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NMCB 5 I The Professionals 1

CO’s Note

CDR Scot T. SandersCommanding Officer, NMCB 5 Strength and Honor

NAVAL MOBILE CONSTRUCTION BATTALION FIVENaval Base Ventura County

June is upon us, and we have already seen loads of great work being accomplished. Its nothing short of remarkable to see the amount of progress we have made in terms of impact to our greater mission. Across the entire battalion, there is a sense of accomplishment. Each and every seabee can see the impact of his or her labor; there is a tangible product at the end of the day that inspires pride in one-self for a hard day’s work. Everyone is proud of their crew and teams are really starting to develop on the jobsites. It is this teamwork and camaraderie that make a great company; great companies make an outstanding battalion, and it is for this reason that NMCB FIVE is con-tinually recognized for excellence. A sincere congratulations to everyone. For the second year in a row you have earned the FY09 Peltier Award for most Outstanding NMCB in the NCF! Once again NMCB FIVE has demonstrated the highest standards and level of performance, that’s quite an accom-plishment. You have risen to each and every challenge and far exceeded the NCF’s expec-tations. NMCB FIVE continues to set the bar for other battalions. No NMCB has had more asked of them over the last 16 months. Yet your perpetually positive attitude, contagious fierce pride, unselfish teamwork, leadership and bias for action have established new stand-ards of excellence for others to emulate. I ap-preciate the determination, will and character you provide to the battalion on a daily basis.I’m blown away by your efforts and sacrifices and I am truly honored to serve with you. You are all doing a great job and continue to knock the ball out of the park. Keep swinging!

To the Professionals of Five!

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Fire at Leatherneck

Crews from both Camp Leatherneck and Camp Bastion fight a fire that quickly spread over a supply area at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan May 17, 2010. All worked overnight to suppress the blaze and contain the fire from further affecting other areas of the base. Marines and Sailors are currently in the Helmand Province in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Smoke started to fill the air and flames erupted one block away from the Naval Mo-bile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5 Camp Krutke compound May 17, 2010. A supply yard at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan unexpectedly burst into flames and burned every-thing in its path. As the wind intensified, the fire grew larger with every minute. Crews from both Leatherneck and Camp Bastion worked together to suppress the flames that lasted into the next morning. The fire came as a surprise. NMCB 5 was enjoying a scheduled day off from their six-day work week before the chaos ensued. All NMCB 5 Seabees understood the urgency of the situation and were eager to do their part to help. “It was an intense fire,” said Utilities-man 1st Class (SCW) Nicholas Morgan, a Seabee attached to NMCB 5. To fight a fire with limited resources is a challenge by itself, but the situation became a greater challenge when a wall of sand descended upon Camp Leatherneck. It was the ultimate of challenges—how can a unit move critical equipment to help fight a fire, when it is visibility is at its worst? With the sandstorm came stronger winds. Everyone worried that it would be impossible to prevent the fire from reaching the fuel farm, located just across the street from the supply yard already engulfed in flames.

Seabees Fight Fire in Afghanistan


To the Professionals of Five!

By MC2 Ace Rheaume and ENS Adrienne Rolle


Fire at Leatherneck

The scene of the fire could be described as bright and extremely busy to say the least. UT1 Morgan recalls, “It was definitely hot. When the wind would change, you could feel the heat. It felt like gas being thrown directly into the fire.” Mor-gan and his crew worked together to coordinate the movement of water trucks moving in and out of the area to assist other commands to battle the fire. The fire was large; it seemed as if the flames on equip-ment and portable storage containers (Conex boxes) would never die down. Proper protective equipment had to be worn to ensure personnel did not inhale smoke. The fire needed to be controlled as quickly as possible limit the amount of damage. NMCB 5’s Alfa Company played an extreme-ly important role to help keep the fire contained. Comprised of mainly equipment operators and con-struction mechanics, they staged equipment, sup-plied water trucks, operated bulldozers and made sure proper resources were used effectively to fight the flames. Lt. j.g. Darren Jacques, the NMCB 5

