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Home of the Atlantic Fleet Seabees Gulfport, Mississippi

Vol. 44 No. 2

PG 24 COLOR

January 25, 2007

inside this edition

NCBC Gulfport's
Environmental and Public
Safety Departments are
coordinating with the
Mississippi State Forestry
Commission to conduct a
series of controlled burns
designed to clear combustible brush and undergrowth from the wooded
areas onboard the Center.
See page 10

BU1 (SCW) Michael
Cadoret of Naval Mobile
Construction Battalion
One Thirty Three credits
his crew and expresses his
thanks to the veterans at
the VA Medical Center in
Biloxi during the ribbon
cutting ceremony for the
fishing pier recently built
by NMCB 133.
See page 11
http://cbcgulfport.navy.mil

Photo by MC2 Gregory N. Juday

EO2 Kevin Rapier from Austin, Texas of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Seventy Four helps maneuver the pipe for proper fitting at Out Post Viking on Jan. 2. NMCB 74 is currently deployed to Ramadi, Iraq
and other locations throughout South West Asia in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
See story on page 9

24

CB PG 01-24 COLOR

January 25, 2007

Military and civilians
came together to celebrate
the life of Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr., at the
annual commemorative
service held at the Seabee
Memorial Chapel Jan. 16.
Pastor Othell Adkins of
Bible Way Baptist Church
in Gulfport spoke at the
service.
See page 2

Seabee Courier

25Jan07.qxd

PG 2 B&W
CLEAN
NCBC/20SRG

Commanding Officer
Capt. Van Dobson
Executive Officer
Cmdr. Bill Finn
Public Affairs Officer
Jean Remley
Editor
Bonnie L. McGerr
Mass Comm. Specialist
MC1 Sean Mulligan

22ND NCR

Commander
Capt. Eric Odderstol
Lt. Cmdr. Kyra Hawn

NMCB ONE

Commanding Officer
Cmdr. Dean A. Tufts
Lt. Kris Portacci
Mass. Comm. Specialists
MC2 Chad Runge
MC3 Ja'lon Rhinehart

NMCB SEVEN

Commanding Officer
Cmdr. David J. Sasek
Ensign Russell Becker
Mass Comm. Specialists
MCC Jeffrey J. Pierce
MC3 Paul D. Williams

NMCB SEVENTY FOUR
Commanding Officer
Cmdr. Craig S. Prather
Lt. Edsil L. Logan
MC2 Gregory N. Juday

NMCB ONE THIRTY THREE

January 25, 2007

Commanding Officer
Cmdr. Allan Stratman
Lt.j.g. Amy Yoon
MC3 Jessica A. McIver

2

NCTC Gulfport

Commanding Officer
Cmdr. Darius Banaji
BU1(SCW) James LePage
The Seabee Courier is an authorized publication for members of the military services
and their families. Its contents do not necessarily reflect the official views of the U.S.
Government, the DoD or the U.S. Navy and
do not imply endorsement thereof. The
appearance of advertising in this newspaper,
including inserts or supplements, does not
constitute endorsement by the U. S.
Government, DoD, the Navy, NCBC Gulfport
or Gulf Publishing Company of the products
and services advertised. All content in this
newspaper shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to
race, color, religion, gender, national origin,
age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit factor of
the purchaser, user or patron. If a violation or
rejection of this equal opportunity policy by
an advertiser is confirmed, the publisher shall
refuse to print advertising from that source
until the violation is corrected.
The Seabee Courier is published 22 weeks a
year by Gulf Publishing Company, a private
firm in no way connected with the DoD ,
under an exclusive contract with the U. S.
Navy. The Seabee Courier solicits news contributions from military and civilian sources,
but the Public Affairs staff reserves the right
to edit and/or rewrite material selected for
publication to conform with journalism standards. The deadline for material is close of
business Wednesday the week prior to publication. Your comments are always welcome.
The Seabee Courier office is in Building 60,
Room 250. The mailing address is 4902
Marvin Shields Blvd., Code 15, Gulfport, MS
39501. Phone: 228 871-3662, Fax: 228 871-2389.
Email: seabeecourier@navy.mil.

Photo by MC1 Sean Mulligan

BU2 Charles Sergeant from Naval Mobile
Construction Battalion One delivered the Litany
of Commemoration at this year's Martin Luther
King, Jr. Commemoration Service held at the
Seabee Memorial Chapel January 16. Pastor
Othell Adkins of Bible Way Baptist Church in
Gulfport was the featured guest speaker.
Refreshments were served in the Fellowship
Hall at the conclusion of the service. A monument to honor Dr. King is being built on the
national mall in Washington, D.C. and is expected to be completed next year.

CBC Photo Lab Closed Jan. 29 - Feb. 9
Due to training requirements the CBC Photo
Lab in building 60 will be closed Jan 29 - Feb.
9. Battalion photographers may use the studio
by making arrangements with the Public
Affairs Office at X2699/3662.

Office of MCPON
hits 40 year mark
By MCCS(SW/AW) Bill
Houlihan
MCPON Public Affairs
At a retirement ceremony Jan. 12, one day
prior to the fortieth
anniversary of the
inception of the Master
Chief Petty Officer of
the Navy, MCPON
(SW/FMF) Joe R.
Campa Jr. reminded
chief petty officers
here what he expects
of them as deckplate
leaders.
Addressing a number
of area chiefs at the
retirement ceremony
of Master Chief
Electronics Technician
(SW) Mickey Manes,
Campa recalled the
chief petty officers
who led and trained
he and Manes as they
grew up in the Navy,
and said he envisions a
return to their traditional type of leadership.
"Those chiefs were
cut from a cloth of
leadership that I want
to blanket the Navy
with today," said
Campa. "They had
something I like to
refer to as 'CPO presence.' When they
walked into a space
the tone of the entire
space changed. They
were uncompromising
leaders."
Campa said that
when Del Black was
appointed the first
MCPON in 1967, his
goals were similar to
those of Campa's forty
years later.
"MCPON Black was a
true chief. He knew
the value of communication, of listening to
his Sailors, and the

Command Action Line

From BRIDGES page 11
we could do for the
Seabees," said Gunnery
Sergeant Vernon Getter,
Fox Company, 2nd
Battalion, 8th Marines.
"These guys are doing
From PSD page 7

absolute need for our
community to take on
the role of standard
bearers, to enforce
those standards
amongst ourselves as
well as up and down
the chain of command," he added.
The eleventh master
chief to hold the position, MCPON Campa
said that the nine men
who followed Black
each entered the office
with one goal in mind;
the development of the
enlisted force as
Sailors and people.
"Each of us has had
our own style and way
of doing things, but
there has been a constant theme for 40
years from Del Black
to Tom Crow to John
Hagan to me: providing Sailors the best
opportunity to succeed," he said.
Campa echoed that in
his remarks at Manes'
retirement ceremony.
He said that as a
Sailor's character
strengthens, so too will
his commitment to the
Navy.
Campa and Manes
served together on
USS Frank Cable (AS
40) from 2003 to 2005.

available latter in the day.
DFAS Customer Service
support is also available
for assistance for any W2
or MyPay questions at 1800-390-2348, Monday
through Friday between
the hours of 0700 – 1930
Eastern Standard Time.
Special Leave Accrual
(SLA) calculation
OPNAVINST 1050.3
established guidelines for
Navy members to
qualify for SLA up to 120
days. Commands must follow the guidelines published in this instruction
when determining SLA
entitlement.
Special leave accrual is
not a unique kind of leave.
The only significant differ-

great work out here in
Iraq; I truly believe they
are playing a large role in
the War on Terrorism".
"It was great having the
Marines out there providing security," said
Equipment Operator 2nd
Class Kevin Rapier, project

Crew Leader, of Austin,
Texas. "It allowed us to
focus on our job instead of
worrying about keeping
our guys safe".
After three long days of
work in the cold weather,
the Seabees completed the
culvert project ahead of

ence is that members subject to special leave accrual
are entitled to accrue and
carry forward leave in
excess of the normal limit
of 60 days into a new fiscal
year. Leave in excess of 60
days is treated as ordinary
leave for purposes of leave
usage, but is protected
until used. A member's
leave usage is charged
against the entire current
leave balance on his or her
account at the time leave is
taken. If the member's
leave usage reduces the
leave balance below the
special leave accrual balance, then the member has
used some of the leave
accrued in excess of 60
days. If the member's leave
usage reduces the leave
balance to 60 days, then

the member is considered
to have received the full
benefit of the special leave
accrual and is no longer
subject to the provision. In
accordance with
Department of Defense
Financial Management
Regulations paragraph
350102c, the charging of
leave is based on the last
leave earned is the first
leave used (LIFO) method.
Service members using
leave early in the fiscal
year are more likely to see
hold leave balances
charged. This is because
they may have not earned
enough leave to prevent a
leave period from reducing
their current leave balance
below the maximum set at
the end of the last period
of special leave accrual.

schedule and above expectations.
"They did an outstanding
job," said GySgt. Getter, "it
was better than anything
we could have asked for".
The Fearless Seabees of
NMCB 74 continually live
up to their "Can Do" motto

with the successful completions of a multitude of
projects at Out Posts and
Iraqi Police Stations
throughout Iraq while
deployed to Ramadi in
support of Operation Iraqi
Freedom.

Example of Special Leave Accrual
(SLA)
As of 30 Sept. 06 member's leave balance was 75.5 of
which 15.5 days is SLA.
Leave balance before 1 Oct. 06: 75.5 days
Leave earned 1 Oct. 06 - 31 Dec. 06: 7.5 days
Leave used 15 Dec. 06 - 31 Dec 06: 17 days
Leave balance as of 31 DEC 06: 66 days
This member has used some of the leave in excess of
60 days brought forward from the previous fiscal year
(FY06). The new maximum number of days that could
be carried forward in FY 07 is 66 days, assuming no
additional periods of qualifying special leave accrual.
Any further leave accrued in excess of 66 days in FY 07
and not used by 30 Sep 07 would be lost.
For more information on this topic see OPNAV
instruction 1050.3 or call PSD at 871-3283.

Ad Space

Because of limited IG resources throughout the Southeast Region, all Fraud, Waste and Abuse hotline
work will now be handled by the Region. To report Fraud, Waste and Abuse, contact the Region at:
Toll Free 1-877-657-9851 Comm: (904) 542-4979 DSN 942-4979 FAX: (904) 542-5587
E-mail: CNRSE_HOTLINE@navy.mil
23

CB PG 02-23

“We EXIST to enable
Warfighter
Readiness”

CBC celebrates life of
Martin Luther King, Jr.

