Admiral Handley Visits Seabees in Helmand, Farah Provinces

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jonathan Carmichael

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan (NNS) -- Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11 experienced a rare opportunity when they received a visit from Commander of 1st Naval Construction Division (NCD), May 15 in both Helmand and Farah Provinces of Afghanistan.

Rear Adm. Mark A. Handley was accompanied by Command Master Chief John F. Mulholland, 1-NCD, Capt. Kathryn A. Donovan, Commodore of 22nd Naval Construction Regiment (NCR), and Command Master Chief Mark E. Kraninger, 22-NCR.

After several meetings at the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) headquarters on Camp Leatherneck, Handley was welcomed to Camp Krutke, by Cmdr. Lore Aguayo, Commanding Officer of NMCB-11.

Handley attended a ceremony in which he reenlisted Equipment Operator 2nd Class Charles E. Reid, originally from Lilburn, Ga.

Following the reenlistment the admiral frocked Intelligence Specialist Layne W. Duras, from Hillsboro, Ore., to Petty Officer Third Class. "I had never met him before, and my first thought was 'that guy is pretty tall,'" said Duras who admits he was nervous when he found out that he was going to be advanced by an Admiral. " ... but once I got up there and Admiral Handley started talking to me, everything went smoothly."

Handley then presented multiple awards and Seabee Combat Warfare Specialist (SCWS) enlisted warfare qualifications.

"It was pretty exciting," said Builder Constructionman Anna L. Parcher, "not many people get pinned by an Admiral." Parcher, who is originally from Jamestown, Pa., is one of the few who Handley awarded their SCWS to during the ceremony.

Later in the day Handley, Donovan, Mulholland, and Kraninger traveled to the Bakwa District of Farah Province accompanied by Aguayo, Command Master Chief Christopher Levesque and additional NMCB-11 staff.

Arriving in Forward Operating Base (FOB) Lavaredo, Handley and company were greeted by Lt. Seth D. Cochran, the Detachment Officer in Charge and other members of the Det. who guided the Admiral to meet Italian Army Col. Luciano Carlozzo, Commander of Task Force Southeast.

The two shook hands and exchanged dialogue in both English and Italian.

Following a meeting in the combat operations center, Handley was lead by Carlozzo on a tour of FOB Lavaredo. The Admiral met and conversed with Seabees as well as Italian troops along the way.

Handley addressed all the NMCB-11 Seabees of the Det. in the dining facility in the early evening. He spoke to the Seabees on multiple topics including the operational tempo that Seabees have experienced in recent years.

"Looking at 10-years of combat, from the beginning of OIF-1 'til today, this last couple of years has been the strongest and hardest pull that we've had as Seabees," said Handley. "We've actually had more Seabees deployed in these last two years than we have since Vietnam. So that's pretty significant."

The future of the Seabees, deployments, homeports, and training were all major topics that Handley touched on.

"One of the things I set out for our Seabee division was to look at our technical training, and really improve on higher-end skills. So you're going to see a couple of shifts. Where you used to go to 'F' school or SCBTs, you're going to see that done more on OJT. Then what we're going to do is free up time and get more C-1 advanced schools," stated Handley.

There were three main points of focus that the Admiral highlighted regarding the future of the Naval Construction Force.

"First and foremost, when we have fewer Seabees, like each and every one of you, we've got to make sure that we're getting the highest and best use out of you for support to those combatant commanders like the MEF, like the Italians that you're supporting here, like IJC," said Handley.

"The second one that we're going to focus on," continued Handley, "is maintaining our core capability. ... we've got to make sure we maintain that foundation ... ,"

"The last one, and probably the most important one from my perspective," asserted Handley, "is to make sure we take care of our people. ... we want to make sure that we take care of our people when they're in the Navy and as they transition out of the Navy."

Handley then turned the floor over to Mulholland who presented the Seabees with an upbeat motivational pep talk much like one might expect to hear in a locker room at halftime. Mulholland covered a few topics including peer intervention. "That's Sailors helping Sailors. We're in this together. Peer intervention is probably the most important thing that I can talk about in the Navy."

Mulholland concluded his remarks with "Keep doing good things for the entire Naval Construction Force. Hoorah!" To which the Seabees responded with a resounding "hoorah!"

A 1-NCD coin was presented to each of two selected Seabees for their exemplary performance before the Det. exited the dining facility.

Handley and staff concluded the visit by joining the Seabees for dinner before departing the FOB.

NMCB-11's mission in Farah Province is to expand FOB Lavaredo and construct helicopter landing zones to facilitate timely medical evacuations within the region.

Homeported in Gulfport, Miss., NMCB-11 is deployed to Afghanistan to conduct general, mobility, survivability engineering operations, defensive operations, Afghan National Army partnering and detachment of units in combined/joint operations area - Afghanistan in order to enable the neutralization of the insurgency and support improved governance and stability operations.

22-NCR Visits NMCB-11 on Camp Krutke

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jonathan Carmichael, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11 Public Affairs

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan (NNS) -- The commodore of 22nd Naval Construction Regiment (NCR), and the command master chief of 22-NCR visited Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11's mainbody on Camp Krutke, Camp Leatherneck in Helmand Province, Afghanistan Feb. 24.

Capt. Kathryn A. Donovan and Command Master Chief Mark E. Kraniger were given a tour of the camp by Cmdr. Lore Aguayo, commanding officer of NMCB-11, and Command Master Chief Christopher Levesque, NMCB-11.

