testing thenew system at Naval Amphibious BaseCoronado, Calif. The testing, through spring2006, will demonstrate whether the systemcan operate in higher sea states, at fasterspeeds and with better maneuverability.

“Military equipment has become big-ger and heavier,” said Blum. “The amountof time it takes to unload utilizing the cur-rent system has become longer, too. TheNavy and Marine Corps want to get ashorein the minimum amount of time and that’swhat this new [system] provides.”

The Improved Navy Lighterage System(INLS) is a redesign of the existing NavyLighter (NL) system that has been aroundfor almost 50 years, developed for use inWorld War II and used consistently through-out the years. Now, nearing the end of itsuseful life, the NL system with less cargocapacity and power is not as efficient andreliable especially in turbulent seas. INLS’sflexibility and stability make it moreresilient under such conditions.

“The old system was limited to operat-ing in a sea state two,” said Blum. “Thecurrent system is capable of operating in asea state of three and is expected to be s u rvivable at a sea state of five. It is alsodesigned and built with enhanced technol-ogy and is truly a quantum leap over theprevious system.”

The new lighterage system comes insections that lock together like buildingblocks to create a variety of floating struc-tures. These structures allow Navy ships totransport heavy equipment, such as tanksand trucks, to shore, and cargo, such asfood, water and equipment parts, betweenships and from ship to shore when moor-ings have been damaged or are unavailable.

“ We’re very confident in these craftbecause we pretested them for five monthsbefore bringing them here,” said Blum.“The Navy and Marinette Marine haveworked closely to get this done. We feel it’sa superb product and will exceed every o n e ’s

e x p e c t a t i o n s . ”M a r i n e t t e

Marine Corporation,Marinette, Wis., wasawarded a multi-yearcontract in 2003 to manufacture 29INLS modules. Thetotal contract is val-ued at more than

$404 million. Full-rate production modulesare slated for delivery to the Navy’sAmphibious Construction Battalions and toall three Maritime Prepositioning Forcesquadrons through 2010.

(Opposite Top and Bottom) The Improved NavyLighterage System (INLS) is tested byExpeditionary Warfare Training Group Pa c i f i cand ACB 1. The new system enhances the abil-ity for the Navy and Marine Corps to delivervehicles and supplies during wartime or peacetime operations.

U.S. Navy Photos

SHIP-TO-SHORE

TRANSPORT

S By Raina T. Williams, Editor-in-Chief, Seabee Magazine

Capt. Buzz Little, command-er of Destroyer Squadron 1 andthe CARAT task group, andmembers of his staff and officersfrom three CARAT task groupships went ashore in late summerto close out the exercise at thePhilippine Navy’s HeadquartersNaval Forces West.

“The CARAT Philippinephase was successful becauseboth of our military forces coop-erated on many levels at sea andashore,” Little said during hisclosing ceremony remarks.

Rear Adm. Kevin M. Quinnis responsible for overall CARATcoordination for U.S. partici-pants in his executive agent roleas commander, Task Force 712.

Communication and

Teamwork: Key to

CARAT Success

A hallmark of the CARATPhilippine phase is how the U.S.and Philippine armed forceswork together on behalf of thehost communities. As a matterof fact, the United States andthe Philippines are the only twonavies in the world that haveSeabees.

The Philippines phase of the11th annual exercise series wasmarked by many milestones,including the first-time opera-tional employment of the U.S.N a v y ’s Combined EnterpriseRegional Information Exchange

SEABEE MAGAZINE20

The Annual Coopera t i o n

A float Readiness and

Training (CA R AT) exe rc i s e

s e ries ended in Au g u st

w i th the closing of th e

Philippines phase in

P u e rta Princesa City.

CA R AT is an annual

s e ries of bilate ral milita ry

t raining exe rcises designed

to enhance coopera t i ve

wo rking part n e rships

w i th seve ral South e a st

Asian nations. Ensuri n g

f reedom of the seas by

i n c reasing maritime

s e c u rity effo rts in th e

region is a pri m a ry fo c u s

of the CA R AT series.