PG 23 B&W

January 25, 2007

13:16

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22 COLORClassified

An update of the Katrina Recapitalization Chart.
conceptual drawing of the new $41.5 million
Operational Expeditionary Logistics Facility to be built
by BE&K Construction Company. Groundbreaking on
the new facility is expected to begin in April, with a
completion date of February, 2009.
Above:
Left: A

maintenance, and breakout/deployment of equipment, materials and supplies in support of NCF
operations.
Existing facilities are
obsolete, damaged, and
geographically dispersed,
rendering the current containerization mission highly inefficient. Ultimately,
this project will consolidate three facilities and
include 343,500 SF of demolition for a net square
footage reduction of
151,000 SF.
Located along the north

Keesler Medical to hold Town Hall Meeting
The 81st Medical Group will conduct a town hall meeting on Thursday, January 24
for all those eligible to use Keesler Medical Center.
Brig. Gen. (Dr.) James Dougherty, 81st MDG commander, will host the program
which will be held from 5-6 p.m. in the Welch Theater on base. Among the topics to
be discussed will be the medical center's current and future capabilities and services.
A question and answer session will be included.
Contact (228) 376-3018 for further information.

edge of the base and adjacent to the new OELF, the
Commercial Vehicle Gate
and Truck Access Zone
will significantly improve
force-protection and traffic
flow to the base.
ROICC Gulfport and
BE&K hosted a Post
Award Kickoff meeting
last week in Gulfport, MS.
Ground breaking is scheduled early April 2007 and
construction will be complete by February 2009.
The president of BE&K's
Government Group is Rear
Adm. (Ret) Dave Nash,

former "King Bee" and
Chief of the U.S. Navy
Civil Engineer Corps. The
NAVFAC Southeast and
OICC Katrina project team
involved in construction
management and oversight includes: Carl Sellers,
Project Manager; Gene
Baker, Public Works
Engineer in Charge; Russ
Dail, Construction
Manager; Lt. Hely S.
Gonzalez, Construction
Manager; Bobby Wayne,
Engineering Technician;
and Bennie Boren,
Contract Specialist.

Seabee Ball Tickets Are Available!

Prices:
March 17
E1 - E4: $15
Imperial Palace
E5 - E6: $20
E7 - 03: $30
04 & Above: $35
Civilians: $35

Contact your your command rep
for tickets & prepare to party!

22

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3

The largest stand-alone
facility in NCBC Gulfport's
recapitalization program, a
state-of-the-art Operational
Expeditionary Logistics
Facility (OELF), was
awarded last month to
BE&K Construction
Company. In addition to
the OELF, the $41.5 million
design-build construction
contract includes a
Commercial Vehicle Gate
and Truck Access Zone, a
Public Works Shops facili-

ty, and a Consolidated
Public Works Complex
renovation.
The OELF is required to
support Naval Construction Forces (NCF) shipment of containerized warfighting equipment. One
of CBC's primary missions
is packing Table of
Allowance (TOA) material
for NCF units. TOA's
must be task-tailored for a
specific mission and
deployed on short notice.
The mission includes temporary storage, containerization, preservation,

Seabee Courier

January 25, 2007

By Lt. Cmdr. R. Tibbetts
ROICC Gulfport

January 25, 2007

Preparations underway for new Operational
Expeditionary Logistics Facility

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21 B&WChurch Page

NMCB 7 Seabees represent the Navy in Outreach Program

SW1 (SCW) Lyndon Romeo

and Airmen.
Romeo and Everson
spent the first week of
January in Washington
D.C. where they received
basic training in speech
preparation and media
engagement skills at the
Pentagon. Each was also
given audio-visual support
equipment to assist them
during their speaking
engagements.
According to Romeo
and Everson, the training
went really well. They
spent most of their time in
D.C. developing their
speeches and readying
themselves for the weeks
ahead. Despite feeling

prepared, they both felt a
little anxious about what
they are about to do.
"I'm excited about representing the Navy. It's
going to be a great experience being able to tell my
story about where I've
been and what I've done,"
Everson said. "Even
though I know what I'm
going to talk about and I'm
comfortable with that, I'm
still a little nervous. I
know what to expect, but
not all the particulars."
"I was a bit surprised
when I was chosen to do
this, but I'm really happy
about it," Romeo said.
"During our training we

Defense Department telecommunications system or device constitutes consent to monitoring.

Ad Space
4

21

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Rain date for
3rd Annual
Seabee Classic
Golf Tournament
at Windance is
Friday, Jan. 26.

EA2 (SCW) Andrew Everson

got the chance to practice
our speeches in front of the
representatives from the
other services. That went
well, but I'm still pretty
nervous."
Everson's first speaking
engagement was with representatives from Florida's
Federal Highway
Administration in
Tallahassee, Fla., on
January 9. From there he
traveled back to D.C.
where he stayed for a few
days before he was off to
another speaking engagement with a veterans
group in Clearwater, Fla.
For Romeo, he spoke to
personnel at the Fleet
Industrial Supply Center
in Philadelphia, PA. From
there, he also headed back
to D.C. for a few days
before he traveled to
Alabama to speak with
members of the National
Guard.
Any organization may
request a speaker for its
event. Once a request is
received, it is evaluated
based on relevant DoD
policy in order to determine the appropriate level
of support. To request a
speaker for your event go
to:
www.whyweserve.dod.mil.

January 25, 2007

January 25, 2007

Two Seabees from
Naval Mobile Construction
Battalion SEVEN (NMCB
7) were chosen to be the
Navy's representatives for
a Department of Defense
speakers outreach initiative entitled "Why We
Serve."
SW1(SCW) Lyndon
Romeo from Brooklyn,
N.Y., and EA2(SCW)
Andrew Everson from
Ocala, Fla., will spend the
next three months temporarily assigned to the
Office of the Assistant
Secretary of Defense for
Public Affairs
(OASD(PA)). While with
OASD(PA) they will travel
around the country sharing their personal military
experiences with the
American people at events
organized by academic
institutions, community
organizations, business
associations, veterans
groups, and other nonprofit or non-partisan
organizations.
In preparation for the
"Why We Serve" program,
each of the four military
services was asked to
select and screen potential

candidates between the
grades of E-5 and O-4. In
addition, each member
must have recently
returned from Iraq,
Afghanistan or the Horn of
Africa; and each member
must be a representative of
their respective service's
contribution to the fight.
From all the potential
candidates, each service
was to whittle their selections down to two representatives and an alternate.
Originally, Romeo and
another Sailor were chosen
to be the Navy's representatives with Everson slated
as the alternate. As events
would have it, the second
Sailor could not commit to
the three-month engagement so Everson was given
the opportunity.
According to
OASD(PA) the "Why We
Serve" program was
designed to connect
Americans directly with
service members and create an environment where
they can share their experiences free of third-party
interpretation and filters.
This allows service members to present a personal
perspective as can only be
seen through the eyes of
Sailors, Soldiers, Marines

Seabee Courier

By MCC Jeffrey J. Pierce
NMCB 7 Public Affairs

Seabee Courier

25Jan07.qxd

PG 6 B&W
CLEAN
By MC3 J.A. McIver

January 25, 2007

The Seabees at Naval
Mobile Construction
Battalion (NMCB) One
Thirty Three received
commendation certificates mid-month for volunteering to restore
American Legion's
Veterans of Foreign Wars
(VFW) Post 2539.
The old post was damaged by Hurricane
Katrina in the fall of 2005.
The project took 80
Seabees and 184 mandays to complete.
Members of One Thirty
Three stripped and
replaced the roof on the
post's main shed, built
shelves, helped out with
the electrical work and
circuitry, and painted
over 10,000 square feet of
wall and trim after pressure washing the area.
Charles Purchner, Vice
Commander at Post 2539,
extended thanks on
behalf of the post, to
Project Supervisor EA1
(SCW) Peter Sydow and
his crew.
"They really did a great
job, and we appreciate

Photo by MC3 J.A. McIver

The members at VFW Post 2539 served the members of
NMCB 133 dinner at the commendation ceremony, where
80 Seabees received certificates for restoring the post.

it," said Purchner.
"We hope that someday
we can pay them back."
Sydow returned the
same respect for all that
the post does for the
Seabees at Construction
Battalion Center (CBC)
Gulfport.
"The post has donated a
lot to us," said Sydow,
indicating gifts the post
has given to the battalions at CBC Gulfport
from phone cards to a
pool table.
"It felt good to help
them out, after they've
helped us so much. It
actually felt like we were
paying them back."
The camaraderie
between active duty and
veterans is apparent at
VFW 2539. Several
Seabees that participated
in the project joined the
post as members.
Ivan Bangs,
Commander at Post 2539
recognizes the unique
bond between presentday servicemembers and
veterans.
"Everyone has done
something," said Bangs.
"We've all contributed."

Public Private Venture (PPV)
Provided by CNRSE
Public Affairs

As part of an ongoing
effort to ensure Navy
Family Housing residents
are kept up to date on the
conversion of military
housing to a Public Private
Venture sometime in fiscal
year 2007, town hall meetings were recently held in
order to communicate
with residents on their
questions and concerns.
This is the first in a series
of articles in which
Frequently Asked
Questions from the residents during these meetings will be published.
Q1 Why are we doing
PPV in the first place?
A1 A shrinking housing
5 budget coupled with aging

housing units and maintenance backlog make it difficult for the Navy to provide
quality housing for our service members. The public private venture partnership will
make it possible for the Navy
to renovate and construct
family housing quickly and
affordably.
Q2 Will there be effective
oversight by the government of this PPV program?
A2 Yes, the Navy as well as
the Office of the Secretary of
Defense for Installation and
Environment support appropriate oversight. This oversight will be applied by the
Department of Navy
Representative and the
Navy's Business Agreement
Manager as well as the
Navy's on-site Housing Staff.
On-site Navy Housing Staff
will work daily with the

Partner's Staff and the
Department of the Navy
Representative who will meet
with the Partner on an as
required basis but at least
quarterly to review operations. They will also receive
monthly status reports that
will address occupancy
issues, the project's financial
status, etc.
Q3 What impact will privatization have on individual installations?
A3 Ideally, privatization
will bring about a dramatic
improvement of the installations' housing conditions and
services for military members
and their families, and consequently, an increase in their
quality of life, readiness,
morale and retention. One
major improvement is the
quality and quantity of maintenance on the housing units.

However, some inconveniences may occur throughout the
transition period during
which some housing will be
either renovated or constructed.
Q4 When will PPV start?
A4 Scheduled implementation date is 30 SEP 2007,
some transition may occur 30
days prior to the 30 Sep date.
Q5 What will happen to
excess Family Housing
(FH) units?
A5 Will be determined during exclusive negotiations
between the Navy and the
Partner.
Q6 Can residents live in
their assigned unit if it is
scheduled for closing?
A6 Will be determined durSee PPV page 16

Send free
Valentine's Day
messages to
your sweetheart
Reprinted from Stars and
Stripes
Stars and Stripes, the
daily newspaper of the
U.S. military, is hosting a
free Valentine's Day message posting service
online. The greetings will
be published in the
European, Pacific and
Middle East editions of
Stars and Stripes and on
Stripes.com Feb. 14 and
possibly also on Feb. 13,
depending on the number
of messages received.
Stars and Stripes recognizes the strain that
deployments and frequent
separations can put on a
marriage and wants to
give spouses and family
members a way to remember each other on this special day. "Being separated
from loved ones is one of
the constants in the lives
of our readers," said Meg
Irish, marketing director.
"Anything we can do to
bridge that gap, Stars and
Stripes will gladly undertake."
To send a free message,
readers may go to
Stripes.com and click on
the Valentine's Day messages button, any time
until Jan 30.
Stars and Stripes will
publish only messages
written in English which
are received online by the
Jan. 30 deadline. Every
effort will be made to
print all the messages
received for the Middle
East, European and Pacific
recipients, but Stars and
Stripes also reserves the
right to limit the number
of messages actually published based on the space
available.
Stars and Stripes delivers
independent news and
information daily to the
U.S. military community
worldwide. Editorially
independent of interference from outside its editorial chain of command,
it provides commercially
available U.S. and worldwide news.

