By MC1 Charles Panter
Soldiers from U.S. Army 1st Battalion 4th Infantry Regiment play the role of evacuees, while Seabees from NMCB 4 conduct processing during a non-combatant evacuation exercise at U.S. Army Garrison Hohenfels Training Area, Hohenfels, Germany. Photos by MC1 Charles Panter
Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 4 participated in a Non-Combatant Evacuation exercise with U.S. Army Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment (1BT-4INF RGT) at the U.S. Army Garrison Hohenfels Training Area, Hohenfels, Germany, in late April.
NMCB 4 operated the Evacuation Control Center (ECC) in a simulated hostile environment, while 1BT-4INF RGT companies provided security and played the part of non-combatants being processed through the center.
The ECC is a mobile operations center that conducts processing, screening and selected logistics functions associated with emergency evacuation of non-combatants.
Training was beneficial for both parties, said Lt. Henry Pollock, ECC officer-in-charge, NMCB 4. It helped us to hone our operating procedures outside of our normal training, and introduced our Army counterparts to emergency evacuations.
The exercise was a first for 1BT-4INF RGT Soldiers, and they looked to the Seabees as the subject matter experts during the exercise.
The Army was very hospitable and I enjoyed my time here, said Pollock. I hope we can participate in more operations or exercises with them.
Soldiers from U.S. Army 1st Battalion 4th Infantry Regiment and NMCB 4 Seabees ride to a training site during a non-combatant evacuation operation exercise at U.S. Army Garrison Hohenfels Training Area, Hohenfels, Germany.
MA1 Shannon Bragg and PS3 Shea Mitchell, NMCB 4, process Soldiers during a non-combatant evacuation exercise at U.S. Army Garrison Hohenfels Training Area, Hohenfels, Germany.
Seabees from NMCB 4 process U.S. Army Soldiers as evacuees during a non-combatant evacuation exercise at U.S. Army Garrison Hohenfels Training Area.
The Evacuation Control Center team from NMCB 4 and Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron pose for a photo at the conclusion of a non-combatant evacuation exercise at U.S. Army Garrison Hohenfels Training Area, Hohenfels, Germany.