Civil engineers’ work noticed every day

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Lynne Neveu
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) --  Every day, airmen of the 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron are seen doing a multitude of tasks, from digging trenches for electrical wiring to setting up restroom facilities.

The unit’s accomplishments can be noticed when one makes a 2 a.m. trip to the restroom and comes face to face with a new structure in his or her path. There is something awakening about striding face first into a tent that was not there the night before.

“It’s amazing the work we have accomplished here,” said Master Sgt. Scott Reed of the 379th ECES electrical flight. “The only thing that slows us down is the availability of materials.”

Airmen in the 379th ECES electrical team have laid down dozens of miles of electrical wire and set up numerous transformers and substations.

Many people think digging the hole is the simple part, Sergeant Reed said. In reality, the team must dig for 20 inches before hitting rock, which is broken up using a jackhammer. Sometimes, the ground is hard enough that a jackhammer must be used during the initial stages.

The trenches are often more than 4 feet deep and several feet wide, he said. Once the digging has been accomplished, loose rocks must be removed and a layer of sand is placed at the bottom of the ditch to protect the outer cover of the wire from sharp edges.

“Laying the wire and bringing power to buildings is a great experience for the troops,” Sergeant Reed said. “Here, they are able to do different jobs from what they do at home stations and they see the immediate impact of their work to the base.”

Senior Airman Moises Ramirez agrees.

“The hands-on experience we get working with high voltage, and training and working with heavy machines is something we don’t get at home station,” he said.

The 379th ECES airmen do not just lay wire; they are also responsible for the placement of many structures here.

One such structure that seems to have had an impact on morale is the Cadillac latrine facility.

The airmen spent more than seven days marking out the location, building cement supports and setting two Cadillacs in place.

“We wanted to keep the project as quiet as possible,” said Senior Master Sgt. Marc Zuccola, 379th ECES first sergeant. “They worked hard to make sure the hundreds of airmen who come out for Thursday night bingo would be surprised by having a better facility to visit.”

Not only do civil engineers take care of structures and electrical needs, but they are also responsible for the safety of personnel.

The 379th ECES explosive ordnance disposal team assists with the safety of teams throughout the area of responsibility by maintaining munitions disposal equipment and personal protective gear. The EOD team also deploys people for assignments in the AOR, said Master Sgt. James Brewster, EOD flight chief.

“It’s taxing work here, but it’s also rewarding,” said Staff Sgt. Brion Blais, EOD team noncommissioned officer in charge of operations. Sergeant Blais deployed recently with Sergeant Brewster to Afghanistan. During the deployment, the team found a munition whose location under a taxiway had eluded seven other teams.

“Every day, the civil engineer airmen set the standard here and it's because of our great work ethic back home,” Sergeant Zuccola said. “This is my best first sergeant job by far and it's because of the people and what we are doing here to transform this base into steady-state operations.”