From PPV page 6
ing exclusive negotiations
Partner.
Q7 How much housing is
DoD planning to privatize?
A7 DoD currently has an
inventory of 166,000 family
housing units-with about
50,000 inadequate units. Its
current plans are to privatize roughly 185,000 family
housing units. However,
there is no ceiling set on
the number of units
expected to be built or
reconditioned under the
MHPI (source:
http://www.acq.osd.mil/
housing/faqs.htm#10)
Q8 How is privatized
housing similar to military
housing?
A8 A few of the similarities
are:
1. Zero out of pocket expenses
for residents; rent is based on
BAH
2. You will continue to live
in a military community
3. Government pays for the
cost of moves into PPV units
for eligible service members
4. You will continue to go to
the Navy's Housing Welcome
Center for housing in the
community referral.
5. The Navy Housing
Welcome Center will receive
your application for PPV
housing and will refer you to
the Property Management
Company
housing different from military housing?
A9 Units are managed and
operated by a private property
management company.
1. You must sign a lease.
The lease will include a "military clause".
2. You will receive BAH and
pay rent directly to the property manager
3. The property management
company handles all resident
matters, including day to day
maintenance

Q10 Is the Navy reviewing lessons learned from
existing PPV projects?
A10 Yes, Navy is looking at
all existing PPV deals, to
include those from other DoD
services to ascertain the best
aspects of the projects and is
incorporating those lessons in
future deals
Q11 What is the Resident
Advisory Board and who
is on it?
A11 The Resident Advisory
Board will be created to support the Partner and the
Department of Navy (DON)
on matters that affect resident
satisfaction and quality of
life. It will review resident
satisfaction surveys, property
manager performance, and
construction process and
quality. The Resident
Advisory Board will report
its findings to the management board and make recommendations on resident issues
to the partner and DON
members. Recommended
DON participants include
the activity business manager, Command Master Chief or
Sergeant Major, activity
housing representative, elected residents, and the Resident
Officer in Charge of
Construction (ROICC) office.
Q12 How does the PPV
program impact families
where the non-military
member does not work?
A12 PPV has no adverse
impact on working spouses.
It has no affect on your ability to utilize programs such as
Women, Infants, and
Children (WIC), Head Start
and other income qualifying
assistance programs.
Q13 Why is my benefit of
living in Navy/Govt housing being taken away?
A13 There is no loss of benefit. You still have the opportunity to reside in housing
and for an amount equal to
your BAH. The only difference is that in lieu of forfeiting your BAH (to pay for
your housing and utilities),
you now will receive it, and

then pay that amount to the
partner in the form of rent,
utilities, and basic renter's
insurance. The DON is
embracing the PPV initiative
in order to provide high quality, affordable housing and
provide enhanced property
maintenance faster than
would be available under the
normal military construction.
Q14 Will accompanied
active duty always have
priority?
A14 Yes.
Q15 Can active duty displace those with a lower
priority?
A15 We expect those other
than accompanied families to
have no more than a 6
months lease If there are
accompanied active duty families on a waiting list, the
Partner will not renew the
existing lease for a lower priority resident.
Q16 Will there be a
screening process for civilians authorized to live on
base?
A16 Yes. Specifics will be
negotiated between the Navy
and the Partner.
Q17 Will civilians
approved to live on base
be monitored at the gates?
A17 Yes, to the same extent
as anyone else having access
to the base.
Q18 What will the new
rules (community policies)
be?
A18 The new property manager (at the resident meetings) will discuss community
policies. Generally, they will
be the same as the existing
Navy policies.
Q19 If the General Public
moves into FH, will they
have access to other base
facilities.
A19 No.
Q20 Will the fence line be
moved?
A20 Will be determined
during exclusive negotiations
Partner, but in most cases,
this has not occurred.
Q21 How does DON plan

Keesler's Medical Center Entrance Closed for Renovation
Keesler Medical Center's A Tower entrance, at the top of the elevated
driveway, will be closed for renovation starting Jan. 20. It is scheduled to
reopen the end of March. The outpatient clinic entrance by the Pharmacy
and Family Practice Clinic will still be available for patients and staff to
use.
The renovation is part of a project to place outpatient records and the
state-of-the art PRK surgery clinic in this area to ensure they, and other
high-value items will be safe from future storm-related flooding.

to address episodes of
financial irresponsibility
that may occur by occupants of PPV Housing?
A21 Currently, the Navy
Housing Office provides
counseling on this issue. The
Navy very much encourages
residents of PPV Housing to
utilize Electronic Funds
Transfer for payment of rent
and level payment plans for
payment of Utilities. The
Navy is looking at all
avenues for education on
financial responsibility, for
example Command Master
Chiefs & Family Service
Center counselors.
Alternately financial irresponsibility will be the
responsibility of the PPV
partner.
Q22 What recourse will
military families occupying PPV Housing have if

the property manager is
irresponsive to service
needs?
A23 If the local property
manager is unresponsive then
the resident will be able to
contact a corporate Regional
representative. Also, personnel at the Housing Welcome
Center, including its military
liaison, will continue to be
available to occupants of PPV
Housing.
Q24 What about privatizing barracks, and DoD
lodging?
A24 DoD is currently testing privatization of barracks
in Norfolk and San Diego
and would like to privatize
additional barracks and lodging where and when it is feasible.

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19

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133 partners with local VFW Post 2539

PG 19 B&W 2 Col. Cln

January 25, 2007

13:17

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Page 7

PG 7 B&W CLEAN

PG 18 B&W 5X11.5
News & Notes
from PSD

Promise to Serve

For Seabee Courier delivery, contact Naval
Construction Battalion Center Public Affairs at:
(228) 871-3662 or send email to
seabeecourier.navy.mil

Provided by
PSC Reginald Pierce

2007 BAH RATES

Military Pay Advisory
76/06 states initial W2
statements for tax year
2006 will be available electronically via MyPay, 22
January 2007 for view and
print. Service members
also have the option on
MyPay to view and print
W2 and corrected W2-C
statements up to four prior
years. W2/W2-C view and
print option will be available via MyPay Internet
site at
https://mypay.dfas.mil.
Do not be alarmed if after
selecting the W2 option
you receive one of the following screen messages;
"The file is not currently
available. Please try again
later" or "Your pay system
in not responding. Please
try again later", the W2
server is taken off line
periodically for routine
maintenance and will be
See PSD page 17

The family of SW2 Chris McLean, a
Seabee attached to Naval Mobile
Construction Battalion One, waited
with open arms as the battalion
returned home from their six-month
deployment to the far East.

NMCB 1 reunites with friends, families
Story & photos by MC2 Demetrius Kennon
Before it's time for a Seabee to deploy,
many preparations must be made. Of
course, there are all the medical screenings, extensive training, and record
updates. Not to mention packing, organizing finances, and arranging storage for
personal items. But that's not even the
half of it for Seabees with families. Once
a deployment begins, Seabees have to
leave their families behind. But all their
hard work and dedication before and
during deployment pays off when they
return home.
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion
One (NMCB 1) returned home to Naval
Construction Battalion Center (NCBC)
Gulfport, Miss., in December 2006, to a
poignant homecoming.
"I was very emotional when I came off
the plane," said Lt. Cmdr.
Chad Brooks, the Operations Officer for
NMCB 1. "I was very excited but in the
same part, I felt a little bit guilty because
I could see how much the kids had
changed and knew that I'd been away for
a lot of that time when they had seen and
learned new things."
After the initial euphoria of seeing family, the reality of becoming a family again
sets in and it's a really challenging time,
said Brooks. Brooks has a 4-year-old son
and a 2-year-old daughter.
"My wife told me they had a good
deployment," he said. "The kids handled
it well, and I think they understood that I
was gone for a very long time and for a
good cause."
NMCB 1 was deployed for six months
to 20 locations across the globe including
sites in Japan, Korea, Iraq, Pohnpei and
California, said Brooks. Though the
Seabees kept extremely busy in the field,
they still missed spending time with their
families.
"That time is lost," said Brooks. "The
things the kids learned and experienced

during that time has come and gone."
"Make sure if you have young kids, you
actually talk to them about deployment,
so that it doesn't come to them as a surprise," he added.
"No matter how you slice it, being
deployed is tough in terms of maintaining a relationship with your family,"
Brooks said. "We did lots of emails and
lots of letters."
One of the most important things for
Seabees who will be leaving their families
is having a means to communicate with
their loved ones.
Seabees should have some agreement
with their families as to how they're
going to communicate, whether it's email,
phone calls, or Web cam, said Brooks.
This prevents false expectations for the
amount of communication that will be
available.
"If your family expects to hear from you
every week and for some reason you
can't, they may begin to worry about you
unnecessarily or feel that you're not paying attention to them," Brooks said.
"It's a lifestyle you never get used to,"
said Utilitiesman 1st Class Adrian
Gonzalez, the Leading Petty Officer for
Detail Iwakuni in NMCB 1. "You just
learn how to deal with it."
Gonzalez has a son, 17, and a daughter,
14, and speaks very highly of them both.
Gonzalez describes his reunion with
them after deployment simply as "fantastic."
Gonzalez's pride was almost overwhelming when he talked about his son.
With a stern look in his eye he said, "I'm
not saying this just because he's my son,
but he's probably the smartest kid I have
ever encountered."
The life of a deployed Seabee can be just
as hard as the lives of the family back
home, so the key is mutual support from
both ends.
"The sacrifices I make for my kids might
be challenging, but for them it's well
worth it in the end," said Gonzalez.

Observe parking signs onboard NCBC; violators will be ticketed!

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Space

18

CB PG 07-18

W2 INFORMATION FOR
TAX YEAR 2006

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion One
Seabees returned home from six months
in 20 locations around the world to their
families. The families waited patiently at
the hangar doors of the Trent Lott Air
National Guard Airport in Gulfport.