(Top Left) Damage Controlman 1st Class Dean Marzano, left, assigned to USS Safeguard (ARS 50), shares a toolwith a member of the Philippine Navy during a gazebo-building community service project in Olongapo,Philippines.

(Top Right) Fire Controlman 2nd Class Dean Crawford explains his security team leader role to Philippine NavySailors during training exercises aboard the guided missile frigate USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG 60).

Photos by Chief Journalist Melinda Larson

CARAT Philippines Phase

&

W I N T E R2 0 0 6 21

Succeeds at

By Chief Journalist Melinda Larson, Commander

Destroyer Squadron 1 Public Affairs

System (CENTRIXS), a real-timecommunications capability pro-viding commanders with a com-prehensive tactical picture.

“It takes a little adjusting fora Filipino to understand thewords spoken by an Americanand vice versa,” said PhilippineVice Adm. Ruben Domingo,c o m m a n d e r, Western Com-mand. “The exercise gave every-one the opportunity to get accus-tomed to each other’s way ofcommunicating verbally orthrough the use of codes and sig-nals using modern communica-tion equipment.”

CENTRIXS was installed atthe Philippine Navy’s (PN)CARAT headquarters ashore inManila, providing exercise‘Orange’ and ‘Blue’ force com-manders with a new communica-tions capability.

“This ability to communicatewith each other, combined withour ability to plan and executecomplex maritime security andwarfare scenarios at sea, high-light our CARAT achievements

and, most importantly, burnishour mutual respect and ability todepend upon our navies in theyears to come,” Little said.

Strong Alliances MeanGreater SecurityBuilding strong alliances is keywhen combating transnationalcriminals who increasingly use vitalsea lanes in the area to commit actsof piracy or to transport illegalcaches of weapons and drugs.

“ Terrorists do not recognizenational boundaries, nor do theydiscriminate on their targets,”Domingo said. “We have come torealize that collective effort is need-ed to effectively fight terrorism.This brings us back to one goodreason why the conduct of theC A R AT exercise should be per-formed seriously, so that we canenhance our interoperability tofight terrorists wherever they are.”

Strengthening skill setstogether is vital to combinedforces, especially in the maritimeinterdiction arena. By learningeach other’s visit, board, search

and seizure (VBSS) tactics, theteams build confidence.

U.S. Navy P-3 Orion and PNIslander aircraft patrolled theskies in a first-ever search and res-cue (SAR) event. The goal of thepatrol aircraft was to locate per-sonnel from a simulated mid-aircollision scenario occurringbetween two military F/A-18 air-craft. Three kapok lifejackets anda barrel were used to representthe survivors and the aircraft, allof which were safely recovered inthe exercise.

Philippine Navy BO-105 helicopters completed deck land-ing qualifications aboard U S SRodney M. Davis (FFG 60). Morethan 150 Philippine marinesembarked USS Harpers Ferry ( L S D49) for a beach landing exercise.Five waves of two landing craft aircushion (LCAC) took the marinesashore at San Miguel Beach. Whileothers in the task group were at seafor the underway phase, U S SS a f e g u a rd (ARS 50) conductednumerous interactive diving andsalvage events at Subic Bay.

Sea A s h o re

(Right) Constructionman Aaron M. McNett, NMCB 5,removes scaffolding from a two-room schoolhouse builtby his unit and construction personnel from thePhilippine Navy for Doce Martires Elementary School inSan Narciso.

Photo by Journalist 2nd Class Brian P. Biller

(Continued)

SEABEE MAGAZINE22

CARAT Covers All BasesThe CARAT 2005 task groupincluded the dock landing shipHarpers Ferry, the guided-missiledestroyer Paul Hamilton, thefrigate Rodney M. Davis, and the rescue and salvage shipSafeguard. Other elements in-c l u d e d P-3C Orion and SH-60Seahawk aircraft, the Seabees, aCoast Guard training team, Armyveterinarians and a variety ofsupport commands.

