By MC1 Chris Fahey, NMCB 3 Public Affairs
BU2 Thad Dodds, left, and EO1 Manny Figueroa both from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3 rake out freshly poured gravel while volunteering at Port Hueneme s Richard Bard Elementary School May 17. Photo by MC1 Chris Fahey
Fifteen volunteers from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 3 joined staff from Port Hueneme s Richard Bard Elementary School to help repair the school s outdoor sports and recreation areas used by the hundreds of Bard students May 17.
The volunteers used hand tools and wheelbarrows to hand fill and tamp down large holes throughout the school s track, baseball diamond and nearby field.
Without their help, I don t think we would have been able to have undertaken this project, said Bard Elementary School Principal Sue Parsons. Their support has made our track and field safer for the students and for the community members who share the fields after hours. Please accept my heartfelt thanks and that of my staff and students for all of the support.
According to NMCB 3 s EO1 Manny Figueroa, the school s need for volunteers spoke to the heart of what he felt being a Seabee in the local community demanded.
As Seabees, we are used to deploying to small islands and remote countries to help build schools, dig water wells and support all kinds of humanitarian assistance, disaster response type of operations, said Figueroa. Providing that same style of aid to our local communities, our neighbors and of course the schools some of our children attend, is exactly what we like to do it s a no-brainer. I m happy we could help and plan to be there again if needed.
NMCB 3 is a vital component to the U.S. Maritime Strategy and provides quality construction, humanitarian assistance, disaster response and combat engineering in arduous environments across the Pacific. During their current homeport period, the battalion is conducting battalion and force-level training dedicated to preparing them for their next deployment.
EO1 Pete Izarra, left, and EA1 Joab Cowell both from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3 use hand tampers to ensure freshly laid gravel stays in place longer while volunteering at Port Hueneme s Richard Bard Elementary School May 17. Photo by MC1 Chris Fahey