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Navy Reserve Seabee Battalion Mobilizes Second Detachment

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS060314-16
Release Date: 3/14/2006 11:40:00 PM

By Journalist 3rd Class Ron Kuzlik, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 21 Public Affairs

NAVAL AIR ENGINEERING STATION LAKEHURST, N.J. (NNS) -- Nearly 150 Navy Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 21 reported for active duty March 11 for eventual deployment to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The Seabees of NMCB 21, most of whom reside throughout New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, will relieve a detachment of their fellow Seabees from the battalion that deployed nearly five months ago. The first detachment is currently supporting the Coalition Forces Land Component Command (CFLCC) in Kuwait.

The Seabees, predominantly engineers and construction tradespeople in their civilian careers, will report to Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme, Calif., for training prior to deploying overseas. The training in Port Hueneme will include combat skills, communications, vehicle operation and maintenance, convoy tactics and life-saving skills.

“Our Seabees are doing a fantastic job in the reconstruction efforts," added Capt. John McNamara, deputy commander of Navy Reserve Readiness Command Northeast (REDCOM NE). "Our success as a force comes from the ability of our Seabees to not only meet, but in most cases, exceed the requirements that have been set forth to complete the mission at hand.”

Each Reservist has orders for one year, with the possibility of an extension for up to an additional year. The Navy’s Fleet Response Plan prescribes that the Navy will have as many Seabees as required to support the combatant commander wherever they are needed, for as long as they are needed. However, the Seabees from NMCB 21 anticipate a deployment of six to seven months.

Many of the Seabees awaited the job ahead with a mixture of anticipation and excitement.

“This is it. This is what we train for month after month," said Builder 2nd Class Joseph Connolly of Bronx, N.Y. "Now it’s our turn to go get the job done the best way we know how.”

The battalion and the activated detachment in particular have spent several months preparing for the mobilization. The battalion's first detachment in Kuwait has set high expectations for their relief.

“Currently, our first detachment has been fully integrated, working alongside their fellow active-duty Seabees, contributing and sharing their civilian construction skills in a total force effort to provide quality facilities for the troops on the ground,” explained NMCB 21 Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Alan Flenner. “I have no doubt that the second detachment will perform the same great work and receive the same accolades as has the first detachment.”

The Seabees of the Naval Construction Force have been engaged in support of combat operations and the reconstruction of infrastructure in Iraq. Examples of their work include troop housing and dining facilities, schools, roads, bridges, runways, power distribution systems, pump stations and various other public works.

In addition to its two primary detachments on active duty, NMCB 21 currently has a detachment of officers assigned to the First Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Fallujah in Iraq and a team of engineering aides assigned to the Facilities Engineering Team with the Area Support Group in Kuwait.

NMCB21 is based at Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst, N.J., with detachments at Navy Operational Support Centers in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. The battalion's mission is to train for mobilization readiness and construction operations in support of the 7th Naval Construction Regiment and the First Naval Construction Division.