A fire quickly spreads over a supply area at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan May 17, 2010. Crews from both Camp Leath-erneck and Camp Bastion worked overnight to suppress the blaze and contain the fire from further affecting other areas of the base. Marines and Sailors are currently in the Helmand Province in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Alfa Company Commander recalls, “It was hectic at first, as emergency situations always tend to be….However, it was really amazing to see how quickly we fell into a battle rhythm. We became very effec-tive once our roles were clearly laid out and every-one knew exactly what their job was.” Alfa Company Seabees were recalled imme-diately after the fire started. They operated heavy equipment like bulldozers for over nine hours and rapidly coordinated operations to prevent the spread of the flames. From the perspective of Equipment Operator 2nd Class (SCW) Steven Peeler, “it was awesome.” He continues, “I was totally ecstatic just to be out there as a helping hand doing what I could to help.” The Seabees were an essential component of the fire control effort; they possess the necessary skills needed to combat the situation. “I couldn’t have asked our Alfa personnel to do a better job,” said Jacques. “They stuck to the task at hand and we got the job done.” No one can deny the enormous contribu-


A sandstorm slowly approaches Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan May 17, 2010..

tion of the Seabees. Lt. Cdr. Marcus Williamson, the NMCB 5 Operations Officer, commented “I’m proud of the great job all the Seabees did. It was definitely a team effort, [NMCB 5 got] all the re-sources together and got them pushed out. [We] saw the Seabees really jump in and majorly contribut-ing.” It is no wonder why the Seabees are a critical component to contingency operations. Though the fire raged through the night and into the early morning hours, operations slowly drew to a close. The Marines, Seabees, British mili-tary and contractors all worked together to contain the fire, but eventually, everyone returned to their respective camps. Such a frenzied chain of events was the root cause of exhaustion across the board. The shock and devastation of such a fire will leave a lasting impression on everyone involved. “Living in California we always see fires,” said the Alfa Com-pany Commander. “But never quite like this.” But it is the attitude of the outstanding troops that leaves a greater impression; “you wouldn’t expect people to be willing to hop into a bulldozer with a smile on their face and plow into a fire. But our guys did it and that was truly amazing,” he continued. Wel-come to the Seabees, Lt. j.g. Jacques. When dawn broke, rain started to fall. The scene at the supply yard took on a post-apocalyptic

level of devastation. Tires were on still on fire, storage containers were charred through, and there was twisted metal and rubbish strewn throughout the lot. A berm had been pushed around the lot, and construction equipment was still in place, as if the drivers had suddenly stopped work from pure exhaustion. A few marines sat in silence; posted as guards on the site, they ensured no one came near the smoldering pile of ash that remained of the sup-ply yard. While the extent of damage is uncertain at this point, this undoubtedly served as an eye-opening experience to all commands. The dry environment, limited water supply, and proximity of lots create a nightmarish threat of fire damage. While fire plans exist on camp, the extent of this destruction could not have been readily avoided. As an organization, we must prepare our equipment and personnel to manage and respond to inevitable chaos. Fortunate-ly, it is what the military does best. Sailors in the U.S. Navy are taught damage control skills training in boot camp. They learn the basics types of fires and how to extinguish them; NMCB 5 Seabees used these skills the night of the fire. NMCB 5, in conjunction with other commands, was able to contain of the fire. With the combination of effective communication and resources, further damage was prevented and the fire did not spread.