January 25, 2007

January 25, 2007
6

A refresher
on Force
Protection
Condition
definitions is
provided by
CBC Security

Basic Allowance for
Housing (BAH) is based
on geographic duty location, pay grade, and
dependency status. The
intent of BAH is to provide uniformed service
members with permanent
duty within the 50 United
States accurate and equitable housing compensation based on housing
costs in local civilian housing markets, and is
payable when government
quarters are not provided.
A uniformed service
member stationed overseas, including U.S. protectorates, who is not furnished government housing, is eligible for Overseas
Housing Allowance
(OHA). Sailors can look
up their 2007 BAH rates
on the following Internet
site:
https://secureapp2.hqda.p
entagon.mil/perdiem/bah
.html

Seabee Courier

Photo by MC3 Ja'lon Rhinehart

EQCM (SCW) Jeffrey Robinson, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) One's Alfa Company
Master Chief, is reenlisted by Marine Corps Capt. Jake Urban for three years. Master Chief
Robinson has faithfully served the Seabee's for over 26 years, and looks forward to the next three,
which he will spend attached to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Seven.

Seabee Courier

25Jan07.qxd

PG16 B&W Clean

PG 9 B&W

Seabee Community Notes

Chaplains
define their
mission within
the NCF

SESA
The Senior Enlisted Spouses
Association (SESA) is for spouses
of E7-E9. All branches of the
military are welcome. For additional information, contact SESA
at sesacbc@yahoo.com.
NMCB 1 FSG
We would like to invite all
friends and family of NMCB 1
Seabees to join us on the first
Thursday of every month at 6:30
p.m. at the CBC Chapel in
Fellowship Hall. Bring the kids,
babysitting is available and free.
The NMCB 1 FSG offers fun
activities including movies, picnics, bonfires, holiday parties
and lots more for the whole family. During homeport and during the deployment we are available to help support all of our
NMCB 1 families and friends. If
you have any questions please
call the FSG president, Briana
McAllister at (228) 868-8767 or
email her at
donzgoddess@yahoo.com. We
hope to see you there.
NMCB 1 FSG also has a new


The Navy's Chief of Chaplains,
RADM Robert Burt visited CBC
Gulfport for a Chaplains Conference
January 9. While onboard, the Admiral
took the time to speak with Seabees
from NMCB 133 about deployments
and the role Navy Chaplains play in a
deployed unit.

website that will keep you up to
date on what is happening within our military family. The new
website is: http://hub.cinchouse.com/nmcb1seabees.
NMCB 133 FSG
friends and family members of
NMCB 133 to join us on the first
Wednesday of every month at
6:00 p.m. in the base chapel. We
also do many activities such as
holiday parties, fun trips, movie
outings and more. During
homeport we share in each others excitement and during
deployments we lean on each
other for support. We offer battalion information and welcome
those with children, those without, wives, husbands and other
loved ones.
NMCB 7 FSG
Come join our growing family.
We are here to promote and
grow social relationships and
encourage interaction of spouses
and family members during
often trying and difficult times
during the deployment of our

NMCB 7 men and women. We
have lots of fundraisers and
activities planned for the whole
family.
There are games and crafts for
the kids and speakers on different topics for the adults. We will
also have drawdowns for door
prizes and refreshments each
month. We meet the 3rd
Wednesday of each month at
6:30 p.m. with a potluck dinner
at the start. Come and get
together with us and meet your
fellow family members. For
more information on NMCB 7's
FSG, contact Kathleen
Whisenhunt, FSG president at
kwhisenhunt@gmail.com. You
can also check out nmcb7fsg@cinchouse.com and http://hub.cinchouse.com/nmcb7fsg/for more
information.
NMCB 74 FSG
The NMCB 74 Family Support
Group welcomes friends and
families of NMCB 74 personnel.
We encourage and promote
friendly and sympathetic relationships among our family

members.
We have a new Careline number for battalion updates, it is 1866-531-1101 (toll free), or 8713650 (local).
Family Support Group meetings are held every third
Monday of the month at the CBC
Chapel in Fellowship Hall at 6:30
p.m. Free baby-sitting and activities for the children are provided. For information contact FSG
President, Helen Walker at (228)
586-0114; or Secretary, Robyn
Baca at (228) 539-9059. The FSG
Advisor is Susan Prather, (228)
392-5945.
NCTC TRI-SERVICE FSG
We invite all spouses and loved
ones of NCTC to join us on the
fourth Monday of each month at
6:30pm in the Fellowship Hall of
CBC Chapel. We are offering fun
activities for the family, girls
night out, and fellowship among
the NCTC Command. For more
information, please contact our
FSG President Tessa Grimes @
865-4364 or email her at
tgrimes730@hotmail.com.

Navy-Marine Corps
Relief Society
The Navy-Marine Corps Relief
Society (NMCRS) Thrift Shop is
located at the far north end of
McKinney Ave, Building 16. The
Thrift Shop is staffed entirely by
volunteers. The retail hours of
operation are Monday Thursday, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. and
Friday, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
New volunteers are always welcome. Visit the Navy-Marine
Corps Relief Society offices at the
Fleet and family Support
Center, Building 30, Suite 103,
or call (228) 871-2610 to obtain
information about becoming a
part of the NMCRS volunteer
team! Childcare and mileage
are reimbursed.
Mississippi Gulf Coast First
Class Association
MGCFCA is seeking new members. Meetings are every Weds
at 2 p.m at CBC's Beehive,
Bldg. 352. Call BU1 Reyes or
CE1 Johnson at 871-2145 for
more information.

Community Calendar
Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

23

24

25 Anti-terrorism
Force Protection Qrtrly
Mtg., Bldg 1, Conf. Rm.,
1:30 p.m.
All Khaki Social, A&E,
3 p.m.

26 CMDCM Melvin

27

29

30

Seabee Ball
Committee Mtg.,
Bldg. 1 Conf. Rm.,
1:30 p.m.

31 Lunchtime Bible
Study, Bldg. 1, Conf.
Rm., 11:30 - 12:30
Grand Opening Pine
Bayou Snackbar, 11:30

1 February

2

3

All Khaki Social,
A&E, 3 p.m.

6 Seabee Ball
Committee Mtg.,
Bldg. 1 Conf. Rm.,
1:30 p.m.

7 Lunchtime Bible

Rm., 11:30 - 12:30

8
All Khaki Social,
A&E, 3 p.m.

13 Seabee Ball

14 Valentine's Day

15

4

11

5

12
Lincoln's Birthday

18

19 Washington's

25

26

Val. Day 5K Run, 6:30
Committee Mtg.,
All Khaki Social,
Lunchtime Bible Study, Bldg. 1
Bldg. 1, Conf. Rm.,
A&E, 3 p.m.
Conf. Rm., 11:30 NMCRS
1:30 p.m.
All Cmdrs. Mtg., Bldg Cust.Adv. Board Mtg. Lunch,
Bldg 1 Conf. Room, 11:30
1, Conf. Rm, 10 a.m.

21
20 Mardi Gras
22
Lunchtime Bible
Birthday, Federal
Fat Tuesday
All Khaki Social,
Holiday
DeCA Commissary Study, Bldg. 1, Conf. A&E, 3 p.m.
DeCA Commissary Closed
Rm., 11:30 - 12:30
Closed
Seabee Ball Comm.
Mtg., Bldg 1 Conf.
Rm., 1:30 p.m.
27 Seabee Ball

Committee Mtg.,
Bldg. 1 Conf. Rm.,
1:30 p.m.

7

Girard Ret. Cer., Chapel, 10
a.m./ 3rd Annual Seabee
Class Golf Tourn. Windance
Coun. Club/ Frosty 5K
Lunch Run, 11:30/Comics on
Duty Tour, Theater, 7 p.m.
Ground Hog Day

9

10

16

17

23

24

28 Lunchtime Bible 1 March

Study, Bldg. 1, Conf. All Khaki Social,
Rm., 11:30 - 12:30
A&E, 3 p.m.

16

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22

28
January 25, 2007

21 January

January 25, 2007

13:18

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PG 10 Color

PG 15 color

Healthy vision helps your world stay in focus
Preventive eye care is
important to everyone
because eye conditions and
diseases that can destroy
you and your family's
healthy vision can strike at
any time in life, from newborn to old age. Infants
and toddlers should be
screened for common eye
problems, such as strabismus (crossed eyes) and
amblyopia (lazy eye) during their regular pediatric
appointments. Vision testing is recommended for all
children starting at
around 6 months years of
age.
Most children and
teenagers have healthy
eyes, but they still need to
take care of their vision by
wearing protective eyewear when playing sports,
doing yard work, working
with chemicals or taking
part in other activities that
could cause an eye injury.
Even young adults and
middle-aged individuals
can be affected by eye

problems, so preventive
measures should be taken
to detect eye diseases early
and to protect eyes from
injury. These individuals
should have a complete
eye exam at least once
between the ages of 20 and
29, at least twice between
the ages of 30 and 39, and
every two to four years
65.
Seniors over age 65
eye exam by their Eye
M.D. every one to two
years for cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular
degeneration, diabetic
retinopathy and other eye
conditions. Check with
your Family Eye Doctor to
see how often you should
have a complete eye exam
if any of the following risk
factors affect you:
History of eye injury,
diabetes, family history of
eye problems, African
American over age 40
Protecting your eyes from
accidents and early detection and treatment of eye
problems are the best ways

Eye Exam
Guidelines

Ages 6 months to 2
years: Schedule first
exam with family eye
doctor
Ages 3 to 5: Schedule
examination every one to
two years
examinations as needed
Ages 20 to 29: One
examination
Ages 30 to 39: Two
examinations
Ages 40 to 65: Examination every two to four
years
Ages 65 and over:
Examination every one
to two years
to keep your healthy
vision throughout life. If
you or your family are at
risk for eye disease or

experience any eye problems, visit your Eye M.D.
promptly.

January 25, 2007

VITA stands ready to help with your tax preparations

8

Provided by
LN2 Eric W. Musick
NLSO Central BROFF Gpt
The VITA Tax Office is
now open for appointments. You can file your
2006 taxes here free and
conveniently. Located in
Building 30, room 158, the
Tax Center hours of operation are Monday-Thursday
from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. and
Friday from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
The VITA tax office is
open to all military members and their dependents'.
The phone number for
appointments and questions is 228-871-3500.
When you arrive for your
appointment you must
provide a valid military
identification card, or
dependent identification
card, and your Social
Security card or a valid
identification card with

your social security number on it. Also bring all W2's and 1099 forms, along

with other important
paperwork.
Powers of Attorney are

required in order for you
to file if your spouse is
deployed. If you have

Ad Space

questions, please feel free
to call the tax center.

Photo by RP1 Chad Robinson

SWCN Chad Shue explains the steel bending process to Capt. Katherine L.
Gregory, Commander 30th Naval Construction Regiment at NMCB 74 Detail
Guam's Laundry Facility construction project. Capt. Gregory and CMDCM
(SCW) Michael E. Holdcraft of the 30th NCR were in Guam taking part in
an Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI).

