An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

News from around the Fleet

Seabees and EOD Personnel Integrate with CSG 10 during ExR-ADR Exercise

01 July 2022

From Jeffrey Pierce, Naval Construction Group Two

HAVELOCK, N.C. - Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 1 and NMCB 11 along with four members from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 12 conducted an Expeditionary Airfield Damage Repair (ExR-ADR) exercise at Marine Corps Outlying Field (MCOLF) Oak Grove in North Carolina, June 23.

The purpose of this event was to showcase integration of fleet and NECC forces, and to validate the updated ExR-ADR Tactical Memorandum (TACMEMO).

NMCB 1 and NMCB 11 personnel traveled from Gulfport, MS to MCOLF Oak Grove while EODMU 12 personnel flew in from the deck of the USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10 courtesy of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5. Three members from Navy Expeditionary Warfare Development Center (EXWDC) traveled from Little Creek, VA to observe the exercise forExR-ADR TACMEMO validation criteria.

Once all personnel were assembled, Exercise Officer in Charge, Lt. Zachery Christensen from NMCB 11 outlined the scheme of maneuver to help ensure a successful exercise after several months of planning.

“During development of the exercise the EOD OIC, Lt. Andrew Sikora, and I were able to sync up on important details to ensure successful operations.” Christensen said.

To simulate damage caused by an attack on the airfield, outlines of craters and spalls were created in advance and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Chief, Calvin Quinn, placed dummy artillery shells and antipersonnel mines to represent unexploded ordnance (UXO).

Once the scene was set, Seabees and EODMU 12 personnel used their unmanned aircraft systems or drones to scan the runway. The drones were able to send a live video feed back to the team which allowed them to map the runway damage and locate the UXO for disposal. Once complete, damage assessment teams (DAT) were sent out to measure the width and depth of the craters and spalls to ensure they have the correct equipment and enough personnel and raw materials to complete the repairs.

At the conclusion of the exercise, it was time to evaluate their performance and the way ahead for future ExR-ADR exercises.

“We showed CSG-10 and associated teams that the NCF can push out quickly and provide actionable data that decision makers can use for effective course of action development,” Christensen said. “It was very rewarding seeing different teams come together for a common goal. Working with CSG-10, HSC-5, and EODMU 12 was not a simple task, as everyone has conflicting schedules and priorities, but everyone put forth an effort to make it work. We also couldn’t have succeeded without Range Safety Officer (RSO) ENS Haduong, Platoon Chief EAC Atwater, and the dedicated Seabees of NCG 2 who brought crucial skillsets to the table.”

However, Christensen feels there are other efforts to pursue that will likely be faced in a real-world scenario.

”As the Naval Construction Force unit on scene we were able to provide EOD with expectations on Civil Engineer Support Equipment (CESE) availability for buried UXO mitigation efforts. In fact, that’s an area both teams are interested in pursuing in the future. Underground UXO would require up-armored CESE in order to uncover and render safe. This type of scenario could be quite common in the real-world and something both teams are keen on practicing in the near future.”

According to Christensen, during the exercise they were able to highlight some strengths and weaknesses with the current TACMEMO, specifically as it relates to working alongside an EOD unit.

“We were able to see the time constraints imposed by UXO mitigation and how they can cascade to increased timeline for damage surveillance and repair,” Christensen said. “I believe the data we collected will be invaluable for future ops and development of the TACMEMO.”

 

Google Translation Disclaimer

  • Google Translate, a third party service provided by Google, performs all translations directly and dynamically.
  • Commander, U.S. Navy Region Korea, cnrk.cnic.navy.mil has no control over the features, functions, or performance of the Google Translate service.
  • The automated translations should not be considered exact and should be used only as an approximation of the original English language content.
  • This service is meant solely for the assistance of limited English-speaking users of the website.
  • Commander, U.S. Navy Region Korea, cnrk.cnic.navy.mil does not warrant the accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of any information translated.
  • Some items cannot be translated, including but not limited to image buttons, drop down menus, graphics, photos, or portable document formats (pdfs).
  • Commander, U.S. Navy Region Korea, cnrk.cnic.navy.mil does not directly endorse Google Translate or imply that it is the only language translation solution available to users.
  • All site visitors may choose to use similar tools for their translation needs. Any individuals or parties that use Commander, U.S. Navy Region Korea, cnrk.cnic.navy.mil content in translated form, whether by Google Translate or by any other translation services, do so at their own risk.
  • IE users: Please note that Google Translate may not render correctly when using Internet Explorer. Users are advised to use MS Edge, Safari, Chrome, or Firefox browser to take full advantage of the Google Translate feature.
  • The official text of content on this site is the English version found on this website. If any questions arise related to the accuracy of the information contained in translated text, refer to the English version on this website, it is the official version.

Commander, U.S. Navy Region Korea   |   PSC 478 Box 1   |   FPO AP, 96212-0001
Official U.S. Navy Website