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NMCB 4 Displays Tactical Readiness on FEX

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS070829-07
Release Date: 8/29/2007 1:30:00 PM

By Chief Mass Communication Specialist (SCW/SW/AW) Steve Bansbach, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4 Public Affairs

CAMP COVINGTON, Guam (NNS) -- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 4 vacated Camp Covington to participate in its deployment field exercise (FEX) on Aug. 20 to refresh and train personnel in battalion tactics while improving small unit leadership.

Since arriving in April, NMCB 4 has gained and lost a lot of experience including young Seabees who have never been to a battalion and had no idea what to expect. With the large turnover, NMCB 4 needed to conduct the exercise to share experiences and get valuable training.

The planning for the field exercise started before NMCB 4 left Port Hueneme, Calif. Subject matter experts (SME) were identified to create tactical scenarios and prepare personnel for the field. Seabees from each company would participate in three different “training lanes” consisting of patrols, defensive security and entry control point/camp security.

Once NMCB 4 arrived at the training site, personnel hit the ground running, setting up camp, establishing defensive positions and preparing the training lanes for kick off. A command Operations Center was established, as well as a Command Post and Battalion Aid Station.

At the start of each day, companies would gather with the SMEs and get a brief on the day’s events and what was required of them to have a successful training lane.

“The first thing that the SMEs pointed out was safety,” Senior Chief Steelworker Jose Plascensia, Det. Guam operations chief, said. “Secondly, they told the companies to keep their minds on the tasking at hand so they could get the most out of the subject.”

With the help of Sailors from Mobile Security Squadron 7, and Naval Special Warfare Group 1, who portrayed rebels, terrorists, protesters and innocent victims, personnel from NMCB 4 were faced with many scenarios asking them to act quickly and under pressure - situations they may find in a real contingency.

“This was a huge learning experience for me,” said Constructionman Jason Derosier. “There is still a lot to learn but being able to learn about strategies and finding out about range cards and ADDRAC (Alert, Direction, Distance, Range Assign, Command/Control)…you learn a lot more by seeing and doing that you wouldn’t learn until you actually do it.”

After three days of simulating defending a perimeter and liberating a country, NMCB 4 declared the exercise a success. Sailors were confident in their abilities to deploy the techniques, tactics, and procedures provided by each training lane.

“This was my first FEX,” Constructionman John Dibiasi said. “It was good to get this experience to find out what we do on the battlefield. I liked the patrols the most; being able to flank the enemy and go after them was fun. There was a lot I didn’t know and people count on us when we are out there."

NMCB 4 is finishing up their six-month deployment and will returning to Port Hueneme in October.