Ad Space
Gulf Coast USO
3001 6th Street, (Bldg 306), 228-575-5224
FREE SERVICES AVAILABLE
Fax - Send & Receive (228-575-5225), Copies (limited amount)
X-Box
Snacks & Drinks, Information and Referral
United through Reading Program
Computers (4): with web cams, Internet Access, Email Access,Yahoo, Hotmail
Office Hours: Monday – Friday 8a.m. - 5 p.m.Saturday 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Closed on Sunday

15

CB PG 10-15 COLOR

Provided by NCBC Safety
Office

NMCB 74 Operational Readiness Inspection

January 25, 2007

13:19

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PG 11 B&W

PG14B&W
Ribbon cut on VA pier built by NMCB 133
By MC3 J.A. McIver
The new pier at the veterans
hospital is open for business.
Battalion (NMCB) ONE
THIRTY-THREE'S Air
Detachment, along with several patients, attended the
ribbon-cutting.
The original pier was constructed by the Department
of Veterans Affairs (VA), and
stood for 15 years, until
Hurricane Katrina destroyed
the structure in August 2005,
leaving only the original pilings standing.
The Seabees were first on
the scene to lend their skills
and their spirit to the VA to
ensure better quality of life
for those who have served
our country.


Equipment Operator Ryan Smith of New Orleans, La. from Naval Mobile
Construction Battalion 74 operates a NAV64B Track Loader at Out Post Viking on
Jan. 3. Seabees from NMCB 74's Alfa Company went to Out Post Viking to build a
culvert, to allow the Marines access to the main Entry Control Point.

74 builds bridges in time of war
By MC2 Gregory N. Juday

January 25, 2007

It was a cold morning in
Ramadi, Iraq, when eight
Seabees from Naval
Mobile Construction
Battalion (NMCB) 74
stepped off to complete a
project at Out Post Viking,
a small camp outside
Fallujah. They were
tasked with replacing an
existing temporary bridge
spanning a small canal
with a more permanent
crossing. To accomplish
this, Fearless 74 place three
culverts in the canal and
then backfilled it to grade
level.
Marines from Fox
Company, 2/8 Battalion
had requested a more permanent crossing so that
they could bring much
needed heavy equipment
and artillery vehicles
across the canal and into
their camp.
"The bridge we had
before was not sturdy or
large enough to accommodate 7-ton trucks or tanks,"
said Gunnery Sergeant
Vernon Getter of Fox Co.,
nd
th
9 2 Battalion, 8 Marines.

"Allowing these vehicles to
enter the camp will heighten the security for the
Marines stationed here."
Several days of planning
and three working days
totaling 186 man hours
went into placing the culverts for OP Viking. The
Seabees placed over 300
tons of existing fill and
another 300 tons brought
in from Ramadi utilizing a
John Deere 200 CLC
Excavator and a NAV 64B
Track loader to get the job
done.
"I feel good about helping
the Marines out on the
front lines," said
Equipment Operator Ryan
Smith of New Orleans,
Louisiana. "They are out
there everyday protecting
us, so if we can make their
lives easier by building a
bridge, then I am proud to
build them a bridge".
During their time at OP
Viking, the Marines supported the Seabees by providing them food, berthing
and security for the duration of their stay.
"At first I wasn't too
thrilled about the accommodations, until I saw how

some of the Marines living
here slept at night, and I
became more appreciative
for what they had to give,"
said Equipment Operator
Patrick Warner. "I came to
realize that by working
side by side with these
guys and sleeping in close
quarters for the duration of
our stay, it helped bring us
together; not just as a team
but as a family." With limited hardened structures,
most of the Marines slept
outside in the cold night
air often reaching temperatures in the mid 20s.
To place the culverts
leading to the entrance of
the camp, the Seabees had
to work from sunrise to
sunset outside the safety
perimeter of the camp. To
help ensure the safety of
our Seabees, the Marines
posted security and
patrolled the surrounding
areas to make sure that
there were no unforeseen
incidents.
"I believe it was the least
See Bridges page 17

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Space

Charles Sepich, Director of
VA Medical Center,
remarked on the enthusiasm
of the crew. "The Seabees
were here for us first when
we needed them," said
Sepich.
Pier projects are normally
handled by the Amphibious
(ACB). Project Supervisor
BU1 (SCW) Michael Cadoret
knew his team was equipped
with the necessary skills to
complete the project at its
onset. "With our motivated
crew and Air Det's 'Can Do'
spirit, we will get the job
done," said Cadoret.
Later, Cadoret expressed his
own satisfaction in being a
part of the project. "Now the
veterans will have a place to
fish. They haven't had that
for a long time."

The Seabees have contributed to the quality of life
at the hospital in the past as
well, having built the basketball court, helping patients
with transportation to various appointments, and participating in the patient
Mardi Gras celebration.
The effort of today's active
duty Sailors shows consideration and respect for those
who have gone before us.
"Just to have today's active
duty members serve those
who have already served is a
real treat," said Edward
Cassel, spokesman for Biloxi
VA Medical Center.
The bait shop at the pier is
estimated to open within a
month, and the Seabees have
been invited back to attend
one of the many fish fries of
the coming season.

Gulf Coast Mardi Gras Parades
Feb 3 Biloxi Children's Mardi Gras Walking Parade, Biloxi, 10 a.m.
Feb 10 Krewe of Roses Parade Picayune, 6 p.m.
Gautier Mens Club 18th Annual Mardi Gras Parade, Gautier, Parade, 7 p.m.
Orange Grove Carnival Association Parade, Orange Grove, 2 p.m.
Second Liners Mardi Gras Club Parade, Biloxi, 1 p.m.
Feb 11 Carnival Association of Long Beach Mardi Gras Parade, Long Beach, 2 p.m.
Krewe of Nereids Mardi Gras Parade, Waveland, 1 p.m.
Feb 17 Jackson County Carnival Association Mardi Gras Parade, Pascagoula, 1 p.m
Krewe of Diamondhead Parade, Diamondhead, Noon
Krewe of Gemini Day Parade, Gulfport, 2 p.m.
Feb 18 North Bay Area Mardi Gras Association, D'Iberville, 1:30 p.m.
St. Pauls Carnival Association Mardi Gras Parade, Pass Christian, Noon
Feb 20 Gulf Coast Carnival Association Parade, Biloxi, 1 p.m.
Gulf Coast Carnival AssocIAtion Parade at 1 pm.
Krewe of Neptune Parade, Biloxi, Starts after Biloxi Carnival Association Parade
Krewe of Gemini Night Parade, Gulfport, 6 p.m.
Krewe of Real People Mardi Gras Parade, Bay St. Louis, 1 p.m.
For the latest information on Mardi Gras parade routes check the links at: http://www.gulfcoast.com/events and http://www.gulfcoast.org/calendar.

Web tool now available to change
Network passwords
Provided by Jana Landers
NCBC Info Tech Dept
The Automated Password
Reset (APR) Web site enables
you to reset your NMCI network passwords, used for
services such as Outlook Web
Access (OWA) and remote
network access, using your
Common Access Card (CAC).
The APR Web site is available
at:
http://pwdreset.nads.navy.m
il from a Navy seat; or

https://pwdreset.mcds.usmc.
mil from a Marine Corps seat.
Refer to the Automated
Password Reset Quick
Reference Guide for complete
instructions.
Please note that this tool
cannot be used to change the
PIN number associated with
your CAC card. You should
only use the APR Web site to
reset your password if you
have forgotten your NMCI
network password. You
should not use either of these
two sites for routine pass-

word changes. If you want or
are prompted to change your
password, press Ctrl + Alt +
Delete on your keyboard and
click Change Password. For
complete instructions on
changing your NMCI password through Windows
refer to Password Tips for
RAS Users within the
Training section of
Homeport.
For more information, contact the NMCI Help Desk at
(866) THE-NMCI.

Ad
Space

14

CB PG 11-14

What you don't know about safety could hurt you.

January 25, 2007

13:19

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Clean
Clean

CB PG 12-13 COLOR

13:19

January 25, 2007

January 25, 2007

1/24/2007

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Pg13

PG 11 B&W

PG14B&W
Ribbon cut on VA pier built by NMCB 133
By MC3 J.A. McIver
The new pier at the veterans
hospital is open for business.
Battalion (NMCB) ONE
THIRTY-THREE'S Air
Detachment, along with several patients, attended the
ribbon-cutting.
The original pier was constructed by the Department
of Veterans Affairs (VA), and
stood for 15 years, until
Hurricane Katrina destroyed
the structure in August 2005,
leaving only the original pilings standing.
The Seabees were first on
the scene to lend their skills
and their spirit to the VA to
ensure better quality of life
for those who have served
our country.


Equipment Operator Ryan Smith of New Orleans, La. from Naval Mobile
Construction Battalion 74 operates a NAV64B Track Loader at Out Post Viking on
Jan. 3. Seabees from NMCB 74's Alfa Company went to Out Post Viking to build a
culvert, to allow the Marines access to the main Entry Control Point.

74 builds bridges in time of war
By MC2 Gregory N. Juday

January 25, 2007

It was a cold morning in
Ramadi, Iraq, when eight
Seabees from Naval
Mobile Construction
Battalion (NMCB) 74
stepped off to complete a
project at Out Post Viking,
a small camp outside
Fallujah. They were
tasked with replacing an
existing temporary bridge
spanning a small canal
with a more permanent
crossing. To accomplish
this, Fearless 74 place three
culverts in the canal and
then backfilled it to grade
level.
Marines from Fox
Company, 2/8 Battalion
had requested a more permanent crossing so that
they could bring much
needed heavy equipment
and artillery vehicles
across the canal and into
their camp.
"The bridge we had
before was not sturdy or
large enough to accommodate 7-ton trucks or tanks,"
said Gunnery Sergeant
Vernon Getter of Fox Co.,
nd
th
11 2 Battalion, 8 Marines.

"Allowing these vehicles to
enter the camp will heighten the security for the
Marines stationed here."
Several days of planning
and three working days
totaling 186 man hours
went into placing the culverts for OP Viking. The
Seabees placed over 300
tons of existing fill and
another 300 tons brought
in from Ramadi utilizing a
John Deere 200 CLC
Excavator and a NAV 64B
Track loader to get the job
done.
"I feel good about helping
the Marines out on the
front lines," said
Equipment Operator Ryan
Smith of New Orleans,
Louisiana. "They are out
there everyday protecting
us, so if we can make their
lives easier by building a
bridge, then I am proud to
build them a bridge".
During their time at OP
Viking, the Marines supported the Seabees by providing them food, berthing
and security for the duration of their stay.
"At first I wasn't too
thrilled about the accommodations, until I saw how

some of the Marines living
here slept at night, and I
became more appreciative
for what they had to give,"
said Equipment Operator
Patrick Warner. "I came to
realize that by working
side by side with these
guys and sleeping in close
quarters for the duration of
our stay, it helped bring us
together; not just as a team
but as a family." With limited hardened structures,
most of the Marines slept
outside in the cold night
air often reaching temperatures in the mid 20s.
To place the culverts
leading to the entrance of
the camp, the Seabees had
to work from sunrise to
sunset outside the safety
perimeter of the camp. To
help ensure the safety of
our Seabees, the Marines
posted security and
patrolled the surrounding
areas to make sure that
there were no unforeseen
incidents.
"I believe it was the least
See Bridges page 23

Ad
Space

Charles Sepich, Director of
VA Medical Center,
remarked on the enthusiasm
of the crew. "The Seabees
were here for us first when
we needed them," said
Sepich.
Pier projects are normally
handled by the Amphibious
(ACB). Project Supervisor
BU1 (SCW) Michael Cadoret
knew his team was equipped
with the necessary skills to
complete the project at its
onset. "With our motivated
crew and Air Det's 'Can Do'
spirit, we will get the job
done," said Cadoret.
Later, Cadoret expressed his
own satisfaction in being a
part of the project. "Now the
veterans will have a place to
fish. They haven't had that
for a long time."

