I finally got to talk to Eric yesterday for the first time since Wednesday. I did hear from him Friday when they got there but it was only for a few minutes and was a crappy connection. He sounds in good spirits. Hopefully these 3 months fly by and he'll be heading home before we know it. They have lots to do there, to keep them busy. We won't talk as much as we have since deployment started, but we'll talk whenever he gets a chance to call. There are 25 guys there, with one phone line to call home. 15 minutes phone calls are really strict right now, and will be while they are there. He does get a chance to Facebook me on some days as well. I look forward to many updates from the NMCB 7 Facebook page, which is where the picture above came from. They also post links to whats going on with our men over there, which I'll share the one they have posted in this post.
These next 3 months will probably be our hardest, but hopefully they will fly by and he'll be back in Spain and ready to head home. We will finally be a Family again in December and I can't wait! This week marks 23 weeks since he left. Seems that since we hit half way time has slowed down a bit so I pray it picks back up soon! I miss my Husband, and Conner misses his Daddy!
By Chief Mass Communication Specialist Yan Kennon, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 7 Public Affairs
ROTA, Spain (NNS) -- A detail of Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 7 departed Naval Station Rota, Spain for their detachment site of Sao Tome, Sao Tome in support of Exercise West Africa Training Cruise (WATC) July 22.
The primary mission of the detail is to conduct various construction improvements and provide humanitarian civic assistance (HCA) to their host nation.
"We are all looking forward to working alongside the local military and host nation," said Chief Builder Diane Paddock, detail officer in charge (OIC). "The projects our crew will be completing will ensure a safe learning environment for the local school children and improve security measures at the Sao Tome International Airport."
The most intense project scheduled for the Seabees will be the installation of a 3,000-meter chain link fence around the perimeter of the Sao Tome International Airport, to include the installation of three vehicle and two pedestrian transit gates. This project, upon its completion, is estimated to consume 411 man-days of labor at a cost of approximately $81,000.
Detail Sao Tome will conduct HCA through two construction projects at the Dona Maria de Jesus and Almas Primary Schools located in Sao Tome.
The Dona Maria de Jesus Primary School HCA project, estimated at $30,000 and 206 man-days of labor, will encompass the painting of interior and exterior surfaces, the replacement of broken window panes, utility upgrades and the replacement of all overhead lighting.
The Almas Primary School project will task the Seabees with replacing broken windows and frames, interior and exterior painting, replacement of broken doors and hardware, and the addition of 400 linear feet of block fencing for added security at the school. The school project cost is estimated at $30K, encompassing 29 man-days of labor.
Additional projects, tasked to Detail Sao Tome, include a 69 man-day project to conduct roof repairs and the removal and replacement of a load bearing exterior wall at the Marapa Game and Fish Wildlife Refuge and a $3,000 construction repair project at the local Coast Guard facility.
"It is always a positive attribute to utilize our construction capabilities to help other nations around the world," said Utilitiesman 1st Class George Brooks, detail assistant officer in charge. "It is most evident when you can see the immediate impact of a quality construction project from start to finish in such a short timeframe. We are all looking forward to the work that we will be performing for the people of Sao Tome."
Detail Sao Tome is expected to rejoin the mainbody site of Rota, Spain in late October.
NMCB 7 and its detachments are currently deployed to various locations throughout Europe and Africa as part of the battalion's regularly scheduled 2010 deployment, with the main body of the battalion operating from Camp Mitchell at Naval Station Rota.
NMCB 7 is one of the original 10 Seabee battalions authorized by the Chief of the Navy's Bureau of Yards and Docks, in 1942. The battalion is homeported at the Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport, Miss., home of the Atlantic Fleet Seabees, and is currently the East Coast's Battle "E" Seabee battalion.
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