By donrochon, / Published July 19, 2012
By Rob Mims, Public Affairs Officer, NCBC Gulfport
Photos by MCC(SCW/SW/AW) Ryan G. Wilber
More than 600 Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 7 returned home to family and friends at Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC) Gulfport, Miss., between June 10-30, from a six-month deployment in Afghanistan.
Family members, relatives and friends welcomed home more than 600 Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 7, returning home to Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC) Gulfport, Miss., between June 10-30, from a six- month deployment providing support to Coalition forces in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
NMCB 7 assumed command of construction operations in Afghanistan from NMCB 1 during a Transfer of Authority (TOA) ceremony at the battalion headquarters at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Jan. 18. NMCB 7 was one of two Seabee battalions deployed to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of operations as part of Task Force Forager, the other being NMCB 11, also from Gulfport.
Task Force Forager, consisting of Seabees and U.S. Army Engineer Forces, supports the mission of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) through direct tactical infrastructure development, improvements and deconstruction, engagement with Afghan Security Forces (ASF) and Afghan National Army (ANA) engineers, convoy security support and theater Freedom of Movement (FoM) routes, and mission-specific construction in support of combat operations.
The battalions main body component was located at Kandahar Airfield, and several task-tailored detachments operated throughout southern Afghanistan, Kuwait and Bahrain.
Seabees from Magnificent Seven were able to accomplish hundreds of projects in support of the warfighting efforts in several regions in Afghanistan.
NMCB 7 is one of the original 10 Seabee battalions authorized by the chief of the Navys Bureau of Yards and Docks in 1942. As part of the Fiscal Year 2012 force reduction plan, NMCB 7 is scheduled to be decommissioned Sept. 5 on board NCBC Gulfport.
Cmdr. J.G. Meyer, commanding officer, NMCB 7, is slated to become the executive officer, NCBC Gulfport, following the battalion's decommissioning. Battalion members will move to other units at Gulfport or elsewhere, or separate from the Navy.
After six months away from friends and family, hugs are plentiful on board NCBC Gulfport, Miss., as NMCB 7 returns from Afghanistan, June 10-30.
