Assignment to an NMCB
Operations Department
Normally, EAs reporting to a SEABEE
unit for duty will be assigned to the opera-
tions department (S-3). The organization of
a SEABEE operations department—be it in a
staff, in a battalion, or in any detached unit—
is similar in basic composition, with minor
variations to suit the type of unit, its mis-
sion, and the prevailing conditions. In sup-
port of the construction organization, the
specific functions of the operations depart-
ment include planning and estimating, engi-
neering, monitoring/reporting, quality control,
disaster preparedness, minicomputer opera-
tions, and resources control. Figure 16-1 shows
a standard organizational chart of a Naval
Mobile Construction Battalion operations
department. Using this chart as a guide, the
operations officer may expand or modify the
organization to suit the mission of the battalion
and the availability of personnel to fill the
billets.
In the following sections you will learn where
you fit into the organization and how your duties
and responsibilities relate to the functions of the
operations department. The information is taken
mainly from the Naval Construction Force
Manual, NAVFAC P-315, and some actual
observations currently prevailing in the NMCBs.
ENGINEERING DIVISION.— Most EAs are
assigned to the engineering division of the
operations department. Therefore, it is important
that you become familiar with the overall
organization breakdown of the division and the
duties and responsibilities of personnel within the
division. As you study the following sections, try
to visualize how your contributions to the division
will assist in accomplishing the overall mission of
the division and the mission of the operations
department. In other words, see where you fit into
the “big picture.”
The engineering division is under the direction
of the engineering officer (fig. 16-1), who
is normally a Civil Engineer Corps (CEC)
officer. The engineering officer and his staff are
Figure 16-1.-Standard operations department organization.
16-2
