Page 63 - South Mississippi Living - July, 2022

SEABEES 80TH Captain
Jeff Powell
Commanding Officer, Naval Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport
This year marks the 80th Anniversary of the Seabee presence in Gulfport! Our military and civilian team have supported our nation with professionalism and pride, and the Gulf Coast has welcomed us as part of the community
as we recover from COVID-19
protocols and emerge back
into the community full steam.
We are glad that our service
members and their families can once again be fully integrated into Coastal Mississippi living!
The Navy’s roots run deep here, from our beginning during WWII as a Navy Advanced Base Depot to today’s fast-paced operational environment where the U.S. Navy Seabees and other expeditionary forces continuously train and deploy across the globe.
Our vital community partnerships enable us to be successful in our mission. One major partnership in innovation is with Mississippi Power, who helped us bring
a solar farm and microgrid system online to strengthen our energy resiliency in case of severe weather or any other loss of power. Intergovernmental Support Agreements with our host city and county partners have shown benefits for both inside and outside the gate, resulting in tangible savings and improved stewardship for the tax payer. We are always on the lookout for new partnership opportunities to further strengthen that bond with South Mississippi.
We couldn’t accomplish our mission without a community that embraces us. All of us on active duty have learned what you already know – this is a great place to work, live, and raise a family. Mayor Hewes succinctly summed up this theme in 2015 with a proclamation designating Gulfport as “SEABEETOWN, USA.”
On behalf of our entire team, thank you. I’m proud to be part of such an open and welcoming community!
Captain
Jeff Deviney
Commander,
Naval Construction Group TWO
The Naval Construction Force,
better known as the Seabees, was
born on March 5, 1942 and has
been part of the Coastal Mississippi
community during the vast majority
of our 80-year existence. To meet
the Navy’s need for construction of
advanced bases in combat zones in
WWII, Rear Admiral Ben Moreell,
Chief of the Bureau of Yards and
Docks, requested specific authority
to activate, organize, and man Navy
construction units. More than 325,000 Seabees served during World War II.
For 80 years, Seabees have been the Navy’s construction force, building bases and airfields, conducting underwater construction, and building roads, bridges, and other support facilities. They play a crucial role in supporting the fleet and combatant commands while carrying out the Navy’s maritime strategy. The Seabees have been a part of every major conflict since their inception.
Naval Construction Group TWO or NCG 2 is the immediate superior in command of all Atlantic Fleet
Seabees. This includes one active duty and one reserve
Naval Construction Regiment, three active duty and two reserve Naval Mobile Construction Battalions. All these units mentioned are homeported on board Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport. However, NCG 2 has two additional units; Underwater Construction Team (UCT) 1
our divers, and Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CBMU) 202, which both are located in Little Creek, Virginia.
The 4,000 Seabees of NCG 2 are proud to call Gulfport, Mississippi our home, and we will continue to serve the local community, whether it be through volunteering at a local school or supporting recovery efforts after a hurricane. My sincerest thank you to the wonderful people of Mississippi who have always made us feel welcome and treated us as family.
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