We build, We fight. That is the Seabees motto. It all sounds so simple, but not even the best Seabee can do either of these jobs without the necessary supplies and equipment. Head-quarters Company is made up of the many outlets that provide necessary support to keep the battalion running smoothly. The departments range from the Armory to Supply to Admin to Medical; they all have their own specialized services to support our Seabees. The most important items a Seabee needs are tools and construction materials. That is where the Central Tool Room (CTR) and Material Liason Office (MLO) come into play. We are essentially the Home Depot of the battalion. Like Home Depot, the MLO yard is full of lumber, electrical parts, hardware, steel, ready mix concrete and enough rolls of insulation to go from Leatherneck to Kandahar and back. This is also were the project’s Hazmat is stored, inventoried and issued out. The MLO team is always busy rearranging the yard, inventory-ing project materials, unloading trucks, loading trucks, picking up more insulation or staging materials for the detachment sites or local projects. The team at MLO is set up so that each individual has their part of the pie for which they are responsible. For example, Charlie Company will submit a Bill of Material for a 32’x120’ SWA Hut. CE3 Sanders and CE3 Sweet will assemble all the necessary electri-cal parts, SW3 Rush will compile the hardware and BU3 Mills mark and count the lumber needed. Once all the items are checked off and inventoried, they are put in a specific lot and labeled for pick up. Once the materials are picked up or convoyed out we update the MLO

HQ

Builder 3rd Class David Mills from Walnet Creek, Calif., a Headquarters Company Seabee attached to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5, ties down sheet metal in the NMCB 5 Material Liaison Office (MLO) to be trans-ferred to Defense Reutilization & Marketing Office (DRMO) at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan April 20, 2010.

Supply and DemandBy BU1(SCW) RICKY JONES


database to keep an accurate inventory of what is on hand in order to assure a steady flow of materials to the projects. No supply outlet would be complete without a Logistics Specialist and that is where LSSN Goulet comes in. He is assigned to the CTR/MLO team to assist in the ordering of project mate-rials and tools to keep the projects rolling along. He just needs to stop ordering insulation. Due to the nature of our job and location, we have to do a lot of pre-planning to ensure the right material is readily available. This is not an easy task in Afghanistan because of all the supply issues we encounter. We all know how it is when you walk into the Home Depot and it seems crowded and everyone is running around and back and forth. It gets like that here some days; we have trucks coming from Kandahar, Bastion, SSA yard, Class IV yard, Crisp yard…. We seldom know what is in the trucks (but it is usually insulation). Another part of support for the projects is the CTR. It is the place where the projects come to get

Logistics Specialist Seaman Nathaniel Goulet, a Seabee attached to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5 smiles before the start of a softball game at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan May 22, 2010.

issued all of their tool kits, gloves, and especially pneumatic nail guns. It is overseen by BU2(SCW) “Bob Villa” Eckles. You can usually see BUCN Rose doing his very own impression of Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor. Carpenters pouch around his waist and carpenters pencil in his ear. Just like his nickname he is always trying to build something and the results are usually hilarious. MLO and CTR work hand and hand with Embark to convoy materials and tools out to NMCB Five’s detachment sites as well as NMCB 133. We have been able to support our brothers and sisters on the detail sites with a steady flow of project materi-als to keep them busy. We try to hook them up with Class I goods also. They don’t know it yet, but they will get plenty of insulation very soon. So there you have it: a quick down and dirty introduction of how the MLO and CTR outlets function and keep the Professionals busy doing what we do best. Leading the way and building and fighting. Hoorah.


Alfa

The time is 0745, Monday morning and Alfa Company’s, Light shop (AL43), has 147 preventative maintenance system (PMS) checks to complete. A PMS check is scheduled mainte-nance, i.e. oil change, done on a piece of Civil Engineering Support Equipment (CESE) in order to ensure readiness. Prepared to hit the ground hard and knock out as many checks as possible before the end of Quarter 11, work center super-visor Construction Mechanic First Class (CM1) James Gongas assigns the PMS to his crew lead-ers. To CM1 Gongas’ surprise, AL43 was chosen to conduct a spot check by the Commanding Officer (CO), Commander Scot T. Sanders. What is a spot check? A spot check is an assessment given to determine the effectiveness of maintenance done on a piece of equipment. Who would the lucky mechanic be to perform this real time spot check for the CO? Construc-tion mechanic constructionman (CMCN) Isiah Sanders (no relation). After his brief, CMCN Sanders knew what he had to do to prepare and

Construction Mechanic Constructionman Isiah Sanders (Left) shows Cmdr. Scot. Sanders (Center), Commanding Officer of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5 and Ensign Adrienne Rolle (Right) proper procedures for conducting a maintenance spot check of a 5-Ton Tractor in Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan April 29, 2010.

