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NMCB 7 Detachment Romani Completes Fence Construction Project in Romania

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100506-18
5/6/2010

By Lt. j.g. Eric Hower, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 7 Public Affairs

SARICHIOI, Romania (NNS) -- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 7 Detachment Romania Seabees completes the construction of a perimeter fence around Sarichioi Vocational School in Romania April 13.

Led by Steelworker 3rd Class Stephen Ford, the team of five Seabees from the detachment completed the 195 man-day project, originally began by the previous deployed Seabee battalion, NMCB 3, on time and under estimated budget.

The completed project consisted of the demolition of 62 meters of concrete fencing and replacing it with a welded wire-mesh fence and associated concrete bond beam, the replacement of three personnel gates and one vehicle gate, and the placing of 61 meters of sidewalk and driveway.

During the project, Seabees and local residents had an enjoyable time together and were able to get better acquainted, despite existing language barriers.

"The children that were at the school really liked us," said Ford, a project crew leader. "They drew and colored pictures and gave us thank you letters while we were at the school. The teachers were very friendly and would help us communicate with local workers during the project. In the end, I would say that we won the hearts and minds of the children and those we worked around."

Cristian Vitali Fimoghen, the village Mayor, has extended an invitation to the detachment Seabees for the official ribbon cutting ceremony in early May 2010.

"We like Americans and are very happy that they are here to lend a helping hand," said Vasile Teliceanu, the deputy mayor.

Detachment Romania has been deployed to Romania since Feb. 12 in support of Task Force – East (TF-E).

NMCB 7 and its detachments are currently deployed to various locations throughout Europe and Africa as part of the battalion's regularly scheduled 2010 deployment, with the main body of the battalion operating from Camp Mitchell at Naval Station Rota. In January 2010, the battalion deployed an air detachment of 85 Seabees to assist in Operation Unified Response, in response to the 7.0 earthquake that struck the country of Haiti on Jan. 12.

NMCB 7 is one of the original 10 Seabee battalions authorized by the Chief of the Navy's Bureau of Yards and Docks in 1942. The battalion is homeported in Gulfport, Miss., and is comprised of approximately 600 highly skilled warfighters.