Seabees Assist Iraqi Civil Defense Corps

The Source for Navy News


	040602-N-1462S-004 Iraq (June 2, 2004) - Builder 3rd class David Trout assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion One Four (NMCB-14) works with two Iraqi students from the Iraqi Civil Defense Corp to put up a tent to be used while waiting for permanent structures to be built. NMCB-14 is a Naval Reserve Seabee Battalion headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., and is comprised of nine detachments from Florida, Georgia and Puerto Rico. The battalion was mobilized in March, to support Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). U.S. Navy photo by Storekeeper 2nd Class Greg Spiegler (RELEASED)

	View Larger	Download HiRes

Seabees Assist Iraqi Civil Defense Corps
Story Number: NNS040701-04
Release Date: 7/1/2004 10:36:00 AM

By Builder 2nd Class Jerome Kirkland, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 14 Public Affairs

AL ANBAR PROVINCE, Iraq (NNS) -- Seabees of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 14 are helping local people of the Al Anbar province rebuild their community.

The Iraqi Civil Defense Corps (ICDC) has been the focus of effort for the Seabees of NMCB 14. The Seabees have been helping set up an ICDC training camp so ICDC recruits can complete their training and assume their role in the protection of their community.

The Seabees have improved camp roads, improved the camp entry control point, built a sentry watch facility, and set up tents to be used as temporary facilities until construction can be completed on permanent structures. This work is often done with the help of the trainees.

“It’s worthwhile; I’ve enjoyed it and learned something from it,” said Storekeeper 2nd Class Greg Spiegler, from Deltona, Fla.

“I felt excited about being there, because I was doing something for the Iraqi students,” added Engineering Assistant 2nd Class David Ramos of Brooklyn, N.Y.

Future plans for the camp include construction of a health clinic and refurbishment of several buildings affected by the war and the looting that followed. All work is to be done by the members of the Iraqi Construction Apprentice Program, under the tutelage of Seabee instructors.

A short distance away from the main camp, Seabee equipment operators have been working on a massive project using large earth-moving machines. The Seabees moved tons of dirt, cut into a hillside of tough rock, and built up an earthen berm in order to build the construction of a firing range for the ICDC.

NMCB 14 is a Reserve Seabee Battalion headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., and is composed of nine Seabee detachments from Florida, Georgia and Puerto Rico. NMCB 14 was mobilized in March to support Operation Iraqi Freedom.

For related news, visit the Commander, 1st Naval Construction Division Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/1ncd.

E-mail this story to a friend | Send a comment about this story

Related Stories:
Mobilized Seabee Reserves Improve Living Conditions For U.S. Forces - 5/21/2004
Seabees Build Force Protection in Iraq - 6/15/2004

Search:


All Any Exact