Seabees with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4 dedicated the last two weeks of their deployment to the Pacific helping build the Medal of Honor Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Bush Battle Aid Station for the Correctional Custody Unit 2.0 program March 28 aboard Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan.
The battle aid station is named after Medal of Honor recipient, Petty Officer 3rd Class Robert Eugene Bush. Bush was a hospital corpsman who fearlessly braved the fury of artillery, mortar and machinegun fire from strongly entrenched hostile positions saving lives during the Battle of Okinawa. Bush disregarded his own critical condition to complete his mission, valiantly refusing medical treatment for himself until his of his patients had been evacuated. Bush actions acted a reflection of the finest traditions of U.S. service members.
The Seabees contribution to the CCU 2.0 Battle Aid Station was a critical part of completing the CCU 2.0 mission which is: to correct the negative attitudes and motivations of junior enlisted personnel through combat conditioning, core values refresher training, and cognitive behavior change programming in order to return a disciplined, fit and capable Marine back to their units.
“As part of CCU 2.0 we want our awardees to physically train smarter,” said Gunnery Sgt. Loren Ortiz, the staff non-commissioned officer in charge of the CCU 2.0 with Marine Corps Installations Pacific. “We have developed and put together the Intelligent Warfighter Compound. It is a composition of five different stations that work together in conjunction to develop the warfighting skills of shoot, move and communicate. With that being said we need a medical aid station on hand. That is what the Seabees are working on right now. This medical aid station serves a dual purpose besides just the safety aspect. It also is going to be utilized for training and education, as well as where the Marines will come together and they will learn tactical field care and other medical aid treatment capabilities that are related to warfighting.”
NMCB-4, based out of Port Hueneme, California, is currently deployed to Okinawa, Japan, utilizing their expertise in steel work and construction to build state-of-the-art infrastructures. The Seabees were a crucial part of the construction of the medical aid station for the program, insuring that Marines awarded correctional custody will be safe, healthy and well educated.
“I feel like the CCU 2.0 is a great idea,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Scott Roberts, a steel worker and project lead with NMCB-4. “It gives them a second chance so they get back in the fight, gives them some extra motivation to move up in the ranks and try harder. Working with the Brig Marines has been the highlight of this whole six months, our whole deployment.”