Seabees from NMCB 7 Detachment Horn of Africa (HOA) are improving living conditions for service members assigned to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti.

SNMCB 7 Detachment Horn of Africa (HOA) departed Gulfport, Mississippi on February 5, 2010 for a regularly scheduled 10-month deployment in support of the U.S Africa Command mission.

Detachment Seabees, assigned to augment Camp Lemonnier Public Works Department, began construction of additional living quarters to service members stationed aboard and transiting Camp Lemonnier, May 15.

Construction tasking consists of the removal and relocation of more than 277 cubic yards of soil to create proper layouts for the installation of numerous Alaska and California concrete pads, a task spearheaded by Equipment Operator 3rd Class Brandon Jeans, of NMCB 7 Detachment HOA.

Projects of this magnitude provide great opportunities to train Seabees in different skill-sets within the construction community. During these projects, builders receive hands-on training of engineering skills such as surveying and design layouts, a primary skill-set of engineering aids within a battalion. This valuable training was essential in the detachment completing 21 pad pours in 25 days to meet the camp's operational tempo and personnel surge.

Upon completion of the final pad, Seabees erected tents to house the additional personnel arriving at Camp Lemonnier. Several of the tents are already "home" to both Marines and Navy personnel temporarily assigned in Djibouti.

"It is rare for a Seabee to see his or her work being enjoyed and to speak with the very people that are benefiting from their hard labor," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Moore.

NMCB 7 and its detachments are currently deployed to various locations throughout Europe and Africa as part of the battalion's regularly scheduled 2010 deployment, with the main body of the battalion operating from Camp Mitchell at Naval Station Rota.

NCMB 7 is homeported at the Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport, Mississippi, home of the Atlantic Fleet Seabees, and is currently the East Coast's Battle "E" Seabee battalion.