Seabees on camp were engaged in conversation by both Donovan and Kraninger about their specific roles within the battalion and any challenges or obstacles they may have experienced working and living on Camp Leatherneck. Donovan awarded 22-NCR coins to a few Seabees who were recognized as having made a significant positive impact on the success of the battalion.

Donovan did not pass up the opportunity to encourage Seabees to earn the Seabee Combat warfare Specialist (SCWS) qualification. She even took some time to pose with Seabees who wanted a photo to post on Facebook.

Kraninger, whose son Erik is a builder in NMCB-11, also shared wisdom with the Seabees. Both Kraninger and Donovan had positive things to say about the condition of the camp and the preparedness and attitudes of the Seabees.

This was the first such visit since NMCB-11 official took authority of Camp Krutke earlier this month.

NMCB-11 is deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

NMCB-4 Transfers Authority of Camp Krutke to NMCB-11 in Afghanistan

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jonathan Carmichael, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11 Public Affairs

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan (NNS) -- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 4 transferred authority of Camp Krutke to NMCB-11 in an afternoon ceremony on Camp Krutke, a part of Camp Leatherneck, Helmand Province, Afghanistan Feb. 13.

Commander La Tanya Simms, commanding officer, NMCB-4 and Cmdr. Lore Aguayo, commanding officer, NMCB-11 exchanged salutes before a flag detail replaced NMCB-4's battalion colors with NMCB-11's to signify the official transfer of authority.

Guests of honor were Commanding General, 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward), Brig. Gen. Michael Dana and Assistant Chief of Staff C-7, Col. Kurt Kempster. Also in attendance were service members representing II Marine Expeditionary Force, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 3, 30th Naval Construction Regiment, Task Force Leatherneck, and 14th Engineer Battalion.

"I am proud at the way our battalion has handled whatever our supporting commanders needed of us," Simms said. "The Musa Qal'eh crossing is an excellent example of the positive impact our Seabees have made here in Afghanistan."

Kempster and Dana each specifically mentioned the Musa Qal'eh crossing, which links Musa Qal'eh residents with Helmand province's capital, Lashkar Gah, when they praised the accomplishments of NMCB-4.

"We had many junior people - first and second class petty officers and, in one case a third class petty officer - taking on a lot of responsibility in remote areas of Afghanistan, and they really took care of their troops. That's what truly represents the Seabees of this battalion," said Simms in a pre-ceremony interview.

The process of turning the camp over to NMCB-11 began earlier this month when NMCB-11's advanced party personnel arrived on Camp Leatherneck. The battalions worked together to turn over materials, equipment, and tools to NMCB-11 who's delayed party personnel are due to arrive in the near future.

"I am confident that our extensive training in homeport has prepared our Seabees to safely and effectively execute our mission throughout Afghanistan," Aguayo said.

"All of our Seabees have expressed extreme motivation and enthusiasm to provide support to our coalition forces and our Afghan partners."

Originally commissioned June, 28 1942 and subsequently decommissioned and re-commissioned twice since, NMCB-11 has consistently met the overwhelming demand for naval construction forces throughout the world. Since its current commission Sept. 14, 2007 NMCB-11 has completed deployments to the Pacific and in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

While deployed to Afghanistan, NMCB-11 will conduct general, mobility, and survivability engineering operations, defensive operations, Afghan National Army partnering, and detachment of units in combined/joint operations area-Afghanistan in order to enable the neutralization of the insurgency and support improved governance and stability operations.

Seabees from NMCB 3 Transfers Authority to NMCB 4 in Afghanistan

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Russ Stewart, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4 Public Affairs

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan (NNS) -- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) THREE and NMCB FOUR turned over construction operations as one of two Seabee battalions in Afghanistan in a ceremony aboard Camp Krutke, a part of Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, June 17.

Capt. Allan Stratman, commodore, task force overlord, said NMCB THREE's success pushing tactical infrastructure to the village level has had a dramatic impact on the coalition mission in Afghanistan.

NMCB THREE and FOUR are components of Task Force Overlord, which commands and oversees a joint service task force responsible for planning, engineering, and construction operations in southern, southwestern and western Afghanistan.

NMCB THREE's Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Patrick Garin, said his battalion made a difference in the living and working conditions for coalition forces at Camp Leatherneck.

"When we arrived here last year, Leatherneck construction was not finished," he said. "There were Seabee projects in almost every corner."

Beyond construction at Camp Leatherneck, NMCB THREE deployed over 200 Seabees to every Regional Command in Afghanistan including support of Special Operations Commands in over 40 locations.

"The motivation of all our Seabees over the last seven months has been truly inspiring," said Garin.

NMCB FOUR's Commanding Officer, Cmdr. La Tanya Simms, said her battalion is ready to push forward, continuing the progress NMCB THREE made.

"We trained hard in homeport, and we're ready to do what we do best; be safe, work hard, and have fun!" she said.

NMCB FOUR, commissioned May 11, 1942, is homeported in Port Hueneme, Calif. and is made up of 630 Seabees. The battalion has a distinguished history of supporting the American war fighter and providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief around the world. While deployed to Afghanistan, NMCB FOUR will construct combat outposts, patrol bases, roads, bridges and various other support facilities to expand freedom of movement and counterinsurgency operations for International Security Assistance Forces.

NMCB FOUR is a component of Navy Expeditionary Combat Command that provides contingency engineering and construction across Afghanistan in support of the overall mission of International Security Assistance Force and regional commander requirements.