Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 Builds One of the Largest Marine Corps Airfields

Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron-371 have been working diligently on the expansion of Camp Bastion airfield.

Once finished, it will be one of the largest airfields in the Marine Corps, with multiple interconnected taxiways and aircraft maintenance bays.

"The airfield is expanding to house the aircraft in support of Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan," said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Ronald Neal, the officer-in-charge of the squadron's heavy equipment platoon. "Our Marines have been here for almost three months now and through sandstorms, hot weather, and aircraft flying over, they are here every day, Sunday to Sunday."

Navy Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5 are working alongside MWSS-371 in a combined effort to finish the airfield.

The team of MWSS-371 "Sand Sharks" working on this project is comprised of approximately 300 Marines and is broken down into two groups, the Heavy Equipment Platoon and the Expeditionary Airfield Platoon. "We send out 90-man working crews on 12-hour shifts," said Neal. "Every day feels like a Monday."

From grating the soil, watering the soil, compacting the soil, and finally placing the aluminum matting, the airfield is built despite the inconsistent terrain.

"The hardest part of this project is the fact that we are building it from scratch," said Neal. "The ground preparation is most important."

"Even though we are not out on convoys and patrols, and that it might seem minimal to some, we know our hard work will make a difference in this war," said Lance Cpl. Joshua Martinez, a heavy equipment operator with MWSS-371.

This airfield is scheduled for completion later this summer and will be a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Marines of MWSS-371, whose home station is Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., and are here as members of Marine Aircraft Group 40, the aviation combat element of MEB-Afghanistan.

By Lance Cpl. Samuel Nasso, Marine Aircraft Group 40