NMCB 5 Seabees Built the Ark

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan (NNS) -- Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5 held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the completion of the Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) Headquarters building at Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan May 29.

MEB Headquarters is nicknamed "the ark" because it resembles Noah's Ark prior to the roof being sheeted. It stands as one of the largest wooden structures constructed since World War II by the Seabees. NMCB 5 worked with a driving force to accomplish this mammoth task in less than three months in the brutal heat of the Helmand Desert. Along with the tools and materials, they were armed with an attitude of hard work and dedication that reflected upon the proud history of the Seabees.

The ark appears to be nothing more than massive ranch style house without windows from a distance - but it is actually 50 feet wide by 240 feet long by 30 feet in height. More than 3,500 sheets of plywood and 6,000 pounds of nails were used in construction not including the trusses.

In this remote location, all of the 122 trusses necessary to support this massive roof had to be field constructed. A prefabrication yard was established on Camp Natasha. Seabees drove more than 158,000 nails into almost 3,000 gussets and used more than 17,000 board feet of lumber.

The MEB building was completed two weeks ahead of schedule. The 12,000-square foot of space is ready to be transformed for its intended purpose.

NMCB 5 is one of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command support elements currently deployed to the Helmand Province of Afghanistan in direct support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

For more news from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5, visit www.navy.mil/local/nmcb5.