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NMCB 1 Earns "E" for Effort

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090109-04
Release Date: 1/9/2009 12:15:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SCW) Chad Runge, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 1 Public Affairs

GULFPORT, Miss. (NNS) -- First Naval Construction Division (1 NCD) announced its selection of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 1 as the Fiscal Year 2008 Atlantic Fleet Naval Construction Force Battle "E" Active Battalion, Dec. 22 adding an exclamation point to an already successful year for the command.

"Competition for the Battle 'E' this year was extremely close, highlighting the superb performance of Naval Construction Forces in meeting the elevated demands of today's operational environment," said Rear Adm. Richard E. Cellon, commander of 1 NCD, in his official awards message.

"Both active and reserve component units provided outstanding support of worldwide COCOM (combatant command) requirements, including GWOT (global war on terrorism) Phase Zero operations, theater security cooperation plans, humanitarian and civic action efforts and OIF/OEF (Operation Iraqi/Enduring Freedom) missions in support of Marines, Army and special forces," he added.

NMCB 1 returned to its Gulfport, Miss., homeport in April 2008 after a successful six-month deployment to 16 sites in the Central Command Area of Responsibility (CENTCOM AOR), Guam and San Nicolas Island, Calif.

"People always say that to win the Battle 'E' you have to be in the right place at the right time," said NMCB 1 Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Stan Wiles. "That is partially true; having the opportunity to perform is half of the equation. The other half, and most important, is that you have to perform when given the opportunity."

"NMCB 1 performed. Across the board, NMCB 1 met or exceeded all goals and expectations."

The command's accomplishments were numerous and no less impressive.

"In addition to the demanding and arduous deployment to CENTCOM AOR in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, you successfully redeployed your Guam and San Nicolas Island Detachments to Iraq and Afghanistan," Cellon said, addressing the Seabees of NMCB 1.

"Throughout an arduous deployment spanning from Iraq to the Pacific, you demonstrated your ability to maintain optimal operational capability," he added.

While deployed, NMCB 1 completed 65,000 man-days of labor, 300 successful convoys and maintained a successful deployment safety record.

After returning to homeport, "The First and The Finest" continued its exemplary performance, paving the way for other battalions by being the first to participate in a new fleet response training plan cycle, while maintaining fire team training integrity.

NMCB 1 maintained stellar civil engineer support equipment availability rate (95 percent), as well as table of allowance accountability (97 percent). An astonishing 99.9 percent passed their advancement exams, 71 percent reenlisted, 105 Seabees earned their Seabee Combat Warfare designation and 21 earned their Fleet Marine Force designation.

"The overall performance of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 1 during this year can only be described as outstanding," said Cellon.

Others to earn the Battle "E" distinction were: NMCB 14 (Atlantic Fleet, Reserve Battalion), NMCB 5 (Pacific Fleet, Active Battalion), and NMCB 15 (Pacific Fleet, Reserve Battalion).

This is NMCB 1's 11th Battle "E" award since the Battalion was commissioned in 1942.

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