By Steelworker 3rd Class Calvin Johnson, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3 Public Affairs
DILI, Timor-Leste (NNS) -- Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 3 officially relieved NMCB 5 of all duties and project activities during a change of charge ceremony Aug. 9 held at Camp Lenhoff in Dili, Timor-Leste.
According to the detachment's Officer-in-Charge Navy LT. Brent Oglesby, NMCB 3 is focused on strengthening the relationship between the U.S. and the Timorese through humanitarian construction projects and community relations activities.
"My Seabees and I could not be more excited to be here in Timor-Leste," said Olgesby. "We have been blessed with an opportunity to make a significant difference in the lives of the Timorese and their nation - we intend to make the most of it."
During the six-month deployment, the Seabees will rehabilitate two primary school buildings to include new roofing, doors, windows, general repairs, construct a latrine facility, kitchen and build fencing.
NMCB 3 will also assist in the construction of a rock jetty to be used to the Timorese Maritime Police Unit.
Lastly, they will provide subject matter experts to assess the condition and make repairs to several community medical clinics, and work with the Timor-Leste Defense Force (F-FDTL) engineers through the Australian-led Defense Cooperation Program (DCP) designed to mutually enhance the skills of the Seabees and the F-FDTL.
"Our Seabees' professionalism, their model civilian-military relations, and their all-American humor and 'can do' spirit makes the best impression wherever they go," said U.S. Ambassador to Timor-Leste Judith Fergin.
One of the first battalions commissioned after the bombing at Pearl Harbor, NMCB 3's legacy stands strong in its ability to build and fight anywhere in the world as either a full battalion or as a group of autonomous detachments, simultaneously completing critical engineering and construction missions.
"I feel this deployment will be the most rewarding because of all the opportunities to work with so many other organizations to provide better schools and welfare for the community," said Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Kayann Dukes.
For this deployment, NMCB 3 has split into 9 detachments to perform critical construction projects in remote island areas such as Timor-Leste, Tonga, Cambodia and the Philippines. The teams will also conduct operations in Atsugi, Yokosuka and Okinawa, Japan; Chinhea, South Korea and China Lake, Calif.
The Naval Construction Force is a vital component of the U.S. Maritime Strategy. They provide deployable battalions capable of providing disaster preparation and recovery support, humanitarian assistance and combat operations support.
NMCB 3 provides combatant commanders and Navy component commanders with combat-ready warfighters capable of general engineering, construction and limited combat engineering across the full range of military operations.