Equipment Operator 2nd Class Reese Tucker, assigned

Equipment Operator 2nd Class Reese Tucker, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 3, signals to have the dump truck driver drop gravel along the road for grading. As crew leader, Tucker makes sure placement of material is correct and grading is completed correctly. NMCB 3’s China Lake team is tasked with repaving the airfield and improving roughly 10 miles of road along two main supply routes. One of the first battalions commissioned during World War II, NMCB 3’s legacy stands strong in its ability to build and fight anywhere in the world as either a full battalion or as a group of autonomous detachments, simultaneously completing critical engineering and construction missions. For this deployment, NMCB 3 has split into nine details to perform critical construction projects in remote island areas such as Timor-Leste, Tonga, Cambodia and the Philippines. The teams will also conduct operations in Atsugi, Yokosuka and Okinawa, Japan, Chinhae, Republic of Korea, and China Lake, Calif. The Naval Construction Force is a vital component of the U.S. maritime strategy. They provide deployable battalions capable of providing disaster preparation and recovery support, humanitarian assistance and combat operations support. (U.S. Navy photo by Construction Electrician 2nd Class Michael Griffiths Jr./RELEASED.)