ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Alaska Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 910th Engineer Support Company worked on horizontal and vertical construction engineering projects in the Anchorage and Matsu areas July 21 through Aug. 19.
The annual training provided AKARNG units extended time to hone job skills and tackle mission-essential tasks to maintain readiness for state and federal missions.
The 1st and 2nd platoons of the 910th ESC, comprising horizontal construction Soldiers, were assigned to the Alcantra Armory in Wasilla. They worked on the Alcantra road realignment project to improve vehicle and personnel access to the facility.
The operations included clearing, grubbing, excavating, soil compacting, grading and installing a culvert for water flow control under the road. To complete the project, the engineers employed hydraulic excavators, D6 bulldozers, dump trucks and motorized road graders.
“This is what we can expect in large-scale combat operations as we mobilize to a decentralized environment and empower and trust our young leaders,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Matt Johnson, the construction engineering technician for the 910th ESC.
The unit also employed a new GPS survey system that provides accurate data and enhances the engineers’ topographic surveying capabilities.
For two years, the unit has worked with the AKARNG’s Construction and Facilities Maintenance Office, completing topographic surveys, implementing design work on drill weekends and coordinating with the Department of Transportation to get the project off the ground.
In Anchorage, the vertical construction section renovated the 910th ESC headquarters building at Camp Carroll on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
The Soldiers hung drywall and trim, ran baseboard, installed doors and painted to enhance the building’s interior.
At a separate site on Camp Carroll, Soldiers practiced their plumbing, electrical and carpentry trades inside a compact wooden “Sea Hut” designed by the engineers in 2017 as a multifunctional training site.
“The National Guard brings people with a range of skill sets to the table, and we really rely on our guys who have been doing this for a long time to be mentors to our new folks,” said Staff Sgt. Ryan Hickcock, the vertical construction supervisor and platoon sergeant for 3rd PLT.
The Sea Hut holds multiple rooms that allow Soldiers to view open wiring configurations to put their electrician knowledge of circuits to the test, as well as rooms to install plumbing, hang drywall and more.
“It’s critical for our Soldiers to be able to utilize this facility to practice their vertical construction skills and we’ve had a lot of good hands-on training during this AT,” Hickcock said. “When we’re able to hone our skills here, we’re able to ensure that we can take what we’ve learned and provide a quality product to our future customers and build what we need to.”
The engineers had a mix of experience, ranging from new graduates fresh out of their advanced individual training to those with full-time civilian construction jobs.
“One of the things that I find rewarding about being in the engineers is you have a tangible goal that you’re working toward,” said Sgt. Dylan Lundquist, a horizontal construction engineer with the 910th ESC. “You can see what you’re working on. Everything that you do is directly affecting the earth. The outcome is visible, and you can see yourself get closer to the end goal.”