Philippine CARAT assetsincluded the patrol ships Rizaland Emelio Jacinto. Fixed-wingaircraft and helicopters, twoNaval Special Operations Groups,and the 1s t Marine Battalion werealso involved with the exercise.

C A R AT began in 1995, combining a number of existingexercises to be conductedsequentially by a single U.S. Navytask group. CARAT Singaporewas conducted in May and June,while CARAT Thailand tookplace in June. CARAT Malaysiaand CARAT Indonesia phaseswere both completed in July. InAugust, CARAT Brunei tookplace followed by the CARATTask Group ships’ arrival in thePhilippines for the final phase ofthe series.

Seabees assigned to NMCB 5, along with construc-tion personnel from the Philippine Navy, put the fin-ishing touches on a new addition to Doce MartiresElementary School

Photo by Journalist 2nd Class Brian P. Biller

CARAT Enhances Community Relations:

U.S., Philippine Seabees Build

Schoolhouse AdditionBy Journalist 2nd Class (SW) Brian P. Biller

USS Harpers Ferry Public Affairs

Construction experts from the U.S. Seabees Naval MobileConstruction Battalion 5 (NMCB 5) and Republic ofPhilippines Marine Engineers — better known as the ‘Blue-Green Team’ — put together their collective experience andbrick and mortar in San Narciso to construct an addition toDoce Martires Elementary School in late summer.

The project’s speedy completion in just 26 days was due toa solid team effort between U.S. and Philippine Seabees. Capt. Buzz Little, commander of Destroyer Squadron 1 andthe CARAT task group, had much praise for the Seabees. “ ‘Well done’ to both crews for what will provide a better learn-ing environment for one of our greatest resources, our youngpeople,” Little said.

NMCB 5 members also had tons of praise for theirPhilippine counterparts. “They’re extremely hard workers.It’s been a good experience for our navies,” said NMCB 5’sCARAT detachment Assistant Officer in Charge, Senior ChiefBuilder (SCW) Dave Regenereau.

U.S. Seabees said they were also able to take away severalconstruction lessons from their Philippine counterparts. “It’s a great experience; they showed us several different strategies of how to set up a building,” said SteelworkerConstructionman Shanta Crayton.

He said the Philippine Seabees showed them how to relyless on equipment, gadgets and other high-tech gear. “Welearned a lot from them, just like they learned a lot from us,”Crayton added.

NMCB 5’s CARAT detachment Officer in Charge Lt. Wernher Heyres pointed out that the U.S. and thePhilippines are the only two navies in the world that haveSeabees. Consequently, the teamwork and training gainedfrom the project was vital to future productivity.

“It’s a valuable training evolution,” said Heyres. Another community relations project took 12 U.S. and

six PN sailors to a home for deaf and blind children where riceand mattresses had been donated. The kids and sailors alsoentertained each other.

“It was inspiring to see a blind child playing the piano anda sailor dancing and singing to the music,” said Middleton.“The kids also taught us how to write our names in Braille.”

In addition to the schoolhouse, which will serve the community for years to come, the community relations projectgenerated approximately $25,000 for the local economythrough materials purchase and equipment rental.

FCPOA LENDS A HAND AT O K I N AWA SCHOOLBy Journalist 1st Class (SW)

Rob Wesselman,

NMCB 74 Public Affairs

Naval Mobile Construc-

tion Battalion 74 (NMCB

74) First Class Petty

Officers Association

(FCPOA)

volunteers finished a

sidewalk project in late

summer at Okinawa

Christian School

International (OSCI).

The community rela-

tions project, completed

over the course of two

o f f-duty Saturdays, pro-

vided much-needed

improvements to the

school, according to

Superintendent Randall

H a d l e y.

“This project alone

will save us more than

$6,000 since we only had

to pay for materials,”

Hadley said. “That helps

us keep the cost of run-

ning the school down so

more students can

a t t e n d . ”

During their time at

the school, FCPOA

volunteers finished laying

and securing the wooden

frame for the concrete,

leveled and compacted

the fill gravel, and rein-

forced the foundation for

the steps and exterior

concrete slab.

