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30th Naval Construction Regiment Deploys in Support of OEF

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090831-11
Release Date: 8/31/2009 11:11:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ernesto Hernandez Fonte, 30th Naval Construction Regiment Public Affairs

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (NNS) -- Seabees from the 30th Naval Construction Regiment (30NCR) departed Naval Air Station Point Mugu, Calif. Aug. 12 beginning an Afghanistan deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).

The regiment, commanded by Capt. Kelly Schmader, will provide critical construction support for U.S. Forces Afghanistan and NATO forces.

"My responsibility is to coordinate engineering efforts in support RC of South [Southern Afghanistan]," said Schmader. "As coalition forces continue to push out further from established FOBs [Forward Operating Bases], it's the engineers who facilitate that [movement] through construction of life support and operational requirements."

30NCR will command and oversee the work of more than 3,000 Navy, Army and Air Force military engineers from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 74 homeported in Gulfport, Miss., 19th Engineering Battalion based in Fort Knox, Ky., 4th Engineering Battalion based in Fort Carson, Colo., and 809th Expeditionary Rapid Engineering Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron based in Billings, Mont. The units are expected to complete projects including road repair, route clearance to include mine clearing, forward operations base construction, water well construction and various provincial reconstruction projects.

"The regiment will support the missions of these units by planning construction projects, determining priority of effort in coordination with higher headquarters, assessing and reporting unit capabilities and best utilizing the capability and capacity of units," said Cmdr. LaTanya Simms, 30 NCR chief staff officer.

For the regiment, which is made up of both active and Reserve component Sailors, this will be the units' first deployment to Afghanistan after two deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004 and 2007.

"I'm just anxious to go and get the work done," said Engineering Aide Constructionman Wesley Hetrick who is out of the Shermansdale, Penn. Navy Operational Support Center. "I feel like I have to do my duty as a young American citizen."