The Seabees have contributed to the quality of life
at the hospital in the past as
well, having built the basketball court, helping patients
with transportation to various appointments, and participating in the patient
Mardi Gras celebration.
The effort of today's active
duty Sailors shows consideration and respect for those
who have gone before us.
"Just to have today's active
duty members serve those
who have already served is a
real treat," said Edward
Cassel, spokesman for Biloxi
VA Medical Center.
The bait shop at the pier is
estimated to open within a
month, and the Seabees have
been invited back to attend
one of the many fish fries of
the coming season.

Gulf Coast Mardi Gras Parades
Feb 3 Biloxi Children's Mardi Gras Walking Parade, Biloxi, 10 a.m.
Feb 10 Krewe of Roses Parade Picayune, 6 p.m.
Gautier Mens Club 18th Annual Mardi Gras Parade, Gautier, Parade, 7 p.m.
Orange Grove Carnival Association Parade, Orange Grove, 2 p.m.
Second Liners Mardi Gras Club Parade, Biloxi, 1 p.m.
Feb 11 Carnival Association of Long Beach Mardi Gras Parade, Long Beach, 2 p.m.
Krewe of Nereids Mardi Gras Parade, Waveland, 1 p.m.
Feb 17 Jackson County Carnival Association Mardi Gras Parade, Pascagoula, 1 p.m
Krewe of Diamondhead Parade, Diamondhead, Noon
Krewe of Gemini Day Parade, Gulfport, 2 p.m.
Feb 18 North Bay Area Mardi Gras Association, D'Iberville, 1:30 p.m.
St. Pauls Carnival Association Mardi Gras Parade, Pass Christian, Noon
Feb 20 Gulf Coast Carnival Association Parade, Biloxi, 1 p.m.
Gulf Coast Carnival AssocIAtion Parade at 1 pm.
Krewe of Neptune Parade, Biloxi, Starts after Biloxi Carnival Association Parade
Krewe of Gemini Night Parade, Gulfport, 6 p.m.
Krewe of Real People Mardi Gras Parade, Bay St. Louis, 1 p.m.
For the latest information on Mardi Gras parade routes check the links at: http://www.gulfcoast.com/events and http://www.gulfcoast.org/calendar.

Web tool now available to change
Network passwords
Provided by Jana Landers
NCBC Info Tech Dept
The Automated Password
Reset (APR) Web site enables
you to reset your NMCI network passwords, used for
services such as Outlook Web
Access (OWA) and remote
network access, using your
Common Access Card (CAC).
The APR Web site is available
at:
http://pwdreset.nads.navy.m
il from a Navy seat; or

https://pwdreset.mcds.usmc.
mil from a Marine Corps seat.
Refer to the Automated
Password Reset Quick
Reference Guide for complete
instructions.
Please note that this tool
cannot be used to change the
PIN number associated with
your CAC card. You should
only use the APR Web site to
reset your password if you
have forgotten your NMCI
network password. You
should not use either of these
two sites for routine pass-

word changes. If you want or
are prompted to change your
password, press Ctrl + Alt +
Delete on your keyboard and
click Change Password. For
complete instructions on
changing your NMCI password through Windows
refer to Password Tips for
RAS Users within the
Training section of
Homeport.
For more information, contact the NMCI Help Desk at
(866) THE-NMCI.

Ad
Space

11

CB PG 11-14

What you don't know about safety could hurt you.

January 25, 2007

13:19

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1/24/2007

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PG 10 Color

PG 15 color

Healthy vision helps your world stay in focus
Preventive eye care is
important to everyone
because eye conditions and
diseases that can destroy
you and your family's
healthy vision can strike at
any time in life, from newborn to old age. Infants
and toddlers should be
screened for common eye
problems, such as strabismus (crossed eyes) and
amblyopia (lazy eye) during their regular pediatric
appointments. Vision testing is recommended for all
children starting at
around 6 months years of
age.
Most children and
teenagers have healthy
eyes, but they still need to
take care of their vision by
wearing protective eyewear when playing sports,
doing yard work, working
with chemicals or taking
part in other activities that
could cause an eye injury.
Even young adults and
middle-aged individuals
can be affected by eye

problems, so preventive
measures should be taken
to detect eye diseases early
and to protect eyes from
injury. These individuals
eye exam at least once
29, at least twice between
the ages of 30 and 39, and
every two to four years
65.
Seniors over age 65
eye exam by their Eye
M.D. every one to two
years for cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular
degeneration, diabetic
retinopathy and other eye
conditions. Check with
your Family Eye Doctor to
see how often you should
have a complete eye exam
if any of the following risk
factors affect you:
History of eye injury,
diabetes, family history of
eye problems, African
American over age 40
Protecting your eyes from
accidents and early detection and treatment of eye
problems are the best ways

Eye Exam
Guidelines

Ages 6 months to 2
years: Schedule first
exam with family eye
doctor
examination every one to
two years
examinations as needed
Ages 20 to 29: One
examination
Ages 30 to 39: Two
examinations
Ages 40 to 65: Examination every two to four
years
Ages 65 and over:
Examination every one
to two years
to keep your healthy
vision throughout life. If
you or your family are at
risk for eye disease or

experience any eye problems, visit your Eye M.D.
promptly.

January 25, 2007

VITA stands ready to help with your tax preparations

10

Provided by
LN2 Eric W. Musick
NLSO Central BROFF Gpt
The VITA Tax Office is
now open for appointments. You can file your
2006 taxes here free and
conveniently. Located in
Building 30, room 158, the
Tax Center hours of operation are Monday-Thursday
from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. and
Friday from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
The VITA tax office is
open to all military members and their dependents'.
The phone number for
appointments and questions is 228-871-3500.
When you arrive for your
appointment you must
provide a valid military
identification card, or
dependent identification
card, and your Social
Security card or a valid
identification card with

your social security number on it. Also bring all W2's and 1099 forms, along

with other important
paperwork.
Powers of Attorney are

required in order for you
to file if your spouse is
deployed. If you have

Ad Space

questions, please feel free
to call the tax center.

Photo by RP1 Chad Robinson

SWCN Chad Shue explains the steel bending process to Capt. Katherine L.
Gregory, Commander 30th Naval Construction Regiment at NMCB 74 Detail
Guam's Laundry Facility construction project. Capt. Gregory and CMDCM
(SCW) Michael E. Holdcraft of the 30th NCR were in Guam taking part in
an Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI).

Ad Space
Gulf Coast USO
3001 6th Street, (Bldg 306), 228-575-5224
FREE SERVICES AVAILABLE
Fax - Send & Receive (228-575-5225), Copies (limited amount)
X-Box
Snacks & Drinks, Information and Referral
United through Reading Program
Computers (4): with web cams, Internet Access, Email Access,Yahoo, Hotmail
Office Hours: Monday – Friday 8a.m. - 5 p.m.Saturday 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Closed on Sunday

12

CB PG 10-15 COLOR

Provided by NCBC Safety
Office

NMCB 74 Operational Readiness Inspection

January 25, 2007

13:19

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1/24/2007

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PG16 B&W Clean

PG 9 B&W


The Navy's Chief of Chaplains,
RADM Robert Burt visited CBC
Gulfport for a Chaplains Conference
January 9. While onboard, the Admiral
took the time to speak with Seabees
from NMCB 133 about deployments
and the role Navy Chaplains play in a
deployed unit.

SESA
The Senior Enlisted Spouses
Association (SESA) is for spouses
of E7-E9. All branches of the
military are welcome. For additional information, contact SESA
at sesacbc@yahoo.com.
NMCB 1 FSG
friends and family of NMCB 1
Seabees to join us on the first
Thursday of every month at 6:30
p.m. at the CBC Chapel in
Fellowship Hall. Bring the kids,
babysitting is available and free.
The NMCB 1 FSG offers fun
activities including movies, picnics, bonfires, holiday parties
and lots more for the whole family. During homeport and during the deployment we are available to help support all of our
NMCB 1 families and friends. If
you have any questions please
call the FSG president, Briana
McAllister at (228) 868-8767 or
email her at
donzgoddess@yahoo.com. We
hope to see you there.
NMCB 1 FSG also has a new

website that will keep you up to
date on what is happening within our military family. The new
website is: http://hub.cinchouse.com/nmcb1seabees.
NMCB 133 FSG
friends and family members of
NMCB 133 to join us on the first
Wednesday of every month at
6:00 p.m. in the base chapel. We
also do many activities such as
holiday parties, fun trips, movie
outings and more. During
homeport we share in each others excitement and during
deployments we lean on each
other for support. We offer battalion information and welcome
those with children, those without, wives, husbands and other
loved ones.
NMCB 7 FSG
Come join our growing family.
We are here to promote and
grow social relationships and
encourage interaction of spouses
and family members during
often trying and difficult times
during the deployment of our

NMCB 7 men and women. We
have lots of fundraisers and
activities planned for the whole
family.
There are games and crafts for
the kids and speakers on different topics for the adults. We will
also have drawdowns for door
prizes and refreshments each
month. We meet the 3rd
Wednesday of each month at
6:30 p.m. with a potluck dinner
at the start. Come and get
together with us and meet your
fellow family members. For
more information on NMCB 7's
FSG, contact Kathleen
Whisenhunt, FSG president at
kwhisenhunt@gmail.com. You
can also check out nmcb7fsg@cinchouse.com and http://hub.cinchouse.com/nmcb7fsg/for more
information.
NMCB 74 FSG
The NMCB 74 Family Support
Group welcomes friends and
families of NMCB 74 personnel.
We encourage and promote
friendly and sympathetic relationships among our family

members.
We have a new Careline number for battalion updates, it is 1866-531-1101 (toll free), or 8713650 (local).
Family Support Group meetings are held every third
Monday of the month at the CBC
Chapel in Fellowship Hall at 6:30
p.m. Free baby-sitting and activities for the children are provided. For information contact FSG
President, Helen Walker at (228)
586-0114; or Secretary, Robyn
Baca at (228) 539-9059. The FSG
Advisor is Susan Prather, (228)
392-5945.
NCTC TRI-SERVICE FSG
We invite all spouses and loved
ones of NCTC to join us on the
fourth Monday of each month at
6:30pm in the Fellowship Hall of
CBC Chapel. We are offering fun
activities for the family, girls
night out, and fellowship among
the NCTC Command. For more
information, please contact our
FSG President Tessa Grimes @
865-4364 or email her at
tgrimes730@hotmail.com.

