Military

Seabees in Korea Celebrate 64 Years of 'Can Do' Attitude

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS060315-05
Release Date: 3/15/2006 12:01:00 PM

By Journalist 1st Class David McKee, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea Public Affairs

YONGSAN GARRISON, Seoul (NNS) -- Seabees from around the Korean peninsula gathered to celebrate the Seabees' 64th Birthday March 4 at Commander, Fleet Activities Chinhae (CFAC), Republic of Korea.

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 4, Detachment Chinhae, along with support from the Public Works Office, the galley and the Morale, Welfare and Recreation Office, hosted the free event.

“CFAC regularly hosts an annual party for the Seabees' Birthday for half a dozen permanent party Seabees and the rotating Seabee Detachments,” said Detachment Officer in Charge, Lt. j.g. Virginia A. Blocher, but this year it was also a reunion.

The Seabees also organized sports in the gym, and provided their own disc jockey to play the music.

“The barbeque was a big hit,” said Equipment Operator 2nd Class Lawrence Ziegler, who began by cooking hamburgers and hot dogs for lunch and then prepared rib eye steaks, shrimp and rotisserie chicken for dinner.

The Seabees have been separated since the beginning of their deployment in 2005, working on different projects around the peninsula, as well as taking part in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

The celebration was appropriate for the contributions that the detachments have made in Pohang, Chinhae and throughout the world.

“The Seabees built many of the buildings on Fleet Activities Chinhae, including all of the buildings in the command cluster,” said CFAC Commanding Officer Cmdr. Randy Martin.

“A deployment to Chinhae provides an outstanding opportunity for skill development within the Naval Construction Force. We receive tremendous cooperation from Naval Facilities Engineering Command and the deploying Seabee detachments to improve the expeditionary and contingency capability of U.S. Naval Forces Korea,” he added.

Capt. Tom Cunningham, the senior Navy civil engineer corps officer on the peninsula, agreed with Martin and also thanked them for their service.

“The Seabees do great work around the world. Here in Korea, the Seabees in Chinhae and Mujok are critical for Korean contingency,” said Cunningham. “I really appreciate everything you do for our country.”

As part of the traditional cake-cutting ceremony, the oldest and the youngest enlisted Seabee cut the cake. This year, Chief Builder (SCW) John Johnston, visiting from Combat Service Support Detachment 1, stood beside the youngest Sailor, 18-year-old Seabee Utilitiesman Constructionman Apprentice Josh Poirer, who helped cut the cake.

“All in all, we had another great Seabee Birthday, bringing all Seabees on the penninsula together to celebrate and remember all that Seabees have done before us,” Blocher said.