Metes and bounds: US Army prepares to expand support in Baltic States

By Sgt. Jarred WoodsJuly 9, 2015

Metes and bounds: US Army prepares to expand support in Baltic States
1 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – From left: Scott Long, a native of Blacksburg, Va., a project manger with the 34th Forward Engineer Support Team - Advance, Maj. David Stalker, a native of Dade City, Fla., commander of the 34th FEST-A, and Maj. Miroslavas Maconko, a logistics superv... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Metes and bounds: US Army prepares to expand support in Baltic States
2 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. David Stalker, a native of Dade City, Fla., commander of the 34th Forward Engineer Support Team - Advance, discusses possible building plans during a site survey at a Lithuanian Ministry of Defense base near Mumaiciai, Lithuania, July 2, 2015. T... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Metes and bounds: US Army prepares to expand support in Baltic States
3 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – From left: Rad Del Mundo, an engineer technician, and Sgt. 1st Class Manuel Bamba, a construction engineering supervisor, both with the 34th Forward Engineer Support Team - Advance, take measurements of the perimeter area during a site survey at a Li... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Metes and bounds: US Army prepares to expand support in Baltic States
4 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – From left: Rad Del Mundo, an engineer technician and Rick Petersen, a native of Spokane, Wash., and a mechanical engineer, both with the 34th Forward Engineer Support Team - Advance, take measurements of a roadway during a site survey at a Lithuanian... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Metes and bounds: US Army prepares to expand support in Baltic States
5 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Christopher Jarvis, a native of Spokane, Wash., and an electrical engineer with the 34th Forward Engineer Support Team - Advance, inspects an electrical access box in a building at a Lithuanian Ministry of Defense base near Mumaiciai, Lithuania, July... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Metes and bounds: US Army prepares to expand support in Baltic States
6 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Christopher Jarvis, a native of Spokane, Wash., and an electrical engineer with the 34th Forward Engineer Support Team - Advance, inspects an electrical access box in a building at a Lithuanian Ministry of Defense base near Mumaiciai, Lithuania, July... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

RUKLA, Lithuania - Members of the 34th Engineer Detachment's Forward Engineer Support Team - Advance, from U.S. Army Corps of Engineer's Northwestern Division, conducted land surveys and structural inspections at a Lithuanian Ministry of Defense base near Mumaiciai, Lithuania, July 2, 2015.

The 34th FEST-A's activities were a result of an increasing need to support the significant increase in technical engineer requirements generated by European Activity Sets.

To further assist in the EAS site tour, the team focused on capability refinement, along with preparing prototype designs of key facilities to better support site adaptation of land constrained sites.

"Our purpose is to review the entire site," said Maj. David Stalker, commander of the 34th FEST-A. "We measure all buildings, while inspecting the electrical and mechanical structures of each building."

The end result of the site is intended to serve as a base of operations for the storing and maintaining of essential brigade combat assets and equipment.

"Our goal is to analyze the buildings in terms of constructability, operability and sustainability," said Stalker. "The overall intent is to capture measurements, put a design together relatively quickly, then get input not only from the end user, but also from the customer and the host nation. After that, we can start to get a good picture of what this site may look like."

The 34th is also unique in that it is comprised of not only service members but also Department of Defense civilians.

Kevin Hace, a structural engineer from Portland, Oregon, and a DOD civilian with the FEST-A, gave his insight and shared his experience with regard to the rapid expansion of sustainability operations.

"My job is to look at the building, see what concerns we have and plan for possible upgrades in order to meet the mission," said Hace. "As a team, we all work together and help each other out, because some of the guys might see things that I don't always see.

"It is really great to be a part of this team and to have an opportunity to do something out of my normal day to day job. The Army pace is a lot faster than my civilian job, but it's been a great experience and a lot of fun."

The eventual completion of the site has several benefits not only to the interoperability among service members working in the facilities, but also allied relationships as a whole.

"In this area, and all the Baltic nations, having a presence sends a strong message to the world about the strength of our partnership with all the NATO countries," Stalker added. "Getting this activity site built, it prevents us from hauling equipment back and forth. It also improves our capability to conduct longer and better exercises as different units rotate over here to train."

The team, home-stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, has been temporarily attached to U.S. Army Europe's Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Engineer, for six-month orders that began in June. The team's mission is to assist ODCSENG with technical engineer surveys and design work in support of the EAS, the European Reassurance Initiative, and Operation Atlantic Resolve.