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Sailors from 3rd Naval Construction Regiment Participate in CERTEX

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100706-14
7/6/2010

By Chief Mass Communication Specialist Terrina Weatherspoon, Naval Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport Public Affairs

GULFPORT, Miss. (NNS) -- More than 80 members of the 3rd Naval Construction Regiment (3NCR) out of Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Atlanta participated in a week-long certification exercise (CERTEX) at the Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport, Miss., from June 21-25.

"The CERTEX is the most critical event in a six-month, six-evolution certification process, which each regiment goes through to determine whether they are ready and capable of executing their mission once deployed," said Master Chief Equipmentman Neal Beard, 3NCR command master chief. "We have been very aggressive over the last year to identify and train to required skill sets that will allow us to perform our mission in the theater."

"The CERTEX is validation that we understand the basics of how to operate in an expeditionary environment," said Beard. "Whether we deploy to a high risk or low risk area, this exercise is used to test us to make sure we fully understand our responsibilities."

The CERTEX was the culmination of months of pre-deployment training 3NCR has been participating in during the certification process in preparation for their scheduled mission to Afghanistan in August 2010.

Each step in the certification process was used to ensure that elements of the naval construction force have the necessary command and control skills for employment throughout the 1st Naval Construction Division's area of operations, said Keith Faust, the exercise design and operations manager.

The exercise took 3NCR members through a series of response-based scenarios. The scenarios were filtered through the Command Operations Center (COC). The COC is considered the communications hub for large scale operations.

"All information for a particular unit travels in and out of the COC," said Lt. Cmdr. Gerald Wilson, the administrative officer for 3NCR. "The COC has a representative from each of the major departments. It provides a real-time snapshot of everything that is going on including movement, personnel, supplies and capabilities of that unit."

"The exercise went well," said Beard. "We identified weaknesses and strengths within our regiment improved each day."

Staying positive and receptive to instructor feedback was the key to success, said Capt. Donald Hedrick, the 3NCR commodore.

"There is a lot we are doing that is new to a lot of people, and it's going to be a challenge," said Hedrick, adding that communication and teamwork are keys to overcoming those challenges. "At this point we don't know what we don't know. This certification process is designed to bridge that gap."