NMCB 133, 24 & 27 Conduct Super-Field Training
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS080313-01
Release Date: 3/13/2008 11:29:00 AM
By Lt. Steven Voris, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 Public Affairs
GULFPORT, Miss. (NNS) -- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 133, 24 & 27 realized the value of training in bad weather during a super-field exercise near Camp Shelby, Miss. Feb. 22-March 6.
Over 1,200 troops and 150 pieces of heavy equipment were operating simultaneously in a confined space of only 35 acres. A single heavy rain turned the Logistical Support Area into a mud pit. Continued rains kept the mud fresh. And, the mud was everywhere.
With so many recent Seabee deployments to Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan, troops often believe that training in sand would be better preparation for their desert deployments.
However, Chief Steelworker (SCW) Michael Romero of NMCB 133 explained, "Mud isn't limited to places that have trees and grass. There's plenty of mud in Iraq. It was easy to gain five pounds of mud on your boots walking around Ramadi. And there was always plenty of it."
Seabees deploy worldwide to many non-desert areas where dirt and mud are in abundant supply. Working in muddy conditions is a frequently faced contingency construction situation.
Practicing warfighting in inclement weather provides troops with a better feel for actual battle conditions.
As NMCB 133's Senior Chief Builder (SCW) Anthony Williams said when asked about running scenarios in mud, it adds "The value of reality to an already austere environment."
Poor weather conditions help Seabees prepare for the worst case contingency construction conditions in theater.
"In training, we frequently put people in positions where they might fail to see how they'll react and to provide an opportunity to learn. You can't be afraid to get dirty. You can't be afraid to fail," said Lt. Charles Bisgard.
Mud adds an extra challenge for Seabees to overcome. Chief Boatswain's Mate Donald Ates of NMCB 133 laughed at the rain and mud and quoted the famous Navy maxim, "If it ain't raining, we're not training."
Muddy conditions means a lot of extra work keeping equipment and oneself clean in the field. The extra work makes it difficult especially since FEX exercises are already action packed with projects, and troops are sleep-deprived with constant notional artillery barrages and Chemical/Biological/Radiological drills going on at all hours of the day and night.
Equipment needs extra care in a muddy environment. Information Systems Technician 3rd Class Charles Boyce of NMCB 133 noted that protecting radios and electronic equipment from contact with water is extremely important. A Seabee who slips in the mud and plops a radio in a puddle can cost the Navy thousands of dollars.
Mud also slows the movement of heavy equipment and limits routes to prepared roads. A truck that travels off the beaten track and gets stuck can delay missions by hours. After the ground dries out, cleaning the mud off vehicles is labor intensive and time consuming.
Tents also don't do well when tent stakes pull out of the mud and the wind blows the tent over.
While most people would prefer a comfortable and clean environment, training in the mud actually provides a more realistic and challenging learning experience.
For more news from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133, visit www.navy.mil/local/nmcb133/.
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