RAYMOND, Maine - A team from the 136th Civil Engineer Squadron, Texas Air National Guard, continued renovations at Camp William Hinds, Raymond, Maine, for its annual training, July 5-19.
The squadron deployed for training (DFT) to Camp Hinds to participate in the Innovative Readiness Training, or IRT. Through this program, military units refine their engineering skills by performing services and developing projects for communities that otherwise would not have the resources to conduct them on their own.
"It's a fantastic program set up by the Department of Defense. It is a partnership with the different reserve units, Air National Guard units, and different nonprofit organizations, Boy Scouts of America being one," said Tech. Sgt. Nate Norton, structure superintendent, "It's beneficial for the non-profits because they provide all of the material for projects and the Reserve and Guard units provide the labor, which we use as training."
During their time here, the Airmen are focusing on two projects: constructing a new dining facility for the Boys Scouts of America at Camp Hinds, and erecting a communications tower for the local community.
Norton explained that the goals for their work on the new dining facility included pouring the slabs for the basement, installing both the interior plumbing and exterior French drains, and putting the wall forms up.
Just down the road from the new dining facility is another construction site where a communication tower is being installed for the city. Tech. Sgt. Mark Gorton, project lead for the communication tower, said that the 100-foot tower will provide radio frequencies for the fire department.
This DFT is a unique way for service members to get hands-on training to prepare for their wartime mission while giving back to local communities.
"A lot of times on drill weekends, or at school or computer-based training, they just don't give you that hands-on experience that you really need to fulfill your missions sometimes," said Norton. "So this gives us the chance to get out and have the Airmen get hands-on experience with some of the equipment, some of the procedures, and put their hands to what their minds are already familiar with."
Additionally, this IRT is a joint-force program, so the Airmen worked side-by-side on these projects with U.S. Naval Seabees, Naval Construction Battalion, Detachment 27.
"Some of the leadership for the Seabees have been able to instruct and train a lot of the Air National Guard troops and vice-versa," said Norton. "We've learned a lot from them and hopefully they've learned something from us, too."
Gorton echoed these sentiments, "It's just a phenomenal thing for everybody to work together. You get more done as a team than you do as an individual."