Checks and Balances

began his spot check. It is 1000 and in walks the CO, A6A, Ensign Adrienne Rolle, A4, Construction Mechanic Senior Chief Renato Hidalgo, 3MC, Boatswain mate Chief Rafael Escoto. All are ready to witness mainte-nance at its best. Ready and waiting, CMCN Sand-ers is ready to get started and eager to finish. With all of his binders and tools spread out for the CO to check, CMCN Sanders begins his explanation of how to validate the book. The book contains the maintenance check he was to perform that day. As CMCN Sanders reads “Don goggles and gloves,” I could not help but chuckle watching the CO put on his personal protective equipment (PPE). He always keeps vigilant with safety first! As the CO and CMCN Sanders place their creepers on the floor they roll up under a 5Ton truck and begin to check the transfer case oil level. Once the CO finishes this part of the check with CMCN Sanders he removes his goggles and hands them over to the A6A. Ensign Rolle proceeds to don the goggles and puts on a new pair of rubber gloves. She proceeds

By CM2 Tracy Harris


Alfa Company Seabees attached to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5, install a blade control valve assembly in a bull dozer at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan May 26, 2010. 0.

to the back of the 5Ton to assist with the differential oil check. Once this is complete the spot check is almost over. After cleaning up his area and dispos-ing of the hazardous waste, he is ready to sign for completion. Happy to see above standards grade he knew he did a good job. Bravo Zulu—the checks have balanced out!

Cmdr. Scot. Sanders (Left), Commanding Officer of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5, thanks Construction Mechanic Constructionman Isiah Sanders (Right) after both conducted proper procedures for a maintenance spot check of a 5-Ton Tractor in Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan April 29, 2010.

Around Alfa Company


It’s a cool, bright, sunny Friday morning. The Camp Maintenance staff calls the crew to gather up for “The Word.” CE1(SCW) Espinal passes down that there are several new work orders that have come in for action. “Time for your Doxy,” CE1(SCW) Hallford adds, with Chief Poblete watching. The Safety brief from BU1(SCW) Neely on Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) ends quar-ters. Everyone meets up with their shop supervisors to get started on their work. This is just another fine day here in Camp Maintenance. Work Orders are the number one job in Camp Maintenance. Since arrival in Afghanistan on the first of April, we have finished 120 work orders, all in a timely manner. Also on the work list are MCDs (special projects within Camp Maintenance) and Standing Job Orders (SJOs). The biggest MCD we’ve completed was work on the 1st Marine Ex-peditionary Force (I MEF) Commanding General’s Office. The MCD called for a half wall to be torn down, a full wall erected, and three doors installed. The project was estimated to last for 100 man days. It was completed in just thirty man days, and eight days ahead of schedule. The Commanding General, Major General R.P. Mills, was very impressed with the speed and professionalism of the Seabees as-signed to the task.

Barlie

Who You Gonna Call? Camp Maintenance!

