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Seabees Master Chief Visits Camp Patriot

Navy NewStand

Story Number: NNS030417-01
Release Date: 4/17/2003 2:33:00 PM

By Journalist 1st Class Joseph Krypel, Commander, Camp Patriot Public Affairs

CAMP PATRIOT, Kuwait (NNS) -- The Chief of Naval Operations Master Chief representing the Seabee community, CNOCM Harrell L. Richardson, brought his "Can Do" spirit to Camp Patriot yesterday (April 16).

Richardson, accompanied by Command Master Chief (CMDCM) Kevin Simmons of Naval Construction Division 1, and hosted by CMDCM Kevin Eichmann of Amphibious Construction Battalion (ACB) 1, homeported in Coronado, Calif., and CMDCM Mike Holderkraft of ACB-2 homeported in Little Creek, Va., spent nearly four hours visiting, talking with, and answering questions from the Camp Patriot Seabees.

"The Seabees here have done an awesome job," praised Richardson. "... and I don't think I can say enough about just how much it all is appreciated."

Camp Patriot is home to nearly 650 amphibious specialty Seabees from ACB-1, ACB-2, Naval Cargo Handling Group and Underwater Construction Team 1.

During his visit, Richardson visited local sites of interest to include the camp grounds, Beach Support Watch Office (BSWO) and the Elevated Causeway System-Modular (ELCAS\M).

ELCAS\M, currently in the final stages of construction by the Seabees from both U.S. coasts, reaches 1,200 feet in length from ramp to pier-head, and stands high above water that is 20-feet in depth. The ELCAS\M will serve as an additional tool in the ongoing Combined Joint Logistics Over the Shore (CJLOTS) activities, as well as a key tool for the projected redeployment of troops and ammunition once Operation Iraqi Freedom's main fighting phase is declared victorious.

The combined efforts of ACB-1 and ACB-2 have proved that the U.S. Navy Seabees and their "Can Do" mindset continue to be the premier engineers of the U.S. military.

"The ELCAS looks great," said Richardson, "and it is due to the great cooperation between these two great coast forces of Seabees!"

Richardson brought a media message to the troops, as well. "It's important to know, that in this day and age of real-time viewing, some pick out the 1 percent of negativity towards our presence out here - 99 percent of the people at home fully support everything you are doing. Make no mistake, whether you're pulling the trigger or providing the support for those that are - you are all heroes!"

Camp Patriot was just one stop on Richardson's visit to the nearly 4,500 Seabees - half of the Seabee population - deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Other Seabees visited include Naval Mobile Construction Battalions 133, 74, 7, 4, 15, 25 and 21; Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 303, and Construction Battalion Unit 402, 415 and 412.

Camp Patriot is currently home to the only amphibious Seabees in the U.S. Navy - specializing in coastal construction and offload practices.