"What they are doing is not worth money -- it's worth gold!"

That is how Koos Croukamp, manager of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in Uitenhage, South Africa, enthusiastically describes the work by the U.S. Marine Corps reservists, July 2011.

The engineer platoon is extending the roof of an existing paddock and improving drainage at the SPCA. The 36 Reservists from the Marine Wing Support Service, Detachment B, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, Fort Worth, Texas, are in Uitenhage in support of Exercise Shared Accord 2011. Shared Accord is a joint exercise between the South African National Defence Forces and the U.S. military.

"We've wanted to do it (refurbish the paddock) for five years," said Croukamp. "We could never get the money to do it."

When it rains everything is washed out, said Croukamp. Any animals in the paddock area would be all muddy.

"Now the animals will be dry," said Croukamp. "The sheep and cattle will sleep dry."

"It is a miracle!" exclaimed Croukamp, adding they (SPCA) were fortunate to have the Marines working on the site.

Late last year the SPCA was among three sites examined for feasibility and how much impact it would have on the local community, said Lieutenant Colonel Hermann Greyling, engineer staff officer with the 43rd South African Brigade. "The impact of a project such as this would have on the community will be much greater than any of the other two. That is why we selected this one. As well as, we only have 10 days to complete the project. This one fit in nicely into 10 days."

Lieutenant Colonel Greyling was impressed by the trade skills and professionalism of the Marines.

"I started learning the day we started here," said Greyling. "It is nice to see it done the right way.

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