• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

NMCB 11 Arrives In Africa, Builds Friendship with Host Nations

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090218-14
Release Date: 2/18/2009 4:16:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Erick S. Holmes

CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti (NNS) -- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11's Detachment Horn of Africa (Det. HOA) is slated to conduct unique missions in conjunction with Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) for the next six months. Projects include repairing and building schools, building bridges and digging wells in Djibouti, Comoros, Ethiopia and Uganda.

"We're building a school for kids because they are less fortunate than us," explained explained Builder 2nd Class (SCW) Craig A. Kresge, a crew leader for the Hamaramba School project in Comoros. "And you should always help people less fortunate than you."

This tasking supports CJTF-HOA's mission of winning hearts and minds in Africa, as well as providing much needed humanitarian assistance.

With 118 Seabees deployed to various locations, planning played a major role for these missions.

"We're spread over colonial, tribal and geographic boundaries," explained Lt. Stephen S. Legg, NMCB 11 Det. HOA officer in charge. "This created logistical challenges due to things like country clearances to the forward operating locations," Legg said.

NMCB 11 began a turnover with outgoing battalion, NMCB 4. The process included an inventory of supply, central tool room and project turnover as well as a battalion equipment evaluation process, inspecting all vehicles and tools.

During the turnover, NMCB 4 and NMCB 11 worked together and demonstrated the Seabee 'can do' spirit, becoming one crew to build a stage and picture frames on short notice for Camp Lemonier's change of command ceremony Feb 5.

"This deployment is important to me because it is my first one as a crew leader and a petty officer second class," explained Kresge, "I'll get to polish my skills as a leader.

NMCB 11 will be in U.S. Africa Command until August 2009.