[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 131 (Thursday, September 6, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1814]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


    EXPRESSING THANKS TO THE NAVAL MOBILE CONSTRUCTION BATTALION 18

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                          HON. DORIS O. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 6, 2007

  Ms. MATSUI. Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer my welcome home 
greetings to the men and women of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 
18 as they return from their deployment to Iraq in support of Operation 
Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. On Saturday, these 
sailors and their families will gather at Sacramento's Naval 
Operational Support Center for a homecoming celebration and I ask all 
my colleagues to join me in honoring their service.
  Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 18, often called NMCB 18, is made 
up of 14 detachments of naval reserve units from across the 
northwestern United States. For NMCB 18's nearly 500 members, their 9-
month tour in Iraq meant time away from their families and loved ones, 
often at great personal sacrifice.
  The battalion's motto, ``We are Strong, Mighty and True; Genuine, 
Solid and Able to Do'' summed up their mission while in Iraq. Their 
assignment was to build the necessary infrastructure to support forward 
based Marines in the Al Anbar Province. This included building hundreds 
of South West Asian huts to shelter over 3,500 Marines, laying 5,000 
cubic yards of concrete and hauling over 33,000 cubic yards of 
material.
  Among many things, their combined efforts helped establish nineteen 
combat outposts, construct eleven culvert crossings and complete 4 
water wells. Across Iraq's Al Anbar Province these Seabees have 
installed wooden floors in Marines' tents, added air conditioning units 
and installed shower and bathroom trailers. Their work has made life a 
little bit easier for the Marines on the front lines. Each time the 
dedicated sailors of NMCB 18 were asked to complete a project, it was 
likely to be completed under the scheduled time and without a safety 
incident. In fact, NMCB 18 had the lowest number of safety incidents of 
any of the previous 6 battalions that preceded them.
  Unfortunately, the realities of war hit home to the sailors of NMCB 
18 on October 25, 2006 when they lost one of their own. Petty Officer 
2nd Class Chuck Komppa of Belgrade, Montana died from enemy action in 
Al Anbar Province. Komppa was traveling between cities in order to 
assess the living conditions of our Marines when his convoy came under 
attack. I ask that all of my colleagues extend their heartfelt 
sympathies and sincere gratitude to his wife Delisa and their 2 
children.
  In a true feat of the determination, teamwork and ingenuity that 
characterized their time in Iraq, the sailors of NMCB 18 built a 
Morale, Welfare, and Recreation hut in less than 24 hours for the 
service men and women at Al Asad Air Base. This facility now serves as 
a place for rest and relaxation and allows servicemembers to call home 
in the privacy they deserve. Appropriately, the MWR hut was dedicated 
in the memory of Petty Officer Komppa.
  These sailors did their job away from the safety of the more 
protected parts of Iraq and by all accounts their mission was a 
success. In reviewing his battalion's time in Iraq NMCB Commander Dan 
Gould said he had nothing but ``seam-bursting pride'' for his sailors.
  Madam Speaker, all of these sailors left their families and loved 
ones and placed their lives on the line for others. We owe these true 
citizen soldiers our thanks and gratitude. It is an honor for me to 
represent such fine men and women in Congress. Once again, I urge my 
colleagues to join me in thanking them for their service. Welcome home.

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