“ We were also on

hand to assist in the con-

crete pour and complete

the finishing work associ-

ated with the job,” said

Builder 1s t Class Diane

Paddock, FCPOA

President and project

v o l u n t e e r.

While most OCS I

community relations proj-

ects have been limited to

painting, cleaning and

minor landscaping, the

military is also able to

handle larger projects.

“Back in 1996, mili-

tary personnel helped

us move from our old

buildings to the current

location,” Hadley said.

“That project took two

days and required more

than 65 truckloads of

material and equipment

to be transferred to this

c o m p l e x . ”

O CSI is a multination-

al school with 400 stu-

dents from 15 countries,

including the Philippines,

Thailand, Taiwan, Ko r e a

and Japan.

“ We also have sever-

al students who are chil-

dren of military families,”

Hadley said. “If the

DoDDS (Department of

Defense Dependent

Schools) cannot meet a

military family’s needs,

we are definitely an alter-

native source for their

children’s education.

“ We have had a long-

standing relationship with

the American military

here in Okinawa and are

grateful for everything

they’ve done for us,”

Hadley added. “Every

time we’ve needed help,

they’ve come through.”

W I N T E R2 0 0 6 23

N E W S B R E A K

Construction Equipmentman1s t Class Michael Copponidrives in a support stake forthe sidewalk frame during acommunity relations projectsponsored by NMCB 74First Class Petty OfficerAssociation (FCPOA).

U.S. Navy Photo

NASCAR GREATVISITS SEABEESBy Daryl Smith, First Naval

Construction Division

Public Affairs Officer

NASCAR driver Geoff

Bodine visited Seabees at

Naval Amphibious Base

Little Creek in late July to

thank them for their serv-

ice to our country.

Members of

Underwater Construction

Team 1 (UCT 1) and

Construction Battalion

Maintenance Unit 202

(CBMU 202) welcomed

Bodine, who was in the

area for a race at Langley

S p e e d w a y. He is also

part owner of a company

in Virginia Beach that

manufactures his own

brand of car wax.

“On behalf of everyone

at NASCAR, thanks for

what you do in support of

our country. If we didn’t

have our military out there

defending us, we at

NASCAR wouldn’t be able

to do what we do best,” he

said.

Bodine brought along

a bobsled he designed for

the 2006 Winter Olympics.

In 2002, the U.S. women’s

team won gold medals

and the men’s team won

bronze in Bodine-built

bobsleds. The Seabees,

in turn, showed him some

of their specialized diving

and construction equip-

ment. Bodine even

swapped his racing hel-

met for a diving helmet.

The visit was filmed

for NASCAR Nation on

the Speed Channel.

NASCAR driver Geoff Bodine shares design pointersfor his self-made Olympic racing sled to Seabees ofUCT 1 and CBMU 202 at Naval Amphibious Base LittleCreek. Photo by Daryl Smith

First Naval Construction Division Public Affairs Officer

SEABEE MAGAZINE24

N E W S B R E A K

(Top) Thuri Park Tent Village in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan,housed families displaced following the region’s earth-quake. Seabees built and installed latrines for theaffected people in the tent village.

Photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Eric S. Powell

(Above) Seabees unload plywood from a truck inMuzaffarabad, Pakistan, to be used in the rebuildingprocess.

Photo by Airman 1st Class Barry Loo

(Left) Seabees even out the bottom of a trench for facility installation at Thuri Park Tent Village.

Photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Eric S. Powell

SEABEES AID PAKISTANI EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

Naval Mobile Construction

Battalion 74 (NMCB 74)

participated in a multi-

national assistance and

support effort led by the

Pakistani government to

bring aid to victims of a

devastating earthquake

that shook the region in

October 2005.

