Seabees build 21st century 'Noah's Ark' in Afghanistan

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Petty Officer 3rd Class Sergio Villareal nails down a roof truss on a structure at Camp Leatherneck, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, April 18. Camp Leatherneck is currently under construction and will be used by the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade as a hub for the reception, staging, onward-movement and integration of Marine forces into southern Afghanistan and is the largest Marine Corps Camp in Afghanistan. Villareal is a builder assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5.

by Cpl. Aaron Rooks, May 14, 2009

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand Province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Amidst the hot, rocky, once barren desert of southern Afghanistan sits hundreds of duplex-sized tan tents, all evenly covered and aligned, as far as the eye can see.

Yet one object stands out majestically amongst Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan's sprawling tent city at their base of operations at Camp Leatherneck, just outside of Camp Bastion.

The Marines affectionately call the structure "Noah's Ark," for its similarities to the ark built before flood waters covered the earth in biblical times.

Similar to Noah's Ark, this 21st century ark, built for Marines in less than three months by sailors of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5, symbolizes a sign of hope for the future of southern Afghanistan.

"In my 19 years in the Navy, I have never built a building this big," said Petty Officer 1st Class Thomas Damnon, a supervisor for the construction of the 12,000 square-foot Brigade Combat Operations Center. "This is the largest wooden structure I've ever seen Seabees build."

Damnon, a Port Hueneme, Calif., native, said the building will become the Marine Corps headquarters for command and control activities both inside and outside the protective wire surrounding Camp Leatherneck. He said it's the largest building made by the Navy outside the U.S. since World War II, housing 17 large office spaces and one larger command briefing theater, which will house more than 200 people, along with the computers and equipment that will join them.

Construction of the massive building began two months before MEB-Afghanistan arrived in Helmand Province. It's currently scheduled to be finished by May 22, asking the Seabees to accomplish the seemingly impossible.

Damnon said the Seabees are currently on schedule to meet their deadline to complete the brigade command center. The only reason why, he said, is because of the sweat and perseverance that has come from the naval construction workers involved.

"We're all pushed to our limits," Damnon said. "A construction job of this size takes an average of five months to complete. We're doing it in less than three."

The work hasn't been easy and can be dangerous for those involved. The sailors each work an average of 12 hours every day at the least. By the time the sun rises, on average, the temperature is 85 degrees, said Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Amber Chambliss, hospital corpsman, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5. She said the temperature, as of late, can reach at least 125 degrees by mid-day.

"This job they're doing can be extremely dangerous," Chambliss said, of working both inside and outside the building, which currently lacks air conditioning. "Dealing with the heat is a serious issue alone, not to add the possibility of falling off the roof and becoming paralyzed."

The Miami, Fla., native said individuals who work on the job site drink anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 gallons of water daily. And it's necessary, she said, noting the fact that if one of the workers falls out, the job will become even harder to complete on time.

The day-to-day job hasn't been easy, Damnon said, stating that to be able to reach their completion deadline, they must work non-stop daily, with the exception of taking an hour-long break for lunch, as well as 10-minute breaks every hour to rest. Reaching their completion time has relied on every one of those minutes saved, he said.

"This is one of the toughest jobs some of us have ever done because of the elements and working conditions," Damnon said. "It's controlled chaos. We've been building this at more than two times the speed it would take on average to complete. Everyone is constantly doing different things, moving different directions, accomplishing one job, then moving toward the next."

"Look at them, you can se the exhaustion in their faces," said Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Garrison Hardisty, project supervisor. "And they're only halfway through the day. They're all pushed to the limit."

Hardisty said everyone is tired and physically drained when they leave the job site in the evenings. The job has taken an obvious toll on Damnon alone. He said he's lost more than 30 pounds since he arrived in Afghanistan. But, Hardisty said, they return each day and never give up.

And even though returning each day reminds them of the grueling tasks ahead, it also reminds them of how far they have come in such a short amount of time.

"Everyone's excited to see the end result," Damnon said, enthusiastically. "We're all proud to have had a part in this building. It will be around for years to come and will operate 24 hours daily."

Petty Officers 2nd Class Landon Church and John Nicholas, project lead electrician and utilities man respectively, said they were confident in the building becoming operational by May 22. Church, a Byron, Mich. native, said he and his team of electricians have installed more than 10,000 feet of wiring throughout the building to support at least 500 computers. Nicholas, a Boise, Idaho native, said the facility will also be a cooled environment ready to accept those who will be working there when it opens.

As the clock continues to count down, the Seabees remain resilient, motivated by purpose and commitment. But as one job nears and end, others wait in line, adding up by the week. After the brigade command center is complete, they will move on and continue to build the Regimental Combat Team 3 and Camp Leatherneck Garrison Combat Operations Center, also 12,000 square-feet each.

"As soon as this job is complete, we will carry on to the next," Damnon explained. "There will be no rest for us."

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