• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Seabees Celebrate Birthday in Qatar

Navy NewStand

Story Number: NNS030310-08
Release Date: 3/10/2003 6:59:00 PM

By Journalist 2nd Class Leah N. Smith, Central Command (forward) Public Affairs

CAMP AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar (NNS) -- The Seabees of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3 (NMCB-3) celebrated their 61st birthday March 6 with a dinner at the 3rd United States Army dining facility here, a cake cutting ceremony at the camp cantina, 'The Oasis,' and the showing of the movie "The Fighting Seabees."

The evening began with NMCB-3's officer in charge, Ensign Jason Fahy of Wayland, N.Y., welcoming everyone to the event. Guests included Soldiers from Her Majesty's Corps of Royal Engineers, Australian and Canadian engineers and other distinguished guests. Fahy then asked Chaplain (Maj.) Harrison Lippert of Sioux Falls, S.D., to bless the meal.

In his blessing, Lippert called the 'Bees "curious creatures" and compared them to other animals in the animal kingdom.

Following the blessing, the Seabees and their guests feasted on beef porcupine, mashed potatoes and other items.

Following dinner, Cmdr. Joseph Hinson of Knoxville, Tenn., led everyone in a sequence of toasts.

"We will now honor our comrades in arms and our guests, whom we hold in high esteem, with a series of toasts," said Hinson. Guests and Seabees alike toasted to various military services - the culmination toast, "We build! We fight!" was, of course, for the 'Bees.

Following the toasts, Fahy introduced the guest speaker, Col. Neil Fairclough of Her Majesty's Corp of Royal Engineers, who were also celebrating their birthday.

Fairclough gave a brief history of both corps that had most of the room chuckling. He also noted some of the accomplishments of coalition forces in past conflicts.

"At least four times in the past century, forces (Canadian, British, Australian and American) in this room have gone into battle together," he said. "In each conflict, engineers have played their parts - whether it be building or cleaning up a mess."

Upon the completion of Fairclough's speech, guests and Seabees departed for The Oasis for the cake-cutting ceremony.

In keeping with military tradition, the oldest and the youngest 'Bees cut the cake along with Army Maj. Gen. Steve Whitcomb, U.S. Central Command chief of staff.

Before cutting the cake, Whitcomb said, "I have cut many Army cakes and several Navy wedding cakes, but this is the first Navy Seabee cake I have cut. It's an honor."