U.S. Navy Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 1 completed an external concrete placement of a four foot wall around the roof on the Shipboard Electronic Systems Evaluation Facilities (SESEF) at Camp Mitchell on Naval Station Rota, Spain, Sept. 10.

Since NMCB 11 turned over the SESEF project Aug. 3, NMCB 1 has progressed through several tasks leading up to the concrete placement, which is the crew's first major evolution on the project site.

"The concrete placement is significant for our crew because of all the challenges we have had for the overall project," said Lt. Walter Anderson, officer in charge of the SESEF project. "It was our first big evolution, and by completing the concrete placement, it finishes up the exterior walls and allows the crew to shift focus to the interior."

Next, NMCB 1 will focus on the interior by preparing pre-fabricated forms and set up for the concrete placement of the interior floor and sealing the building to start the interior work.

"This is the last major external placement of concrete on the SESEF project, providing an external shell of the building that allows the crew to proceed with other phases of the project," said Lt. Cmdr. Ben Waite, NMCB 1 operations officer. "Concrete placement is a big evolution for a crew because it provides an opportunity for them to see exactly how they work together as a team. This crew has done an outstanding job as team."

The concrete placement was an all hands effort, and the SESEF project is an all skills and hands effort.

"This project is great because we can include all trades, every aspect of Seabee work is included," said Anderson. "It is pretty amazing that all the Seabee trades can come together on a single project."

The SESEF, a land based testing site of ships' electromagnetic transmitting and receiving equipment, will provide test and evaluation services to U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and Military Sealift Command activities as well as allied foreign navies.

NMCB 1 is a Seabee battalion that specializes in contingency construction, disaster response and humanitarian assistance. The battalion's homeport is in Gulfport, Mississippi.

The Naval Construction Force is a vital component of the U.S. Maritime Strategy. It offers deployable battalions capable of providing contingency construction, disaster preparation and recovery support, humanitarian assistance and combat operations support.

For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/.