#Warfighting: NMCB 11 Returns Home after Seven Months in Afghanistan

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By Mass Communication Specialist 1st ClassJonathan Carmichael, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11 Public Affairs
GULFPORT, Miss. (NNS) -- Sailorsassigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11 were welcomed home byfamily and friends Sept. 21 after a successful seven-month deployment toAfghanistan, which began in February this year.
NMCB 11's personnel arrived in a caravanof buses at Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport sometime before 10p.m., nearly two weeks after the battalion's advanced party personnel arrived.
Spouses, children, friends, family, andeven some pets were on site to embrace their Seabees. Many displayed signswelcoming home their Seabee. Many Seabees who arrived home two weeks earliercame out to show support and welcome home their shipmates.
NMCB-11 was deployed to U.S. CentralCommand to conduct general, mobility, survivability engineering operations,defensive operations, Afghan National Army (ANA) partnering and detachment ofunits in combined/joint operations area - Afghanistan in order to enable theneutralization of the insurgency and support improved governance and stabilityoperations.
Among the numerous missions, thebattalion conducted were a large-scale road construction project in southernHelmand province in which they partnered with the ANA, a village stabilityplatform mission in support of Marine Special Forces, construction ofhelicopter landing zones, in partnership with the Italian army, to facilitatetimely medical evacuations, and construction of buildings and facilities for anANA recruit training command.
Despite being faced with the dangers ofoperating in a combat zone for the length of the deployment, the Seabees ofNMCB-11 are fortunate to have all returned. Thorough training and preparationin the months leading up to the deployment undoubtedly contributed to thebattalion's success.
Following a brief stand-down period toallow sailors time to rest, spend time with family, and take care of personalmatters, NMCB-11 will reorganize and begin a homeport period filled withtraining and tactical exercises designed to prepare them for the nextdeployment and increase their in-rate knowledge and skills.
For more news from Naval MobileConstruction Battalion 11, visit www.navy.mil/local/nmcb11/.