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NMCB 7 Seabees Break Ground in Thies, Senegal

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100601-22
6/1/2010

By Builder Constructionman Zachary A. Wallace, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 7

THIES, Senegal (NNS) -- Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 7 Detachment Senegal began construction projects in Thies, May 25, to support Exercise Flintlock 2010, a part of the African Partnership Initiative.

The detachment of Seabees will primarily concentrate their construction efforts on two projects; a training facility and a range for small arms training.

Shortly after arriving in Thies and establishing their base camp, the Seabees quickly mobilized project crews and began working at their respective project sites with unwavering motivation.

Construction of the training facility will require the Seabees to place and finish more than 420 linear feet of concrete formwork, to include the mixing of 32 cubic yards of concrete by hand.

"I couldn't have asked for a better group of Seabees to complete this tasking," said Builder 2nd Class Richard Santiago-Martinez, project crew-leader.

Seabees expect that the $50,000-facility, estimated to require more than 210 man-days of labor to complete, will be finished by the end of June.

Construction of the small arms range will require the Seabees to place and finish more than 436 linear feet of concrete formwork, to include mixing 25 cubic yards of concrete by hand. This project, at an estimated cost of $16,648, will encompass 155 man-days of labor.

"Each crew, armed with various skill sets, areas of expertise and a "Can-do" attitude is meeting all challenges head on," said Chief Warrant Officer Antoine Stephens, detachment officer in charge (OIC).

Flintlock is part of an annual exercise program aimed to strengthen security institutions, promote multilateral sharing of information, and develop interoperability among the partner nations of the Trans-Sahara Counter-Terrorism Partnership. As part of this program, Flintock helps to achieve U.S. Africa Command objectives for military-to-military training and multinational regional cooperation.

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.

NCMB 7 is home ported at the Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport, Miss., home of the Atlantic Fleet Seabees, and is currently the east coast's Battle "E" Seabee battalion.