It’s not all work around the shop, however. In order to keep up morale, the speakers are usu-ally pumping out good tunes and good vibes. In between work orders, SWCA Duckett likes to dance to let off some steam, encouraging others to join in. He says his favorite part of Camp Maintenance is the chance to be a “Jack of All Trades,” as he gets to work on builder, steel worker and even utilities-man and construction electrician work orders. CE3 Wright chimes in, “We have a good group here. They know their rates and are easy to work with.” Starting Monday, May 10, Camp Mainte-nance started Night Operations, leaving a small crew on days to take care of emergencies. When asked about the move to nights CE1(SCW) Espinal said, “It will be difficult at first to adjust to the new schedule, but it will make work easier because it will be much cooler and easier to stay hydrated.” This also marks the end of Barlie Company; the shift to nights includes the return of Bravo and Charlie companies. UTC(SCW) Vazquez returns to his former role as Camp Maintenance Chief, tak-ing over for CEC(SCW) Poblete, and CE1(SCW) Hallford as Camp Maintenance Scheduler. Regard-less of the new changes, Camp Maintenance will continue to work hard and keep this camp up and running.

By CE3 Trevor Kieser

Construction Electrician 3rd Class Andrew Parkin from Newcastle, England (Left), and Construction Electrician 3rd Class Trevor Kieser from Portland OR. (Right), both Barlie Company Seabees attached to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5, provide maintenance on camp generators at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan April 20, 2010.


Chaps Corner

June is just around the corner. Amazing! Mark Twain penned these marvelous words. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Dis-cover.” I had a troop swing by the other day, did one of those fly-bys, “Hey Chaps, just want you to know I want to be a better husband,” and off he went. How cool is that? Here is a Seabee who is creating his own oasis in the desert, to change the metaphor, “he is catch-ing good relational trade winds.” He is determining in his heart to not be dominated by his demanding, dusty, hot, surroundings. As Twain said, he is throwing off the bowlines and leaving the comforts of bad patterns and is catching the trade winds of renewal and growth. I can’t wait to see what it will be like to sit in his pres-ence in November. More importantly, what an adven-ture it will be for the Seabee wife, and children to enjoy

his presence when he returns! So what kinds of dreams are being fulfilled in the chapel program here at Camp Krutke? Shortly after we arrived several troops requested that we have our own chapel here within our own camp. So, after command approval, we now have a training tent that has been converted into a chapel. We have two chapels a week: “Sunday on Thursday” at 1745 and Sunday morning chapel at 0630. The chapels are my favorite part of my week, there is lots of singing, worshiping, and learning from God’s word, prayer, laughter, and a few tears. Its too cool, ‘cuz its real people, real Seabees, worshiping a very real God. Two other dreams are being fulfilled in the chapel program. The gospel of John is being explored in depth, Monday nights at 1745. Also, we are reading through Rick Warren’s book, “The Purpose Driven Life,” on Wednesday nights at the same time. So in closing, remember there is as oasis in every desert, there is much life to be had, explored, and dreamed of even in the desert of Afghanistan. What is holding you back? Throw off the bowlines and take charge of your future! Who knows, when we get back to California you just might turn a few heads and you just might be holding your head a little bit higher.

Living the dream (LTD) Afghanistan style, LT. Greg Uvila, “Chaps”

Desert Dreams


Det Dwyer

Things have been heating up at Det Dwyer, in more ways than just the temperature. All elements have been increasingly busy as more work presents itself. Accustomed to hard, long hours, the mechanics from ALFA company have been charging forward with enthusiasm and dedication to NMCB 5’s CENT-COM mission. CM2 David Varner has been leading his crew of talented shop mechanics in the maintenance and repair of several pieces of mission essential heavy equipment, including a scraper that was in great disrepair prior to The Professional’s arrival. Hav-ing recently finished work on the scraper, Varner and the me-chanics from his shop have shifted their attention to erecting a new Tension Fabric Structure (TFS) tent, which will serve as the new home for all of Det Dwyer’s mechanical needs. The new facility will afford the mechanics more space for their tools and allow them to work on more pieces of equipment at one time than the previous shop. With a month of deploy-ment under their belts, the professionals of NMCB5 continue to press onward toward the successful completion of 2010’s CENTCOM deployment.

