Heavy Equipment Operators Make a Difference

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Terrica Jones
  • 916th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MOUNTAIN CENTER, Calif. --  The 567th Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, assisted the Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indian community with reconstruction of a dam here in June.

"The dam provides irrigation for the community which allows them to farm, fire supression to use if there's a fire, and also recreation," said Chief Andy R. Weeks, Project Manager for the Santa Rosa site.

"The dam failed and water accumulated into a reservoir with a lot of dirt and sediment," said NCO in charge, Tech. Sgt. Fred C. Moore. 

"We created a 4-to-1 slope to control direction of rain water around the edge to allow for drainage and also created "V" ditches to the dam so the water can follow a man-made path," said Moore. "Ideally rain water will travel the path of this ditch and fill the dam with water."

  "The remaining sediment was also stocked piled adjacent to the fill the area. This stocked pile was knocked down with the use of a D9 CAT Dozer and then brought to grade using the Volvo Grader," he said. "We also created a road so the community can have access to the dam."

"We were helping out the Native Americans because they don't have a whole lot of money," said Senior Airman Jivon R. Adams, heavy equipment operator. "They were really thankful and happy for the help."

"The community was ecstatic with the work we've done," said Moore. "They've provided us with meals while we work, gave us hydration locations, and resources for safety and health if we get bit by a snake or poisonous insects."

Not only did this project provide assistance for the community, but for the Airmen it was an opportunity to train.

"I received training on the escalator and the grader," said Adams. "With the grader, we built a hillside so the water would drain, and used the grader to smooth out the area and cleared out a roadway that had washed out."

"For the Airmen of my group, going out and doing the work and seeing the result of the work; seeing a finished product first hand, instead of in a Career Development Course, they are able to see their hard work come to light," said Moore.

The Airmen on this project also had an opportunity to assist one of the women in the community by purchasing meals from her while on their lunch break throughout the week.

"We got a chance to help out one of the women who were on the reservation," said Adams. "She did not have a job so we ate lunch there every day; she cooked lunch for us and we paid her."

"This was a great experience for me and my guys and I was fortunate and lucky to be in charge on this project," said Moore.