Navy-Marine Corps
Relief Society
The Navy-Marine Corps Relief
Society (NMCRS) Thrift Shop is
located at the far north end of
McKinney Ave, Building 16. The
Thrift Shop is staffed entirely by
volunteers. The retail hours of
operation are Monday Thursday, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. and
Friday, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
New volunteers are always welcome. Visit the Navy-Marine
Corps Relief Society offices at the
Fleet and family Support
Center, Building 30, Suite 103,
or call (228) 871-2610 to obtain
information about becoming a
part of the NMCRS volunteer
team! Childcare and mileage
are reimbursed.
Mississippi Gulf Coast First
Class Association
MGCFCA is seeking new members. Meetings are every Weds
at 2 p.m at CBC's Beehive,
Bldg. 352. Call BU1 Reyes or
CE1 Johnson at 871-2145 for
more information.

Community Calendar
Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

22

23

24

25 Anti-terrorism
Force Protection Qrtrly
Mtg., Bldg 1, Conf. Rm.,
1:30 p.m.
All Khaki Social, A&E,
3 p.m.

26 CMDCM Melvin

27

28
January 25, 2007

21 January

29

30

Seabee Ball
Committee Mtg.,
Bldg. 1 Conf. Rm.,
1:30 p.m.

31 Lunchtime Bible
Rm., 11:30 - 12:30
Grand Opening Pine
Bayou Snackbar, 11:30

1 February

2

3

All Khaki Social,
A&E, 3 p.m.

6 Seabee Ball
Committee Mtg.,
Bldg. 1 Conf. Rm.,
1:30 p.m.

7 Lunchtime Bible

Rm., 11:30 - 12:30

8
All Khaki Social,
A&E, 3 p.m.

13 Seabee Ball

14 Valentine's Day

15

4

11

5

12
Lincoln's Birthday

18

19 Washington's

25

26

Val. Day 5K Run, 6:30
Committee Mtg.,
All Khaki Social,
Lunchtime Bible Study, Bldg. 1
Bldg. 1, Conf. Rm.,
A&E, 3 p.m.
Conf. Rm., 11:30 NMCRS
1:30 p.m.
All Cmdrs. Mtg., Bldg Cust.Adv. Board Mtg. Lunch,
Bldg 1 Conf. Room, 11:30
1, Conf. Rm, 10 a.m.

21
20 Mardi Gras
22
Lunchtime Bible
Birthday, Federal
Fat Tuesday
All Khaki Social,
Holiday
DeCA Commissary Study, Bldg. 1, Conf. A&E, 3 p.m.
DeCA Commissary Closed
Rm., 11:30 - 12:30
Closed
Seabee Ball Comm.
Mtg., Bldg 1 Conf.
Rm., 1:30 p.m.
27 Seabee Ball

Committee Mtg.,
Bldg. 1 Conf. Rm.,
1:30 p.m.

9

Girard Ret. Cer., Chapel, 10
a.m./ 3rd Annual Seabee
Class Golf Tourn. Windance
Coun. Club/ Frosty 5K
Lunch Run, 11:30/Comics on
Duty Tour, Theater, 7 p.m.
Ground Hog Day

9

10

16

17

23

24

28 Lunchtime Bible 1 March

Study, Bldg. 1, Conf. All Khaki Social,
Rm., 11:30 - 12:30
A&E, 3 p.m.

13

CB PG 09-16

Chaplains
define their
mission within
the NCF

Seabee Community Notes

January 25, 2007

13:18

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Page 1

PG 8 COLOR ADS

PG 17 Color CLEAN
Youth Activities Center
Jan 25

5:30 to 8:30

Jan 26

6:00 to 9:00

Jan 27

1:00 to 5:00

Jan 30
Jan 31

5:30 to 8:30
5:30 to 8:30

Wacky, Tacky Outfit
Day! Prizes Awarded!
Youth & Teen
Movie & Nacho Night!
Only $1.00
Swimming at Biloxi
Natatorium! Only $3.00
Boys Only Night!
Youth Bucks Auction!!!

Taekwondo classes are being offered Wednesday and Fridays from 6 - 7 p.m.
You must be 10 years of age or older to participate. Classes are free to all eligible patrons.
The classes will cover the following:
Stretching and warm up
Form pattern and stances
Self Defense
Kicking and blocking drills
Cool down/ceremony meditation
Sparring
Training and Testing Participants will be required to purchase uniform and
protective equipment. Participants who complete the course will receive
International certification. Participants who earn the next color belt will be
charged a $30.00 testing fee which covers certification and new belt. Black belt
testing is through the International TaeKwon-Do Federation and includes additional testing fees.

Comics on Duty World Tour LIVE at CBC Gulfport!

POOL TOURNEY
7 p.m.
*FREE*
MOVIE NIGHT
$5.00
HORSEBACK RIDING @ HIGH HILLS STABLES
MATINEE MOVIES
*FREE*
BLACKJACK TOUR 7 p.m.
*FREE*
PUZZLES OF ALL KINDS
* PRIZES FOR PARTICIPATION*
DART TOURNEY
7 p.m. *FREE*

Smith Memorial Theatre
Smith Memorial Theatre now
offers Breakfast and Lunch.
Call 871- 4697 for movie times!!!

Seabee Courier

Stinger’s II Liberty Center is for Bachelors and Geo-Bachelors. Thank You!

Contact MWR at (228) 871- 2538
8

14

CB PG 08-17 COLOR

25
26
27
28
29
30
31

January 25, 2007

January 25, 2007

Jan. 26 at 7 p.m. - Smith Memorial Theater

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Page 7

PG 7 B&W CLEAN

PG 18 B&W 5X11.5
News & Notes
from PSD

Promise to Serve

For Seabee Courier delivery, contact Naval
Construction Battalion Center Public Affairs at:
(228) 871-3662 or send email to
seabeecourier.navy.mil

Provided by
PSC Reginald Pierce

2007 BAH RATES

Military Pay Advisory
76/06 states initial W2
statements for tax year
2006 will be available electronically via MyPay, 22
January 2007 for view and
print. Service members
also have the option on
MyPay to view and print
W2 and corrected W2-C
statements up to four prior
years. W2/W2-C view and
print option will be available via MyPay Internet
site at
https://mypay.dfas.mil.
Do not be alarmed if after
selecting the W2 option
you receive one of the following screen messages;
"The file is not currently
available. Please try again
later" or "Your pay system
in not responding. Please
try again later", the W2
server is taken off line
periodically for routine
maintenance and will be
See PSD page 23

The family of SW2 Chris McLean, a
Seabee attached to Naval Mobile
Construction Battalion One, waited
with open arms as the battalion
returned home from their six-month
deployment to the far East.

NMCB 1 reunites with friends, families
Story & photos by MC2 Demetrius Kennon
Before it's time for a Seabee to deploy,
many preparations must be made. Of
course, there are all the medical screenings, extensive training, and record
updates. Not to mention packing, organizing finances, and arranging storage for
personal items. But that's not even the
half of it for Seabees with families. Once
a deployment begins, Seabees have to
leave their families behind. But all their
hard work and dedication before and
during deployment pays off when they
return home.
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion
One (NMCB 1) returned home to Naval
Construction Battalion Center (NCBC)
Gulfport, Miss., in December 2006, to a
poignant homecoming.
"I was very emotional when I came off
the plane," said Lt. Cmdr.
Chad Brooks, the Operations Officer for
NMCB 1. "I was very excited but in the
same part, I felt a little bit guilty because
I could see how much the kids had
changed and knew that I'd been away for
a lot of that time when they had seen and
learned new things."
After the initial euphoria of seeing family, the reality of becoming a family again
sets in and it's a really challenging time,
said Brooks. Brooks has a 4-year-old son
and a 2-year-old daughter.
"My wife told me they had a good
deployment," he said. "The kids handled
it well, and I think they understood that I
was gone for a very long time and for a
good cause."
NMCB 1 was deployed for six months
to 20 locations across the globe including
sites in Japan, Korea, Iraq, Pohnpei and
California, said Brooks. Though the
Seabees kept extremely busy in the field,
they still missed spending time with their
families.
"That time is lost," said Brooks. "The
things the kids learned and experienced

during that time has come and gone."
"Make sure if you have young kids, you
actually talk to them about deployment,
so that it doesn't come to them as a surprise," he added.
"No matter how you slice it, being
deployed is tough in terms of maintaining a relationship with your family,"
Brooks said. "We did lots of emails and
lots of letters."
One of the most important things for
Seabees who will be leaving their families
is having a means to communicate with
their loved ones.
Seabees should have some agreement
with their families as to how they're
going to communicate, whether it's email,
phone calls, or Web cam, said Brooks.
This prevents false expectations for the
amount of communication that will be
available.
"If your family expects to hear from you
every week and for some reason you
can't, they may begin to worry about you
unnecessarily or feel that you're not paying attention to them," Brooks said.
"It's a lifestyle you never get used to,"
said Utilitiesman 1st Class Adrian
Gonzalez, the Leading Petty Officer for
Detail Iwakuni in NMCB 1. "You just
learn how to deal with it."
Gonzalez has a son, 17, and a daughter,
14, and speaks very highly of them both.
Gonzalez describes his reunion with
them after deployment simply as "fantastic."
Gonzalez's pride was almost overwhelming when he talked about his son.
With a stern look in his eye he said, "I'm
not saying this just because he's my son,
but he's probably the smartest kid I have
ever encountered."
The life of a deployed Seabee can be just
as hard as the lives of the family back
home, so the key is mutual support from
both ends.
"The sacrifices I make for my kids might
be challenging, but for them it's well
worth it in the end," said Gonzalez.

Observe parking signs onboard NCBC; violators will be ticketed!

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15

CB PG 07-18

W2 INFORMATION FOR
TAX YEAR 2006

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion One
Seabees returned home from six months
in 20 locations around the world to their
families. The families waited patiently at
the hangar doors of the Trent Lott Air
National Guard Airport in Gulfport.

January 25, 2007

January 25, 2007
7

A refresher
on Force
Protection
Condition
definitions is
provided by
CBC Security

Basic Allowance for
Housing (BAH) is based
on geographic duty location, pay grade, and
dependency status. The
intent of BAH is to provide uniformed service
members with permanent
duty within the 50 United
States accurate and equitable housing compensation based on housing
costs in local civilian housing markets, and is
payable when government
quarters are not provided.
A uniformed service
member stationed overseas, including U.S. protectorates, who is not furnished government housing, is eligible for Overseas
Housing Allowance
(OHA). Sailors can look
up their 2007 BAH rates
on the following Internet
site:
https://secureapp2.hqda.p
entagon.mil/perdiem/bah
.html

Seabee Courier

Photo by MC3 Ja'lon Rhinehart

EQCM (SCW) Jeffrey Robinson, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) One's Alfa Company
Master Chief, is reenlisted by Marine Corps Capt. Jake Urban for three years. Master Chief
Robinson has faithfully served the Seabee's for over 26 years, and looks forward to the next three,
which he will spend attached to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Seven.

