MAFB Airmen build sea huts with Navy Seabees Published Aug. 26, 2008 By Mass Communications Specialist 3rd Class Maddelin Angebrand Continuing Promise 2008 Public Affairs PUERTO CABEZAS, Nicaragua -- Airmen from the 5th Civil Engineer Squadron Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force and Seabees from Construction Battalion Mobile Unit 202, currently embarked aboard USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), worked together recently to construct two sea huts at the Regional Government Compound here as part of Continuing Promise 2008 - a four-month humanitarian assistance mission. "I'm excited to be here helping people," said Senior Master Sgt. Robert Chandler, 5th CES noncommissioned officer in charge of pavement/equipment and site project leader. "We've got a great group of guys. We're blending well - the Navy and Air Force. It's great to work hand-in-hand with another service, and it's great to be here doing a project like this that will help the local population." Building the huts was just one part of CP's joint efforts between the United States, partner-nations and non-governmental support organizations to build partnerships and lasting memories. "The best part of my job is knowing that I'm actually helping someone. That's when I get the most satisfaction," said Navy Construction Electrician 2nd Class Ebony Harris. The local population showed their interest and appreciation to the twenty-two engineers working on the huts. "I talked to quite a few of the locals. Everyone I've talked to has been overwhelmed that we're here on the project site," said Sergeant Chandler. "They're bringing us coconuts as gifts and constantly asking us if there is anything that they can do to help us. They're very appreciative." The huts will be used as shelters to conduct training for the locals on various skill trades. The structure will have proper ventilation, multiple electrical outlets and ceiling fans. In addition to Nicaragua, Kearsarge will visit Panama, Colombia, Dominican Republic, and Trinidad and Tobago where the civil engineers will construct similar engineering projects. Kearsarge's mission exemplifies the U.S.' maritime strategy, which emphasizes deploying forces to build confidence and trust among nations through collective maritime security efforts that focus on common threats and mutual interests. The CP Caribbean Phase is the second of two missions to the Southern Command area of responsibility for 2008. The first mission was conducted by USS Boxer (LHD 4) in the Pacific. For more news on CP, log on to SOUTHCOM's Web site at www.southcom.mil.