Experienced Construction Men Offered Navy Seabee Petty Officer Ratings

Item

derivative filename/jpeg
363-03941 to 363-03942.pdf
Digital Object Identifier
363-03941 to 363-03942
Title
Experienced Construction Men Offered Navy Seabee Petty Officer Ratings
Description
Original title: "Experienced Construction Men Offered Navy Seabee Petty Officer Ratings." Seabees press release 79-67 (36)
Date
1967
Subject
United States. Navy. Seabees; Vietnam War, 1961-1977; Construction projects; Press releases; Soldiers
Location
Washington, D.C.
Coordinates
38.9072; -77.0369
Container
B65, F12
Format
press releases
Collection Number
MS 363
Collection Title
Beverly Deepe Keever, Journalism Papers
Creator
United States. Navy. Seabees
Collector
Keever, Beverly Deepe
Copyright Information
These images are for educational use only. To inquire about usage or publication, please contact Archives & Special Collections.
Publisher
Archives & Special Collections
Language
English
extracted text
UNITED STATES NAVY
CONSTRUCTION BA TT ALIONS

SEABEES IN ACTION
" CONSTRUIMUS , BATUIMUS - WE BUILD , WE FIGHT "

"CAN DO!"

U.S. NAVAL CONSTRUCTION BATTALION CENTER
GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI
3950l
Release No~ 79-67 (36)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EXPERIENCED CONSTRUCTION MEN OFFERED NAVY SEABEE PETTY OFFICER RATINGS
The first of an estimated 5,000 Direct Procurement Petty Officers
scheduled to be trained at the Gulfport (Mississippi) Seabee Center is Robert
J. Farnam, a 20-year-6ld electrician from St. Louis, Mo.
He recently enlisted in the Navy for 30 months and was given an
immediate rating of Construction Electrician Third Class.
Before enlisting, Petty Officer Farnam graduated from high school and a
mechanical trades school in St. Louis.

He also worked as a construction men

and trouble-shooter for a boiler-making firm.
Petty Officer Farnam is extra happy about the whole thing, because-by coincidence~-- his father was sn Electrician's Mate during World War II.
DPPO training at Gulfport is planned for a five week period. There,
each man will be given his initial physical examination and his first issue
of Navy uniforms. Medical, dental and service records also will be established
and pay records and other administrative forms will be set up. He will learn
to drill and to ~wim.
The work-day for newly enlisted Petty Officers begins at 4:30 a.m., and
continues until after sundown. Military drill occupies more hours than any
other subject. Individual responsibilities, physical fitness, first aid and
practical firefighting techniques are also stressed.
-more-

DEPARTMENT

or

THE NAVY • NAVAL FACILITIES ENGINEERING COMMAND • WASHINGTON , D. C. 20390

The five-week training cycle will convert a civilian construc tion~wo~ke r
into a Seabee Petty Officer, ready for assignment to a Mobile Construction
Battalion at Gulfp© r t or one of the other Seabee Centers at Davisville, R. I.,
and Port Hueneme, Calif. Additional training will be scheduled should he
wish to join a combat construction team.
Advanced rates to Petty Officer grades are available to construction
worke rs who c an meet the qualifications to become a Seabee. Navy recruiters
want t o enlis t 5,000 du r ing the next 12 months.
After completion of military training at the Gulfport Seabee Center
and t e chni c al training with a Battalion, the men usually will deploy with
their unit to a forward c omba t e rea.
There are some 7,500 Seabees in Vietnam doing construction work for
De partment of Defense units and teaching building techniques to Vietnamese
a nd Thais.
1967 marks the 25th anneversary of the U.S. Navy Seabees; the 100th
of the Navy Civil Engineer Corps whose officers lead the Seabees in action;
and the 125th of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (formerly Bureau
of Yards and Docks).
-30-

(DEAR EDITOR: We Seabees hope you can use this copy and we would appreciate
a tear sheet ma i led to: )
BUBLIC AFF.AIRS OFFICE 09D2
Ya r ds e nd Docks Annex 2B35
Washington, D.C. 20390