Plans for one month to the next, and even one week to the next, change pretty frequently here. The only way to handle it is by remaining flexible and understanding that that’s just the way it is. Priorities shift, and with them, so do mission requirements.
The latest is a recent mission received for building a Joint Operations Center and VIP housing for the 82nd Airborne Division commander in Bagram. 1st Platoon and the majority of 2nd Platoon are there now, preparing for the construction. In large part, that involves preparing the site locations and awaiting the needed materials to start moving skyward.
There’s very little space available there at this point, so the challenge there is using what we’re given. The hard part there is the space needed for storing materials and tools, moving the materials to the construction site, and finding the space for the heavy lift equipment for moving the pieces into position. The soldiers’ first step in this process was removing some pre-existing fencing to make room for one of the buildings.
They’ll build a total of 5 structures, the first of which is roughly 40 feet wide, 80 feet long, and two stories tall. The other four are 18 feet wide, 40 feet long, and two stories tall. It will be, and has already been, an interesting and high-profile project. There’s a tight timeline and long, 14-hour days. As always, they will surely do a terrific job though.
Before departing for Bagram, 1st Platoon completed our own Tactical Operations Center expansion. They did a fantastic job, and did it all in roughly ten days…nothing short of amazing.
They also finished out the 168th Engineer Brigade’s Multi-Purpose building, which will be an ongoing project for the Engineer soldiers here for months to come. It was designed with a movie theater, two bar-type rooms, and a back porch that will be completed with stone-work and a built-in grill.
The soldiers from 2nd Platoon who did not make the move to Bagram remain based out of FOB Sharana, working on Winterization and completing new perimeter guard towers.
They’re also helping train the 1613th Earth Moving Platoon on vertical construction. What I mean is that, given the scope of the missions we’ve received recently, we’re in greater need of vertical construction personnel than we are of horizontal construction assets. We have contracted local nationals who are moving dirt for us, so the 1613th EM PLT is being tasked with completing the buildings and guard towers on the new FOB Sharana Entry Control Point.
Before making the transition, however, our EM Platoon completed their work on the new container yard here (minus spreading the final layer of gravel) and the preparation for the new asphalt road that will run from the new Entry Control Point to the flight line.
3rd Platoon continues their projects at COP Sanchez, building tent floors and guard towers. They’ll soon wrap up their work there and return to FOB Shank, where they’ll provide much-needed vertical construction toward the expansion that continues there.
The Headquarters Platoon is hard at work as well (as seen below with SFC Boyett contemplating his next move), providing support to all of the 166th Engineer Company’s soldiers throughout Afghanistan.
Seen here is PFC Cork, carrying his “Maybe I Shoudn’t Have Just Said That” hammer:
The unit has received a great deal of support from home. Seen here is a display in Stamford, CT, where GE has adopted the unit and continues organizing drives to provide our soldiers with nice-to-have items. Their last push sent more than 600 pounds of snacks, magazines, and movies our way.
As always, the soldiers of the 166th Engineer Company are all doing well and working hard.
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