Engineers drive on

By Sgt. Matthew BrittonNovember 19, 2014

Operation United Assistance
1 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – "Drive On," the motto for the 902nd Engineer Company (Vertical), is posted on a sign at the Ebola treatment unit construction site as motivation to the Soldiers, Buchanan, Liberia. Nov. 17, 2014. Operation United Assistance is a Department of Defense... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Operation United Assistance
2 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Specialist Cody Robinson, secondary survey and designer, 902nd Engineer Company (Vertical), inspects one of the tents for the Ebola treatment unit in Buchanan, Liberia, Nov. 17, 2014. The construction of the facility was projected to be completed in ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Operation United Assistance
3 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. 1st Class John Teodoro, platoon sergeant, 902nd Engineer Company (Vertical), overlooks his team of carpenters while they construct a personal hygiene facility for the Ebola treatment unit in Buchanan, Liberia, Nov. 17, 2014. This is the first ET... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Operation United Assistance
4 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Pvt. Marek Jedlinski, carpenter, 902nd Engineer Company (Vertical), reshapes the dents and repairs damage done to a container for later use in Buchanan, Liberia, Nov. 17, 2014. The containers have their lids removed and are being utilized throughout ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Operation United Assistance
5 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sergeant Erik Stensen, Technical Engineer, 534th Engineer Detachment, 15th Engineer Battalion, 18th Engineer Brigade, 21st Sustainment Command, takes a quick break from the hot, exhausting work in Buchanan, Liberia, Nov. 17, 2014. Although the engine... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

BUCHANAN, Liberia - Drive On is the motto for the engineers deployed with the 902nd Engineer Company (Vertical), 15th Engineer Battalion, 18th Engineer Brigade, 21st Sustainment Command, to build a potentially lifesaving Ebola treatment unit in the city of Buchanan, Liberia. The Engineers are supporting the U.S. Agency for International Development-led mission, United Assistance.

The Soldiers are facing an array of issues due to the theater being so new. They range from difficulty receiving supplies needed for the construction of the ETU site to the lack of showers and the means to wash their uniforms. Even so, they are staying true to their core and making it happen.

"Since the theater just opened, logistics have been a problem," said 1st Lt. Abraham Richardson, Platoon Leader, 902nd Eng. Com. (Vertical). "But these Soldiers are great and have come up with some creative solutions. The plastic tent pegs weren't sticking in this soft clay, so one of the Soldiers found a way to bend rebar to secure the tents in place. We've been doing that ever since."

Despite supply challenges and harsh conditions, the overall morale of troops has been high.

"Most of the time these guys don't have access to showers," said Richardson. "We collect rain water to do our laundry, but despite these hardships, morale has been great. These Soldiers have a high sense of pride and make due out of the situation. We get the job done."

And they're getting the job done safely.

There hasn't been an injury or safety issue since they've been on site, said to Staff Sgt. Alfred Hames, construction section leader, 902nd Eng. Company (Vertical).

"These guys follow all safety procedures that we have in place and also haven't compromised the integrity of their health," said Hames. "We work with local approved contractors and the [Armed Forces of Liberia] provide [force protection] while we work. As far as safety, there hasn't been any concerns."

The Ebola Virus Disease is a widespread concern and still a very real danger throughout the country. But as these Soldiers have seen, it's preventable if the proper measures are followed.

"I really do believe there is a lot of extra fear about Ebola," said Richardson. "It's definitely a very dangerous threat, but there's a lot of misinformation about how easy it is to catch. The Soldiers receive briefs and learn about the disease as a whole. They learn how to recognize the signs and symptoms. They're monitored constantly and have their temperature checked twice a day."

The troops share a similar opinion regarding their safety and the chances of exposure to military personnel.

"Our Higher ups have done a great job at keeping us away from exposure," said Spc. Cody Robinson, secondary survey and designer, 902nd Eng. Company (Vertical). "You may not be able to see it back home, but Ebola is still a big deal here. That's why we're working so hard to get this site built. I feel great about what we're doing and how fast we got it up and functional."

The engineers were initially supposed to be deployed for three months but have built the ETU in a fraction of that time.

"We built this site in three weeks when it was supposed to take months," said Hames. "There's been so many issues that these guys have adapted to and overcame. This is what these guys were born to do; helping people is where they shine. It's our own form of the Super Bowl."