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Task Force Seabees Commended for Improving Weapons Range in Iraq

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080313-14
Release Date: 3/13/2008 3:54:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Demetrius Kennon, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 1 Public Affairs

IRAQ (NNS) -- Seabees with U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 1 and NMCB 15, Task Force Sierra Detachment 1 (TFS Det. 1), were recognized for completing construction improvements of a weapons range on board Logistics Support Area (LSA) Anaconda in Iraq, March 10.

U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Burt Fields, commander of LSA Anaconda, presented a certificate of appreciation to both the Seabees and Soldiers who worked on the project.

"It's always good to help the guys who are out there getting the bad guys," said Builder 2nd Class Matthew Richardson, the project crew leader assigned to NMCB 1. "We're here to support them in any way we can."

The range is used to train and qualify service members on sniper and steel handgun shooting. Because of the work the Seabees performed, service members are able to train on enemy engagement techniques in a newly restored shoot house.

"The shoot house hasn't been used in a year," said Frank Bills, the range master. "On any given day, there was an average of three Seabees working on the range, and they completely overhauled it in three weeks."

The Seabees graded the whole range, laid gravel, rolled it flat and repositioned gear to get the maximum use of the range's space. They built an overhang over an existing concrete pad and filled and place sandbags for each shooter slot.

"They redid the floors of the shoot house so that each sheet of plywood could withstand the weight of 500 pounds," said Bills. "The Seabee electricians replaced the fluorescent lighting with a more durable lighting system, because the flash grenades the trainees used would cause the fluorescent ones to explode."

Construction electricians also set up exterior lighting for nighttime shooting, and steelworkers repaired the steel targets, he added.

The quality of work of TFS Det. 1 stood out most to the range master.

"The Seabees showed impeccable attention to detail," Bills said. "I'd gladly have these guys work on my house back home."

"We enjoyed working for him [Bills]," said Richardson. "He was great at keeping the morale up for the crew."

The construction support of task force Seabees continues to prove necessary in aiding the missions of service members deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

For more news from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 1, visit www.navy.mil/local/nmcb1/.