To Be ... Arriving in Iraq

After graduating high school in Lovington, NM, Richard Windham served three years in the Navy as an enlisted Seabee. He finished his tour, enlisted in the Reserves, enrolled in college and earned a degree in Civil Engineering. He succeeded quickly in his field and several years ago received his commission as an officer in the United States Navy. He currently works as a Civil Engineer in Richardson, Texas while serving with the Seabees of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 22 headquartered at Fort Worth, Texas.

In the series “To Be,” we will explore the stories and challenges of some of these “Can Do” men and women in uniform.

A part of these stories will be about Richard and his unit’s work in Iraq. Others will be historical in nature and open to anything that catches my eye.

The stories will be about those who returned home and some who did not.
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Below is an article I copied from Navy NewsStand as they took command of construction missions in the Al Anbar Province.
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Lonestar Battalion Reports for Duty in Iraq

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS051022-08
Release Date: 10/22/2005 2:34:00 PM

By Journalist 1st Class Leslie Shively, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 22 Public Affairs

AL ASAD, Iraq (NNS) -- Seabees of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 22 took the reins of their construction mission in the Al Anbar Province from NMCB 24 during a ceremony here Oct. 3.

Capt. Steven Young, commander of NMCB 22, supported by his staff and members of his Seabee family, stood ready to carry on the job well performed by NMCB 24.

After a blessing by Lt. William Stewart, battalion chaplain, Capt. Paula Brown, commander of the 30th Naval Construction Regiment thanked the “Get ‘R Done” Seabees of NMCB 24, citing completion of numerous projects and missions during their deployment.

Brown then asserted her confidence in NMCB 22.

“You are part of a well qualified and well established team,” she said. “All of you will face some of the toughest challenges you have ever had to deal with. All of you will learn new things and will be successful.”

Hoisting the Lonestar Battalion’s ensign followed by the Texas state flag signaled transfer of authority, and after the official ceremony, Young said he was eager to face the challenges ahead.

“When I saw the Texas flag and the Battalion flag go up, it just made me feel good. All of the hard work we’ve done for the past two years came to fruition and realization,” Young said….

NMCB 22 also brings more than construction expertise to their mission, according to Young.

“We have an abounding compassion. We have tremendous hearts and the willingness to help others, and that is why we’re here,” he said.

NMCB 22 had been gearing up for at least 24 months prior to deployment, increasing training hours from an annual average of between 400 to 700 man-hours to more than 3,000 man-hours. The battalion also augmented its proficiency levels with warfare qualifications up 12 percent and gained 30 Navy Enlisted Classifications or job skills.

In August, NMCB 22 participated in Operation Bearing Duel, a two-week field exercise completed once every four years, testing Seabees’ construction and combat readiness.

In Iraq, the Lonestar Battalion is working for the II Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), supporting Coalition Forces, the continued development of the Iraqi Security Forces and overall Iraqi reconstruction efforts. NMCB 22 is rebuilding a damaged bridge that is critical to the Iraqi people, repairing a runway, doing electrical upgrades and building and maintaining camps throughout the Al Anbar Province.

Headquartered at Fort Worth, Texas, with 10 detachments throughout the state and in Oklahoma, NMCB 22 arrived in Iraq Sept. 23, deploying more than 500 reserve service members.