Seabees Cheered in Local Mardi Gras Parade

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. (NNS) -- Sailors assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11 took part in a Mardi Gras Parade in Ocean Springs, Miss. Jan. 26, 2013 in support of the parade's theme, "Salute to the Military."

Forty-five volunteers from NMCB-11 marched three abreast in uniform the approximately two and a half mile parade route to cheers and shouts of encouragement from the large crowd who gathered on both sides of the road for the sunny Saturday afternoon festivities. The parade-goers ranged from small children to senior citizens.

The parade was the 38th annual Ocean Springs Mardi Gras parade sponsored by the Ocean Springs Elks Lodge 2501.

Other parade participants included Seabees assigned to the 20th Seabee Readiness Group in Gulfport, Miss. as well as a number of vehicles and bead tossing floats representing various local and regional entities.

"We felt a real sense of pride," said Construction Electrician 1st Class Dedrick L. Harris who coordinated and organized the march for NMCB-11.

"I think it puts a face to the name for the community. It gives them a chance to show their appreciation for the positive things the Seabees and NMCB-11 do all the time while reinforcing our sense of belonging to the community," added Harris. "It was a great experience for everybody involved."

NMCB-11 is a Seabee battalion specializing in contingency construction, disaster response, and humanitarian assistance. The Battalion is home-ported in Gulfport, Miss.

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