FLORIDA ENGINEER SOLDIERS WORK HOT AND HEAVY SUPPORTING CORPS AT IRAQ LOGISTICS BASE
V Corps Release
Release Date: 10/22/2003
By Sgt. Grant Calease 3rd Corps Support Command Public Affairs Office
LOGISTICAL SUPPORT AREA ANACONDA, Iraq -- An engineer company from the Florida Army National Guard under V Corps command is working hot and heavy here, making a major contribution to corps efforts in Operation Iraqi Freedom by rebuilding a former Iraqi aviation academy into this logistics hub near Balad that is operated by the corps's 3rd Corps Support Command.
The 269th Engineer Company from Live Oak, Fla., runs an asphalt facility on the base and does all the paving needed to improve the LSA's day-to-day operations.
"Asphalt is a flexible pavement that is more cost effective than concrete, requires less manpower and holds up better without cracking," said Sgt. 1st Class Michael Cameron, the 269th's NCO in charge of the facility.
Originally the Army, in its quest to put as many operations as possible into Iraqi hands, wanted locals to fulfill the base's asphalt needs, but when they were unable to meet the demand, Cameron said, his soldiers took over.
The soldiers of the 269th arrived here in May, and brought its asphalt facility here from Kuwait in July. In the interim they kept busy with a variety of odd jobs.
"We pulled force protection, hauled things and helped get rid of the berm surrounding the base," said Cameron.
The plant is in nine pieces, said Sgt. Henry Hingson, the plant supervisor. Cameron added that it took eight days to set up, and its use here marked the first time the plant has been put into operation since it was first established in Florida 10 years ago. The facility can make up to 150 tons of asphalt an hour, but rarely works at that high of output.
The process begins with crushed rock. The crushed rock is then taken on a conveyer belt to a heater where it is injected with hot liquid asphalt. Currently the unit is using asphalt from Saudi Arabia, Cameron said, but added that the unit will soon begin using Iraqi material.
As if Iraq isn't hot enough already, the asphalt is kept at blistering temperatures, so it won't harden before it has been paved.
"The asphalt is anywhere from 300-400 degrees. That, on top of the heat outside -- it gets pretty hellacious," said Spc. Brian Davis, who works at both the plant and as part of the paving crew.
After the asphalt comes out of the mixer it is loaded into dump trucks to be transported to the paving project site. The mix can sit for several hours before it cools too much to be paved, said Hingson.
"Heavy engineer battalions do the base work, then we come in and lay down the asphalt," said Cameron.
It takes 2,000-3,000 tons of asphalt to build an average parking lot, said Cameron. Two hundred eighty tons per day are purchased from the Iraqis, and the same amount is produced at the plant, so it takes several days to complete a project.
"The 269th is the only paving element on this base," he said. "We do all the paving projects on Anaconda."
That means they stay busy six days a week. The unit is currently working on entrance roads at the base's north gate and will soon be adding new helicopter pads near its airfield.
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