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Continuing Promise Seabees Camp On-Site to Get the Job Done

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080616-13
Release Date: 6/16/2008 3:50:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joshua Jarvis, USS Boxer Public Affairs

BARRANCA, Peru (NNS) -- Seabees from Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CBMU) 303 and Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5, both embarked aboard USS Boxer (LHD 4), camped out overnight at Guillermo Enrique Billinghurst school in Barranca, during renovations June 10-13 as part of Continuing Promise (CP) 2008.

CP is an equal-partnership mission enabling American and partner-nation civil engineers to share ideas to provide effective infrastructure solutions to an array of challenges in order to demonstrate the lasting bonds and shared interests among neighbors.

The Seabees stayed at the site in order to maximize the amount of work they could accomplish on the project and thereby eliminating the need for a nearly 90-minute total transit between Boxer and the site.

"We are staying here overnight because it is too far for us to be flown out every day and fly back every night," said project leader, Utilitiesman 1st Class (SCW) James Kocsis. "With daily travel, we would have only had time for four hours of work each day."

The Seabees set up tents on the basketball court outside of the school. Despite the conditions, the Seabees famous "Can Do" attitude kept their focus on the mission at hand -- improving the quality of life for the students of the Barranca school.

"I have really enjoyed having the opportunity to repair something that affects so many," said Builder 3rd Class Jeffrey Agee. "I think the students are going to be really excited when they come back to school."

The Seabees' work included replacing the roofs of 20 classrooms, installing new lighting, repairing electrical outlets, replacing broken windows and repairing plumbing. With the foresight and initiative the Seabees employed by camping on-site, they were able to maximize production time and keep the project ahead of schedule.

"It's very nice not having to worry about how you are getting to the job site," added Agee. "You just wake up and go to work."

Boxer's mission exemplifies the U.S. maritime strategy which emphasizes deploying forces to build confidence and trust among nations through collective maritime security efforts that focus on common threats and mutual interests.

For more news from USS Boxer, visit www.navy.mil/local/lhd4/.