Seabee Courier

25Jan07.qxd

PG 6 B&W
CLEAN
By MC3 J.A. McIver

January 25, 2007

The Seabees at Naval
Mobile Construction
Battalion (NMCB) One
Thirty Three received
commendation certificates mid-month for volunteering to restore
American Legion's
Veterans of Foreign Wars
(VFW) Post 2539.
The old post was damaged by Hurricane
Katrina in the fall of 2005.
The project took 80
Seabees and 184 mandays to complete.
Members of One Thirty
Three stripped and
replaced the roof on the
post's main shed, built
shelves, helped out with
the electrical work and
circuitry, and painted
over 10,000 square feet of
wall and trim after pressure washing the area.
Charles Purchner, Vice
Commander at Post 2539,
extended thanks on
behalf of the post, to
Project Supervisor EA1
(SCW) Peter Sydow and
his crew.
"They really did a great
job, and we appreciate

Photo by MC3 J.A. McIver

The members at VFW Post 2539 served the members of
NMCB 133 dinner at the commendation ceremony, where
80 Seabees received certificates for restoring the post.

it," said Purchner.
"We hope that someday
we can pay them back."
Sydow returned the
same respect for all that
the post does for the
Seabees at Construction
Battalion Center (CBC)
Gulfport.
"The post has donated a
lot to us," said Sydow,
indicating gifts the post
has given to the battalions at CBC Gulfport
from phone cards to a
pool table.
"It felt good to help
them out, after they've
helped us so much. It
actually felt like we were
paying them back."
The camaraderie
between active duty and
veterans is apparent at
VFW 2539. Several
Seabees that participated
in the project joined the
post as members.
Ivan Bangs,
Commander at Post 2539
recognizes the unique
bond between presentday servicemembers and
veterans.
"Everyone has done
something," said Bangs.
"We've all contributed."

Public Private Venture (PPV)
Provided by CNRSE
Public Affairs

As part of an ongoing
effort to ensure Navy
Family Housing residents
are kept up to date on the
conversion of military
housing to a Public Private
Venture sometime in fiscal
year 2007, town hall meetings were recently held in
order to communicate
with residents on their
questions and concerns.
This is the first in a series
of articles in which
Frequently Asked
Questions from the residents during these meetings will be published.
Q1 Why are we doing
PPV in the first place?
A1 A shrinking housing
6 budget coupled with aging

housing units and maintenance backlog make it difficult for the Navy to provide
quality housing for our service members. The public private venture partnership will
make it possible for the Navy
to renovate and construct
family housing quickly and
affordably.
Q2 Will there be effective
oversight by the government of this PPV program?
A2 Yes, the Navy as well as
the Office of the Secretary of
Defense for Installation and
Environment support appropriate oversight. This oversight will be applied by the
Department of Navy
Representative and the
Navy's Business Agreement
Manager as well as the
Navy's on-site Housing Staff.
On-site Navy Housing Staff
will work daily with the

Partner's Staff and the
Department of the Navy
Representative who will meet
with the Partner on an as
required basis but at least
quarterly to review operations. They will also receive
monthly status reports that
will address occupancy
issues, the project's financial
status, etc.
Q3 What impact will privatization have on individual installations?
A3 Ideally, privatization
will bring about a dramatic
improvement of the installations' housing conditions and
services for military members
and their families, and consequently, an increase in their
quality of life, readiness,
morale and retention. One
major improvement is the
quality and quantity of maintenance on the housing units.

However, some inconveniences may occur throughout the
transition period during
which some housing will be
either renovated or constructed.
Q4 When will PPV start?
A4 Scheduled implementation date is 30 SEP 2007,
some transition may occur 30
days prior to the 30 Sep date.
Q5 What will happen to
excess Family Housing
(FH) units?
A5 Will be determined during exclusive negotiations
Partner.
Q6 Can residents live in
their assigned unit if it is
scheduled for closing?
A6 Will be determined durSee PPV page 19

Send free
Valentine's Day
messages to
your sweetheart
Reprinted from Stars and
Stripes
Stars and Stripes, the
daily newspaper of the
U.S. military, is hosting a
free Valentine's Day message posting service
online. The greetings will
be published in the
European, Pacific and
Middle East editions of
Stars and Stripes and on
Stripes.com Feb. 14 and
possibly also on Feb. 13,
depending on the number
of messages received.
Stars and Stripes recognizes the strain that
deployments and frequent
separations can put on a
marriage and wants to
give spouses and family
members a way to remember each other on this special day. "Being separated
from loved ones is one of
the constants in the lives
of our readers," said Meg
Irish, marketing director.
"Anything we can do to
bridge that gap, Stars and
Stripes will gladly undertake."
To send a free message,
readers may go to
Stripes.com and click on
the Valentine's Day messages button, any time
until Jan 30.
Stars and Stripes will
publish only messages
written in English which
are received online by the
Jan. 30 deadline. Every
effort will be made to
print all the messages
received for the Middle
East, European and Pacific
recipients, but Stars and
Stripes also reserves the
right to limit the number
of messages actually published based on the space
available.
Stars and Stripes delivers
independent news and
information daily to the
U.S. military community
worldwide. Editorially
independent of interference from outside its editorial chain of command,
it provides commercially
available U.S. and worldwide news.

From PPV page 5
ing exclusive negotiations
Partner.
Q7 How much housing is
DoD planning to privatize?
A7 DoD currently has an
inventory of 166,000 family
housing units-with about
50,000 inadequate units. Its
current plans are to privatize roughly 185,000 family
housing units. However,
there is no ceiling set on
the number of units
expected to be built or
reconditioned under the
MHPI (source:
http://www.acq.osd.mil/
housing/faqs.htm#10)
housing similar to military
housing?
A8 A few of the similarities
are:
1. Zero out of pocket expenses
for residents; rent is based on
BAH
2. You will continue to live
in a military community
3. Government pays for the
cost of moves into PPV units
for eligible service members
4. You will continue to go to
the Navy's Housing Welcome
Center for housing in the
community referral.
5. The Navy Housing
Welcome Center will receive
your application for PPV
housing and will refer you to
the Property Management
Company
housing different from military housing?
A9 Units are managed and
operated by a private property
management company.
1. You must sign a lease.
The lease will include a "military clause".
2. You will receive BAH and
pay rent directly to the property manager
3. The property management
company handles all resident
matters, including day to day
maintenance

Q10 Is the Navy reviewing lessons learned from
existing PPV projects?
A10 Yes, Navy is looking at
all existing PPV deals, to
include those from other DoD
services to ascertain the best
aspects of the projects and is
incorporating those lessons in
future deals
Q11 What is the Resident
Advisory Board and who
is on it?
A11 The Resident Advisory
Board will be created to support the Partner and the
Department of Navy (DON)
on matters that affect resident
satisfaction and quality of
life. It will review resident
satisfaction surveys, property
manager performance, and
construction process and
quality. The Resident
Advisory Board will report
its findings to the management board and make recommendations on resident issues
to the partner and DON
members. Recommended
DON participants include
the activity business manager, Command Master Chief or
Sergeant Major, activity
housing representative, elected residents, and the Resident
Officer in Charge of
Construction (ROICC) office.
Q12 How does the PPV
program impact families
where the non-military
member does not work?
A12 PPV has no adverse
impact on working spouses.
It has no affect on your ability to utilize programs such as
Women, Infants, and
Children (WIC), Head Start
and other income qualifying
assistance programs.
Q13 Why is my benefit of
living in Navy/Govt housing being taken away?
A13 There is no loss of benefit. You still have the opportunity to reside in housing
and for an amount equal to
your BAH. The only difference is that in lieu of forfeiting your BAH (to pay for
your housing and utilities),
you now will receive it, and

then pay that amount to the
partner in the form of rent,
utilities, and basic renter's
insurance. The DON is
embracing the PPV initiative
in order to provide high quality, affordable housing and
provide enhanced property
maintenance faster than
would be available under the
normal military construction.
Q14 Will accompanied
active duty always have
priority?
A14 Yes.
Q15 Can active duty displace those with a lower
priority?
A15 We expect those other
than accompanied families to
have no more than a 6
months lease If there are
accompanied active duty families on a waiting list, the
Partner will not renew the
existing lease for a lower priority resident.
Q16 Will there be a
screening process for civilians authorized to live on
base?
A16 Yes. Specifics will be
negotiated between the Navy
and the Partner.
Q17 Will civilians
approved to live on base
be monitored at the gates?
A17 Yes, to the same extent
as anyone else having access
to the base.
Q18 What will the new
rules (community policies)
be?
A18 The new property manager (at the resident meetings) will discuss community
policies. Generally, they will
be the same as the existing
Navy policies.
Q19 If the General Public
moves into FH, will they
have access to other base
facilities.
A19 No.
Q20 Will the fence line be
moved?
A20 Will be determined
during exclusive negotiations
Partner, but in most cases,
this has not occurred.
Q21 How does DON plan

Keesler's Medical Center Entrance Closed for Renovation
Keesler Medical Center's A Tower entrance, at the top of the elevated
driveway, will be closed for renovation starting Jan. 20. It is scheduled to
reopen the end of March. The outpatient clinic entrance by the Pharmacy
and Family Practice Clinic will still be available for patients and staff to
use.
The renovation is part of a project to place outpatient records and the
state-of-the art PRK surgery clinic in this area to ensure they, and other
high-value items will be safe from future storm-related flooding.

to address episodes of
financial irresponsibility
that may occur by occupants of PPV Housing?
A21 Currently, the Navy
Housing Office provides
counseling on this issue. The
Navy very much encourages
residents of PPV Housing to
utilize Electronic Funds
Transfer for payment of rent
and level payment plans for
payment of Utilities. The
Navy is looking at all
avenues for education on
financial responsibility, for
example Command Master
Chiefs & Family Service
Center counselors.
Alternately financial irresponsibility will be the
responsibility of the PPV
partner.
Q22 What recourse will
military families occupying PPV Housing have if

the property manager is
irresponsive to service
needs?
A23 If the local property
manager is unresponsive then
the resident will be able to
contact a corporate Regional
representative. Also, personnel at the Housing Welcome
Center, including its military
liaison, will continue to be
available to occupants of PPV
Housing.
Q24 What about privatizing barracks, and DoD
lodging?
A24 DoD is currently testing privatization of barracks
in Norfolk and San Diego
and would like to privatize
additional barracks and lodging where and when it is feasible.

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16

CB PG 06-19

133 partners with local VFW Post 2539

PG 19 B&W 2 Col. Cln

January 25, 2007

13:17

Seabee Courier

1/24/2007

Seabee Courier

25Jan07.qxd

25 jan07courier

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