USA: Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 15 Completes Water Well Training

Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 15, based in Belton, Mo., completed water well training Jan. 14.

During the past week, 25 Seabees from NMCB 15’s water well team trained to execute the field portion of the well drill rig, drilling more than 200 feet down into the surface of the earth to access the water aquifer, completing their training late January.

“In essence what we are doing is pushing air down into the hole like a big water gun,” said, Construction Mechanic 1st Class James Wilson. “It pushes all the debris up to the filter and gets the water into the pump. This lets us filter debris out of the water and into the pipe, which we can pump out.

Seabees worked in two teams with three shifts each for 24-hours a day operating the Table of Allowance, T2W well rig to successfully complete the well which will provide valuable training to Seabees for their upcoming deployment.

Water well training is a series of exercises required for each battalion to complete as part of their pre-deployment criteria. Most bases in the Central Command area of operations require some sort of water source for various use to include drinking, bathing, dust abatement and construction.

“Everyone is basically taking turns and switching off so we can all get a feel for the job and be better prepared for it,” said Equipment Operator 3rd Class Taylor Herrera, as she explained the importance of this type of training. “This is going to be very essential, because when we are over there, we are going to be digging a lot of water wells.”

According to Construction Mechanic 1st Class Dustin Cooper, the unit’s ability to drill and/or maintain water wells is a vital asset supporting warfighters on the pending deployment.

“Water is everything, even if it’s non-potable,” said Cooper. “We use it for everything from equipment wash down to water for our troops showers and it contributes to morale and welfare.”

NMCB 15 is currently mobilized to Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport, executing pre-deployment homeport training in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and is an expeditionary element of U.S. Naval Forces that act as combat engineers and support various units worldwide through national force readiness, humanitarian assistance, and building and maintaining infrastructure.

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Naval Today Staff, January 15, 2013