Dwyer By EO2 Padraig Martin

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NMCB 5 I The Professionals 11 NMCB 5 I The Professionals 12

CM1 (SCW/PJ) Anthony Moreno is very motivated and dedi-cated to his Seabees and his job. His responsibility as the Equip-ment Maintenance Manager keeps him very busy. CM1’s technical skills, both in and out of the shop, have made work for the mechan-ics both easier and safer. He was the driving force behind installing and updating SKED, a program used for scheduling all Preventive Maintenance (PMS) and tracking equipment utilization. His contri-butions have given his Mechanics and Equipment Operators a bet-ter tool in order to properly manage and maintain their equipment. When Alfa Company was preparing to relocate from their old shop to the new one, CM1 coordinated the layout of the new equipment yard and mechanic shop. He, along with a crew of eight Construction Mechanics and six Equipment Operators, erected a new 2212 sq ft Tension Fabric Structure with ease. In addition, as the MWR representative he has coordinated weekend barbeques and several Saturday night outdoor movie showings for the Det Dwyer Seabees, keeping everyone’s sprits up. CM1 Moreno’s technical skill, expertise and positive demeanor is a must have here at Det Dwyer and NMCB 5.

By CM3 (SW/AW) Aaron Pitts

BU2 (SCW) Peter Belcastro and his crew of builders have been very busy these last two weeks working on the arresting gear system. This system will be used to reduce runway length requirements for Det Dwyer, making it more accessible to faster moving aircraft as well runaway aircraft. It consists of two pads of concrete that are 27’x 14’x 7’and 27’ x 14’ x 5’ which will sup-port the arresting cable mechanism. This project plays a vital role in the mis-sion readiness for the Marines at DET Dwyer, and will greatly increase their air capability. ”This project is very challenging due to the close proximity of the air strip” states Belcastro. Despite the challenge, BU2 and crew are up for it. BU2 Belcastro has recently been transferred to main body to help in a bridge project. Displaying a “CAN DO” sprit and conducting themselves as professionals, NMCB 5 person-nel continue to press forward with enthusiasm.

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Many things in our world today are made up of concrete, roads, buildings, and foundations for houses. Concrete is made up of very simple ingredi-ents such as lime, cement, sand, and gravel. Water is the final ingredient and may be the most important. Concrete has been used for many centuries; analysis of Egyptian pyramids has shown that concrete was employed in their construction. During the Roman Empire a “Roman concrete” was used to create the “Baths of Caracalla”, and many other significant Roman landmarks. All of them show the longevity and usefulness of concrete. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Five, Det 4, was tasked with the construction of a con-crete pad on Camp Vance. The pad is 165x 65 feet that will be the base for a complex communication system that will increase the ability of the Special Operations force to communicate. This is a project that has taken priority over many other projects be-cause of its importance to the war. “This project has

Det 4

The Art of ConcreteBy EO3 Hutchins

given me an opportunity to expand my knowledge in my rate, along with making a huge difference in the war efforts” states BUCN Parzynski when asked about how working on the project makes her feel. Concrete is not as simple as a process as many people would believe. There are many steps that go into the placing of concrete before the actual ma-terial is introduced. It calls for skills from almost every Seabee rate. EA2 Vasquez and the Equipment Operators spent days bringing the pad to elevation, while also tearing out an existing concrete driveway and ramp. After the elevation was set the Builders moved in to start setting up the forms, and laying the rebar that the Steel Workers had spent days preparing. Everyone comes together as each pad is built from the ground up. There isn’t a lot of experi-ence in concrete work between everyone on the Det, but we are all learning and contributing. “It amazes me how quickly people can learn to do something new, and work together as a team,” says crew leader

“Paul the Sheep” supervises Seabees attached to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5 while they pour concrete.


