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Two Services Work Towards One Mission in Afghanistan

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS081126-08
Release Date: 11/26/2008 6:56:00 AM

By Constructionman Brendan Conaty, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4 Public Affairs

LOGAR, Afghanistan (NNS) -- Seabees with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 4 and Soldiers of the 62nd Combat Service Engineering Battalion (CSE) are working together along Afghanistan's eastern border to provide construction for NATO allies at forward operating bases (FOB) throughout the region.

Seabees and Soldiers alike comprise "Task Force Hammer," whose mission is to support Operation Enduring Freedom while working in conjunction with Polish, Czech and French troops.

U.S. service members, stationed at FOB Shank, gave Seabees and Soldiers an opportunity to work toward a common goal.

"A lot of guys were uneasy before we got out here and met the guys from the 62nd CSE," said Constructionman Travis McClain, with NMCB 4. "We're successfully adjusting to the Army's way of doing things and we're putting out a good final product."

With each service member following different service protocol, information processed on the upper echelons of leadership can easily become lost in translation. However, open minds and positive attitudes swiftly transform drawbacks into assets.

"The Navy does things a little bit differently from what we're use to," said U.S. Army Spc. Belcher, with 62nd CSE. "I'm learning a lot about military occupational specialties that the Army could never have taught me. It's nice to do the same job from a different point of view."

Today in the Afghani Logar Province, while U.S. service members may not all do the same things, their collective know-how is furthering the success of Operation Enduring Freedom. Whether Soldiers or Sailors, these troops have earned respect from their counterparts and learned that cross-service rivalries can be overcome with a valuable mission at hand.

For more news from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4, visit www.navy.mil/local/nmcb4/.