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Seabees Rebuild School, Make Friends in Sao Tome

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS060425-06
Release Date: 4/25/2006 2:47:00 PM

By Journalist 2nd Class (SW) Rebekah Blowers, USS Emory S. Land Public Affairs

SAO TOME (NNS) -- Seabees embarked on USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) during its 2006 Gulf of Guinea deployment completed a 30-day repair mission on a high school in Sao Tome April 12.

Their mission directly supports the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe strategic priority of strengthening emerging partnerships in the region.

The Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 7 homeported in Biloxi, Miss., and currently deployed to Rota, Spain, arrived in Sao Tome in the beginning of March during Land's first port call. They stayed on shore to refurbish a Sao Tomese high school gymnasium while Land continued south in the Gulf of Guinea.

Officer-in-Charge of the deployed unit, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Bruce Coskie, said the Seabees worked with the Sao Tomese army and local contractors to complete the project.

"When we arrived here, you couldn't even tell that this school had a gymnasium. It was basically just an old storage room, and now we've redone it all. There is a basketball court, a handball court and a volleyball court all inside. I think we've done a world of good out here," Coskie said.

The job also included installing 216 window panes, refurbishing the floor, repainting walls, building a stage, installing seven bathrooms and six showers, along with a boys and girls locker room.

Working together was a learning experience for the Seabees, as well.

"They showed us their skills and we showed them our skills," said Coskie. "We mixed and matched tools and taught each other their uses. They showed us some different tricks with using stucco that we don't normally use in the United States, and we showed them different aspects of how we do construction. It was a good learning experience for both countries."

The Sailors also had a little fun with the host nationals during their 30-day project.

"We brought over a football and showed them how to throw, and we would have football games out in the yard," Coskie said. "And they invited us to a basketball game and they played against us. I'll tell you right now, they've got some good basketball players in Sao Tome!"

Overall, Coskie said he was very happy with the way the project turned out and of his Sailors that are now on their way back to Rota, Spain, to finish their regularly scheduled six-month deployment.

"I think we've turned it [the high school] around 180 percent. They'll be able to do performances, plus have a gymnasium for the kids," he said.

Emory S. Land deployed to the Gulf of Guinea in late February to initiate a series of security cooperation activities that will promote regional stability, counter terrorism, and advance U.S. interests in the Gulf of Guinea region, while maintaining positive relations with regional partners.

This deployment included a number of bilateral maritime safety and security training opportunities. The efforts will focus on maritime domain awareness, leadership development, natural disaster response, and medical awareness and disease prevention.

This is the second year Emory S. Land has deployed to the region with embarked mobile training teams designed to bolster existing capabilities within each of the partner nations. Gulf of Guinea nations participating in and observing this year's deployment include Sao Tome and Principe, Gabon, Congo, and Angola.