By EO3 Hutchins

BU2 Lindsey. Placing concrete in Af-ghanistan has been no walk in the park, the ground is dry, the air is hot and dry then suddenly we have rain pouring down on freshly laid concrete. “I think the project is coming along very well, even with all the little bumps we have hit along the way, they are to be expected with every project , you just have to work through it” UTCN Daniels says after an unexpected weather change in the middle of a pour. The concrete pours have been a challenge and a learning experience for everyone involved. Officers and Enlisted members of the Army enjoy stopping by and learning a little more about the way the Seabees do business when it comes to laying concrete. Through everything, everyone is keeping a positive attitude and keeping up with the hard work and dedica-tion that is expected from the Seabee’s of NMCB 5.

“Don’t pour concrete while I’m in here,” says Paul, a sheep attached to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5’s Det 4.

Seabees attached to Naval Mobile Con-struction Battalion (NMCB) 5’s Det 4 pour concrete.


Det Payne

Over the past month FOB Payne has under gone many changes. One such change is the recent Relief in Place/Turnover of Authority (RIP/TOA) conducted between the Marines of 4th and 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance (LAR). With this change in command came many new requests for work for the Det Payne Seabees. These requests vary in scope and difficulty, but as always the men of Det Payne are eager to take on new challenges. Among the challenges are the planning, con-struction and establishment of a 15 acre Soak Lot. Currently held up due to severe logistical challeng-es, the Soak Lot project will significantly increase the safety of all personnel aboard FOB Payne by providing a guarded 24 hour holding or “soak” area for the dozens of local national delivery drivers daily. Additionally, with search lanes and barriers in place, the Marine Guard Force will be able to get the much need supplies inspected and to the users safely and much more efficiently. Many other missions have been passed down to the Det Payne Seabees since their arrival to FOB Payne. The missions often place these brave men in unfavorable conditions. Some of these conditions require arduous work hours, sometimes sleeping on the ground, and long periods of time without con-tact to the outside world. A group of 13 Seabees are currently preparing to conduct one such mission. With Marines providing security, these Seabees will

A Road to ChangeBy HM1(FMF) Seth Secrease

cross the river and head south to conduct repairs to a road that connects a small Marine Combat Out-post (COP) with other routes crucial to 1st LAR’s mission success. These road repairs are carefully planned due to the hostility of the region to ensure the safety of every troop involved. Through these often difficult times the Det Payne Seabees are not bitter! Regardless of the living conditions, they are proud they are able to do their part to support the War on Terror.

The Det Payne Seabee Camp main entrance. The “Gate to Valhalla”.


Det Waterwell

On April 28th an advanced party of 7 personnel from the Battalion consisting of CMC(SCW) Tennyson, EO1(SCW) Workman, EO1(SCW) Gutierrez, UT2(SCW) Gonzalez, CE2 Linwood, CM2(SCW) Aldinger, and GySgt Levay deployed from Camp Leatherneck to Combat Out Post (COP) Toor Ghar to perform a turnover of all Water Well equipment and materi-als from NMCB 133. Once on ground at COP Toor Ghar, CM2 Aldinger meticulously inspected the equipment to make sure it was ready for drilling and all repair parts and mechanic tools were accounted for. EO1 Gutierrez led CE2 Linwood and UT2 Gonzalez in inventorying and repackaging all materials and tool kits for transfer to our next location. EO1 Workman shadowed NMCB 133s lead driller to learn as much as possible about different techniques and materials used for Water Well opera-tions in Afghanistan. He was instrumental in assisting them with completing the well. EO1 offered many ideas and solutions to problems that greatly enhanced the process of completing the well and ensuring the success of NMCB 133. GySgt Levay did some coordination with the Marines on ground to learn about the security situation and what the Water Well team’s responsi-bilities are in case of enemy activity. CMC Tennyson worked with the OIC and AOIC of NMCB 133 to ensure all commu-nications assets were accounted for and turnover was going smoothly. Since completing turnover we have been busy repackaging the materials to try and save space due to the size of our next lo-cation. We have supported the Marines by building shelves and walls in side of their buildings, repairing many A/C problems, and assisting in repairing numerous electrical problems. The Water Well advance party is looking forward to moving to the next location and meeting up with the rest of the team to drill and provide much needed water to the Marines in Afghanistan. How is living at COP Toor Ghar? We eat UGRs for break-fast and dinner and MREs for lunch (from time to time we even buy chicken and rice from the locals to BBQ). We now use port-a-potties instead of 4-hole burnouts and tubes in the ground when using the restroom and actually can take real showers. We wash our laundry by hand in buckets. Since the well is complete, we can take showers and wash laundry much easier; before the well was complete water for showers and laundry was poured from small bottles of water. Overall life is not bad and the team’s morale is high.

