Military

NMCB 1 Returns to Camp Mitchell

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS050216-07
Release Date: 2/16/2005 9:01:00 PM

By Journalist 1st Class (SW) Dennis J. Herring, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 1 Public Affairs

ROTA, Spain (NNS) -- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 1 from Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport, Miss. returned to Rota, Spain, Feb. 6, kicking off a deployment with units spread from Andros Island and Haiti in the Caribbean Sea to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

NMCB 1 is one of eight active Seabee battalions tasked with providing advance base construction and battle damage repair, contingency engineering, humanitarian assistance, and disaster recovery support to fleet and unified commanders.

"The First and The Finest" Seabees' main body returned to Rota after completing a homeport training period that began April 2004. Battalion officials held a camp turnover ceremony Feb. 12 with NMCB 4 of Port Hueneme, Calif. As tradition holds, NMCB 4 officials completed the turnover by lowering their battalion flag and allowing NMCB 1 to raise its own over the camp.

"I would like to thank NMCB 4 for providing our battalion with a very professional turnover of equipment and supplies," said NMCB 1 Executive Officer, Lt. Cmdr. Cheryl M. Hansen during the ceremony. "Their hard work made it possible for NMCB 1 to hit the ground running at Camp Mitchell, leading the way."

Besides Rota, the battalion deployed units to Haiti, Morocco and Djibouti in support of humanitarian assistance missions. Another unit is deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

NMCB 1 personnel also deployed at Naval Air Stations (NAS) Rota, Spain; Sigonella, Sicily; and Naval Support Activity, Souda Bay, Greece, will be assisting with base construction and repair projects.

The Seabees in Rota have been tasked with various Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR), as well as training projects. Along with assisting the station's public works department, the Seabees will construct a running track and soccer facility, and complete work on a close-order combat training facility named "Hogan's Alley."

The training facility will consist of three facades and two block buildings, and will allow Marines attached to the NAS Base Security and Marine Corps Security Force Company Europe to conduct close-order building clearing training.