By SW3 Chancellor Keeler, NMCB 11 Det. Andros
Seabees assigned to NMCB 11 rack and spread concrete while its being poured at the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center, Andros Islands, Bahamas, June 12. This deployment is part of NMCB 11's homeport training period which heightens knowledge base, essential mobility skills and command readiness. Photos by Ens. Jason Burke
Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11 deployed for a month and a half to construct a street and sidewalk onboard Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC) on Andros Island, Bahamas, June 7 July 3.
The crew of 13 Seabees from Gulfport, Miss., utilized teamwork and construction expertise to complete the planning, preparation and execution of placing concrete for a 230-foot-long street ending with a 28-foot radius cul-de-sac. They also constructed a 150-foot-long sidewalk running parallel to the road with four conjoining sidewalks branching out to separate living quarters. In total the Seabees placed more than 180 cubic yards of concrete.
NMCB 11 Seabees finished this 28-foot radius cul-de-sac during their month-long deployment at Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center, Andros Islands, Bahamas, June 12.
We are grateful for everything the Seabees are doing for us to make our lives easier out here on this island and we appreciate the talents they are utilizing to give us a quality product. Thank you for all the effort, said Cmdr. Robert J. Lopez, installation officer in charge.
Project phases consisted of earthwork, fabrication and placement of forms, and placement and finishing of concrete. Challenges arose due to several design changes between the planning and execution phases of the project. However, with motivation and the Seabee Can Do attitude, the crew worked 12-hour days, six days a week in order to ensure a quality product was delivered on time and on budget.
Golf cart charging stations and parking curbs are some of the finished products of NMCB 11's month-long deployment at Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center, Andros Islands, Bahamas, June 12.
The job is very well done with a professional level of quality. The final product being delivered by these Seabees has exceeded my expectations, said Dennis Maney, Naval Undersea Warfare Center construction manager.
The minor difficulties that we encountered when first beginning work on the site are a thing of the past and the crew pushed forward as a team to ensure the quality of the finished product, said Builder 1
st Class Jason Busby, project supervisor.
NMCB 11 is a Seabee battalion specializing in contingency construction, disaster response and humanitarian assistance. The battalion's homeport is Gulfport, Miss.
CE3 Nathan Bush, NMCB 11, drills holes in a post for gulf cart charging stations at the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center, Andros Islands, Bahamas, June 12.
CECN Keith Spoon, NMCB 11, paints parking curbs at the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center, Andros Islands, Bahamas, June 12.
The Naval Construction Force (NCF) is a vital component of the U.S. Maritime Strategy. NCF offers deployable battalions capable of providing contingency construction, disaster preparation and recovery support, humanitarian assistance and combat operations support.