SEWARD, Alaska – Airmen of the Washington Air National Guard’s 141st Civil Engineer Squadron are in Seward, Alaska, for a June 1-16 deployment for training to increase Airmen readiness and improve morale welfare recreation sites, including renovating a boathouse and building a yurt at the Seward Military Resort.
A deployment for training is a short-term mission designed to simulate the operational environment Airmen could encounter in a real-world deployment. For Civil Engineer Squadrons, that means building, repairing and managing construction projects in unfamiliar locations under time constraints while applying learned skills in a team-driven setting.
The training is intended to sharpen technical abilities, reinforce contingency readiness and build cohesion at every squadron level.
“Deployments for training are a great opportunity to enhance unit readiness, collaborate as a team and learn more about each other’s specialties,” said Lt. Col. Jason Kesler, 141st Civil Engineer Squadron commander. “My goal is always for us to do a great job and leave a lasting impression. In 25 years of experience, I’ve never been disappointed. My Airmen consistently overperform, and we’ve always set a high standard for those who follow.”
At the Seward Military Resort, the squadron tackled two key projects: adding finish carpentry, plumbing and siding to a boathouse renovation and building a yurt structure for the resort to rent out in the future.
The boathouse, used as a support facility for the military resort, will now be a vacation rental at the port with the potential to earn the resort income. Civil Engineer Airmen installed new doors, applied fresh paint, textured drywall and laid luxury vinyl plank and tile flooring. They also installed new cabinetry, countertops, a water heater, a toilet, sinks and a dishwasher.
Simultaneously, another team of Airmen constructed a yurt. The yurt will provide a unique and practical lodging option for the resort to rent.
“This deployment gave our team real hands-on experience in problem-solving and teamwork in a remote environment,” said Senior Airman Ryan Lara, 141st Civil Engineer project manager. “We worked hard to sharpen our skills and finish the project on time.”
“Our deployments for training are more than just technical training, it’s leadership in action,” said Chief Master Sgt. Caleb Guthimiller, 141st Civil Engineer Squadron senior enlisted leader. “By assigning junior Airmen as project managers, we build their skills in critical thinking and how to plan ahead to keep projects moving efficiently. It’s how we develop confident leaders ready to manage real-world challenges.”
In addition to training, the mission produced quantifiable outcomes for the local area. During the deployment, the 141st Civil Engineer Squadron completed projects valued at about $170,000. The program has saved Seward Military Resort more than $1 million in construction labor costs and generated about $50,000 in local economic impact. The resort hosts about 40,000 guests annually, and the completed improvements to the boathouse and newly constructed yurt are expected to increase available lodging capacity and add revenue streams.