MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Approximately 30 Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 combat engineers deployed to the Philippines for an Engineering Civic Action Project with III Marine Expeditionary Force Oct. 10 to build a school for the local community in Ternate, Philippines.
Civic action projects are operations designed to aid areas using military or civilian resources. The Engineers conduct projects to improve or build schools, clinics, roads or drinking wells during an ENCAP with equipment.
“These ENCAPs are a great experience and they help support our missions,” said Lt. Col. Michael C. Taylor, MWSS-171 commanding officer. “Our goal while we’re down there is to learn about vertical construction, stay safe on the work site, liberty and learn something about the Filipino military and people.”
The combat engineers will work side-by-side with Air Force Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers, Filipino seabees, and Filipino Marines through the duration of the project.
“We are not going to treat the airmen, Filipino seabees and Marines as a separate entity,” Taylor said. “They are all attached to (III MEF) so we need to make sure they’re integrated. We’re setting the example and showing them how a work site should be run, how we take care of our younger Marines, each other and learning the techniques of vertical construction.”
The main obstacle concerns the typhoon season, which is in full swing.
“There is approximately two feet of water on the ground out there,” said Lt. Ian Dick, ENCAP officer-in-charge. “Everyone should expect to get dirty.”
The school house will be one room, 8 by 20 meters with ceramic floors with built-in grade beams which gives the school the capability of converting from one to three rooms in the future.
Though their main purpose is to build the school, the Marines will work avidly to maintain and continue to improve relations with Filipino military members.
“These are our Filipino Marine counter parts,” said Sgt. Maj. Albert Biaz, MWSS-171 sergeant major. “Many countries established their military and made Marines for a specific reason. We don’t only represent this unit, we have a big footprint on what the United States is doing for other countries. We’re building a school and showing them what we do as Marines.”
The dedication ceremony for the school house is slated for Nov. 4 and the Marines are slated to return Nov. 13.