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Seabees Bring Comforts of Home to Camp in Iraq

Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS030822-18
Release Date: 8/23/2003 7:06:00 AM

By Journalist 1st Class (FMF) Lisa Keding, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 7 Public Affairs

CAMP HOPE, Iraq (NNS) -- The hot summer days in Iraq actually start with a hint of a cool breeze, and they usually end the same way.

But temperatures hover in the 120-degree range during the heat of the day, and the Seabees of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 7 stay extremely busy. The sounds of hammers pounding, saws slicing and torches flaring can be heard throughout the camp.

Four of the latest projects the steelworkers and builders of Charlie Company are working on have more to do with camp members' comfort and morale than project sites in the area.

With more than 200 Seabees and 300 Marines from 3rd Battalion 5th Marines in camp or nearby, and more arriving daily, a few of the luxuries of home are becoming scarce, or harder to find.

Everyone here seems to agree that they'll have a greater appreciation for many things when they return home. A clean shave in the morning and a place to store their gear rank high on their list of basic necessities. Grilling a thick steak and playing a game of basketball top their recreational lists.

The wish list had been growing steadily since the battalion's arrival, so members of Charlie Company decided to do something about it. Four crews began building shelves, shaving stands, basketball hoops and grills for the Marines and Seabees who live nearby.

"These types of things bring their morale up and ours," said Steelworker 3rd Class Kenneth McCellon, the team leader in charge of welding the new grills. He said the main projects the Bees work on over here are to help the people of Iraq. Sometimes there's a lull between projects, giving Charlie Company a chance to make the lives of the troops over here a little more comfortable. McCellon's team of steelworkers made four grills in all - three for the Marines, and one for their fellow Seabees.

"We cooked some chicken on the grill a few nights ago," said McCellon. "It was awesome. A nice change from eating the standard meals around here of MREs and TRATs," he said. MREs are Meals Ready-to-Eat and TRATs are freeze-dried tray rations.

The grills arrived just in time for 4th of July cookouts. The Seabees at Camp Hope enjoyed burgers and hot dogs, and Marines here and at Camp Edson, a neighboring camp, grilled chicken, hot dogs and burgers.

The building crew made 24 wooden shelves for berthing areas and 10 shaving stands, to meet the growing demands of Camp Hope personnel.

"This is just something to make life a little bit easier, a little bit better. We're missing a lot of comforts that we have at home," said Builder 1st Class (SCW) Edward Ostavitz, Charlie Company's project's supervisor. "We build for ourselves and to support the Marines that we work so closely with."

They may work up a sweat over creature comforts, but the builders and steelworkers of NMCB-7's Charlie Company continue to add necessities and comforts to the lives of the Marines and Seabees deployed to the region.

For related news, visit the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/ Commander, 5th Fleet Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/cusnc.