Seabee Battalions Fortify Positions, Foster Friendships in Afghanistan
Navy News Service
Story Number: NNS101229-03
12/29/2010
By Chief Mass Communication Specialist Michael B. Watkins, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 40 Public Affairs
KHEVAJEH MOLK, Afghanistan (NNS) -- Active duty and Reserve Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalions (NMCB) 18, 26 and 40 worked together to build up and fortify a forward operating base (FOB) on the northern fringes of Kandahar City, Afghanistan, Dec. 11.
During the course of the three-week project, the combined active and Reserve Seabees completed nearly one mile of HESCO barrier perimeter, five hardened guard positions, an anti-vehicle ditch, one secure helicopter landing zone, an aerial surveillance blimp site, a medical station and spread nearly 10,000 cubic meters of stone.
The FOB has been in use and will continue to be used by Army Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 66th Armored Regiment who have been fighting there since August, said Marine Corps Master Sgt. John Kroll, NMCB 26 military advisor.
"This project is unique because not only does it combine Seabees from three construction battalions, but also incorporates Army soldiers from Task Force Linebacker to provide initial mine-proofing by harnessing the abilities of mine detection dogs as well as providing critical jobs to boost the local economy," said Kroll.
Kroll said the leveraging of combined joint military forces along with the relationships and trust forged with local residents contributed to the overall success of the mission.
"They worked together to help bring peace and stability to a portion of the Argandab River Valley that has been racked by decades of fighting and criminal activity," he said.
During the course of excavation, Seabees unearthed a weapons cache of rocket propelled grenades (RPG's) and thousands of armor-piercing sniper ammunition that dated back to the 1980's during a time when the Russians lost more than 4,000 soldiers in the valley. The weapons were destroyed to prevent ending up in the hands of insurgent fighters said Kroll.
Army Staff Sgt. Robert Carter said along with fortifying the defensive positions, Soldiers and Seabees are also fortifying critical relationships with the local community.
"The Seabees have been a huge enabler for us," said Carter. "They have allowed us to maintain a permanent presence here."
Carter said that he and other soldiers had been operating out of a small patrol base in a vacant village school. With the return of fall classes, the soldiers needed to find a more permanent solution, so the patrol base was relocated to an old pre-existing compound.
Carter said the fortification portion of the project was initially going to be completed by a civilian contractor; however, the contractor estimated a total of three months to fill the HESCO barriers and dig the anti-vehicle ditch.
"The Seabees did it in three weeks." Carter said. "This has allowed us to get back to our jobs instead of focusing on securing a perimeter. Working with the Seabees has been nothing but a great experience. We are used to making do with what we have, and the 'Bees' have built things for us that we did not even think of to make our lives and our work easier. I have never heard them complain once. I wish we could keep them here longer, we would all be living in mansions by the time we left," Carter said.
Kroll said the newly fortified COP will help to ensure the Army has a blocking position to seal off the Taliban's northern approach to Kandahar City to help support self-governing efforts.
"We must use this window of opportunity to hold and maintain strategic populations while the fighting season is over," said Kroll. "This is a fight for people not terrain. A strong enduring presence will show the local populace we are here to stay.
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