OPERATION BEARINGDUEL TESTS SEABEE SKILLS

Bearing Duel, an operational

exercise to evaluate Seabee

skills for potential future

deployments, was recently

conducted for Naval Mobile

Construction Battalion 3

(NMCB 3) based at Po r t

Hueneme, California. This

ongoing exercise includes

testing related to force pro-

tection, rapid runway repair,

bridge building and water

purification. Equipment Operator 2nd Class Rod Workman, NMCB, stands guard at the mainentrance of the Logistics Support Area (LSA) during the Bearing Duel exercise at FortHunter Liggett, California.

Photo by Photographer’s Mate 1st Class (AW/NAC) Michael Moriatis

F I N A L W O R DBy Harrell T. Richardson

Force Master Chief Petty Officer (SCW), Seabees (Ret.)

U.S. Navy Photo

S EABEES MAKE ME PROUD. I’m proud to see your work in Operation Iraqi Freedom — rebuilding roads and schools, and escorting armedconvoys of vital materials for our troops. I’m proud of your blood relationship

with our Marines Corps brothers and sisters. Proud to see you jump into humanitarianrelief in other nations, as well as our own.

I’m proud to have seen Seabees join the multi-national force that swarmed intoPakistan to help push back the devastation of the earthquake there. I’m proud of themany Seabees — students and instructors alike — who ripped lumber, hammered nails,dug trenches, ran plumbing and attacked debris to help their shipmates and local citizenswhose homes were destroyed by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

I’m proud of the unflagging energy and commitment displayed by our SeabeeR e s e rve component. Seabee Reserve battalions are rotating through Operation IraqiFreedom to help relieve the burden on Active component ’Bees, as well as Iraqis. These

Seabees, ably led by Navy Civil Engineer Corps officers, never hesitate to puttheir shoulders to the wheel when the need exists. A significant portion ofSeabee capability resides in the Reserve, and we deploy them with the sameconfidence in their skills and dedication that we have in our active duty ’B e e s .

I’m proud of the way Seabees have undertaken every possible task they’vebeen given — sometimes with nearly no time at all to prepare.

I’m proud of the enlisted Seabee leadership that has nurtured troops, builtupon and enhanced our famous esprit de corps, and embraced family members.Know that you have been among the very best aspects of this job, and that youare instrumental in making the Seabees the remarkable force we are today.

And I’m as proud as I am sad at the news of our lost and wounded Seabeeshipmates, who continue their sacrifice in Iraq, Africa and countries all over thew o r l d .

I will have retired by the time you read this and passed the office along toyour new Force Master Chief (SCW) James D. Fairbanks, USN. When I enlisted in 1976and became a Steelworker, like every new Seabee before me and after who has done thesame thing, who knew where my Navy career would take me? But take me it did. FromSteelworker “A” School in Port Hueneme to the island of Palau, to Moscow and manyother fascinating places in between. I had no idea my career would go as it has, and I’mextremely grateful for the men and women who helped and taught me along the way.

The men and women of the Seabees are and will always remain close to my heart. Yo uhave exemplified the letter and spirit of our famous slogan, “We Build, We Fight!” Yo uhave eased pain, rebuilt lives and provided much hope to so many people that you cannever be adequately rewarded or even thanked. But if you think like me, and I believe youdo, you know the work itself and the relief on a smiling child’s face is all the reward we evern e e d .

Around the block, around the clock and around the world, enlisted and officer, Activeand Reserve, you continue to demonstrate the dedication, zeal and professionalism thatmake United States Navy Seabees among the most essential, most respected and most welcome units in the U.S. military.

After a career spanning almost 30 years, I’m proud to have served with you, proud tohave led you and proud to have known you.

C o n s t ruimus Batuimus.

NAVAL FACILITIES ENGINEERING COMMAND

SEABEE MAGAZINE (Code PA)

1322 Patterson Avenue, SE

Suite 1000

Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374-5065

Seabees assigned to NMCB 1, based out of Gulfport, Miss., organize bottled water to distribute to displaced families at First BaptistChurch Biloxi following Hurricane Katrina in August. Working closely with the Seabees, the American Red Cross used the church asa distribution point for food, water and supplies.

Photo by Journalist Seaman Joanne De Vera