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RED HORSE completes runway project

  • Published
  • By Tech Sgt. Emily F. Alley
  • 451 AEW Public Affairs
KANDHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan --  The 809th Expeditionary Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers, RED HORSE, increased operations in Southern Afghanistan by completing a set of 3,000-foot airstrips in Southern Afghanistan in late June.

RED HORSE collaborated with a 20-person, U.S. Navy Seabee blade team from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 26, which expanded the forward operating base to accommodate the airstrips.

"Working with the Seabees is never really a challenge. They understand our capabilities and we understand theirs," said Capt. Donnie Horn, RED HORSE officer in charge. "There are always challenges that must be overcome with construction, but teaming with the Seabees on this project was not one of them."

RED HORSE and NMCB 26 work together as part of the same task force, Task Force Overlord, which is responsible for construction and engineering support to three regional commands in Afghanistan.

"The joint nature of our task force puts engineering assets from the Navy, Air Force and Army together on a regular basis," said Cmdr. Joe Greeson, Task Force Overlord's chief staff officer. "That teamwork is essential to our ability to increase security and freedom of movement for Afghans and coalition forces in the region," he said.

Maintaining an organic, outside-the-wire convoy capability is one of the things that distinguishes RED HORSE from other civil engineering units. They are self-sufficient, which means much of their equipment came with them.

One of the last steps in the process was to recover their heavy construction equipment.

On July 15 and 16, they convoyed from Kandahar Airfield to the forward operating base in Southern Afghanistan to bring their graders, rollers, dozers and other equipment that had been used to build the runways back to Kandahar Airfield.

"They wanted two runways as soon as possible," said Tech. Sgt. Colin Bennett, the project manager. "After the Seabees expanded the perimeter we worked our magic and the first was operational within 13 days."

An immediate, temporary runway was needed first so that missions could be launched while RED HORSE created a more permanent runway.

The RED HORSE team worked with fine dirt, which they call moon dust, and local rock pulled from an on-site borrow pit to create a functioning runway while they awaited materials for a more permanent one.

They were able to mix more than one million pounds of cement with a layer of rock to create a second, more durable, weather resistant runway. While construction was underway on the stabilized runway, aircraft were launching from the first strip to support combat operations in the region.

"We were already making a difference and that felt really good," said Bennett.

Recovering the heavy equipment that allowed them build the runway gave the project a sense of completion, but the true feeling of accomplishment came from the ability to launch aircraft that help keep troops on the ground safe, said Staff Sgt. Nicholas Urban, member of the RED HORSE team.

"The people we worked with were a good group and nobody slacked off. We were way ahead of schedule," said Tech. Sgt. Travis Dillard, RED HORSE team member.

The RED HORSE team completed the project while working in the heat, with temperatures consistently in the 100s. They adjusted to the heat, drank plenty of water, and had more problems with machinery breaking due to the environment than personnel problems, said Bennett, who complimented the resilience of his crew.

"We knew they were the best," said John Golden, a contracted civilian mission commander who flies aircraft out of the forward operating base. "I've noticed they take great pride in what they've done and taken less time than anticipated."

Rodney Dunn, a civilian contractor technician who helps fly the aircraft, agreed.

"Because of them we can catch bad guys and watch over the good guys," said Dunn.