WaterwellBy CMC(SCW) Douglas Tennyson

Bee Fitness

Here at Camp Krutke, the Seabees bring with them, not only the wood and saws to build, but the hammers and guns of its elite fitness members. The two tent mega gym is home to some of the hard-est training and motivated Seabees that seek a long life of health and fitness. The gym is also a place for them to unwind from a stressful day, and build friendships, while maintaining peak readiness. “I work out to maintain my stress and better my physi-cal capabilities” says LS3 Freeman. Several motivated Seabees have taken it a step further and started leading different training sections. MA1 Clymer has headed this evolution and has been the back-boning structure for the beautification and maintenance of the gyms. MA1 Clymer, CE1 Espinal and I are just a few that have all dedicated their lives to fitness and health, and lead the training sections that are held weekly in the gyms. See your local MWR Representative for the schedules.

Bee FitnessStory and Photos By CS2 (SW) Rice

While many members of the NMCB 5 take fitness serious, some have fallen below the required minimal BCA and therefore are place on what we call FEP (Fitness Enhancement Program.). These individuals need that extra push and guidance to better their lives and stay in the Navy. “Since being on FEP, it has helped me to start valuing health a lit-tle more. I’m focusing on the benefits of improved eating habits and doing different exercises.” said BU1 Jones. Members of the program are grouped with CFLs from their respective departments, and must train daily to achieve somewhat of a fitness beginning. They are weighed in monthly to track their Body Fat Composition and to conduct prelimi-nary PFAs. Fitness is a huge part of being in the US mili-tary. You must have a level of health and strength to accomplish tasks and fight the fight. “The Profes-sionals” say it all. We are professional in everything we do and seek nothing less than perfection. Health has to be part of that, to be able to stick it out when times get hard and lead that legacy for your troops and families.


Construction Mechanic 3rd Class John Burris exercises outside of the Camp Krutke Gym.


Dent’s Farewell MSG

Reverence, admiration, incomparable. Those are just a few words that come to mind when I think of the job NMCB-5 has done during my tenure. I couldn’t have picked a better unit of men and women to have served with. While I may not have been the most popular person to spend an hour with, I’m truly grateful for the trust and respect “The Pro-fessionals” showed to my department. It has been honor to be part of the Seabees. During my time with NMCB 5, the dental de-partment faced many challenges. From the closure of the Hueneme Dental Clinic to being the only den-tal support for almost 10,000 troops at Camp Leath-erneck. Besides trying to handle the patient load, it was a constant battle with the heat, sandstorms, supplies, and flies. But the support I received from the command enabled our unit to sustain the highest Oral Health Index in Naval Construction Force. An achievement we maintained throughout my 2 years. While HM3 Watson and HN Thach had many endless days; they were always motivated with a positive attitude. I’m thankful to have had Corps-men as skillful and talented as them during this endeavor. Though the accomplishments of my depart-ment are not as visible as the monumental tasks completed by our unit, I know we made a difference in the health of the troops at NMCB 5. I leave here a better Officer because of “The Professionals.” Thank you.

Jason Burkes, DDSLT, DC, USNBattalion Dental Officer

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Strength

Honor

Leadership

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may 2010 buzzword

Documents

outstanding nmcb

camp leatherneck

camp bastion

outstanding battalion

entire battalion

camp krutke compound

loads of great work

great company great