Marine Corps News Room

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/008C8BE9ACB9C0D4852570AC0019ED01?opendocument

Submitted by: 31st MEU
Story Identification #: 20051031234310
Story by Lance Cpl. W. Zach Griffith

MARAGONDON, CAVITE, Republic of the Philippines (Oct. 30, 2005) -- Marine engineers of the Marine Expeditionary Unit Service Support Group-31 were joined by students and teachers in a turnover ceremony and reopening the Maragondon Elementary School, Oct. 30.

The engineers had been working to improve the school for the past four days. The engineer’s main project was the replacing of the roof on one of the buildings. In addition to the roof, engineers put down gravel on the mud driveway, replaced a wall separating two classrooms, and repainted some of the white walls.

The ceremony opened with the municipal mayor, Mayor Amante Andaman, with the school principal, Sylvia Estabrama, along with students and teachers from the school greeting Col. Walter L Miller, Jr., the commanding officer of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.

Estabrama welcomed and thanked Miller along with MSSG Engineer Detachment for their hard work in improving the school.

“We are grateful for the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit for fixing our school,” she said. “It will be a legacy left behind by the Marines of the 31st MEU, a symbol of American and Philippine relationship. Thank you again for your dedication.”

Estabrama said she is grateful for the Philippine Marine engineers, who also worked so well with the U.S. Marines.

“I am glad that our forces could work so well together to finish a common goal,” she said. “I hope that I get to see them working together again. It was a pleasure getting to know some of the Marines of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.”

U.S. Navy Lt. Rean Enriquez, a chaplain with the USS Essex (LHD-2) amphibious assault ship, blessed the school during the ceremony. Enriquez is a native of the Philippines, born north of Manila. He gave the blessing in Tagalog, the native languages of the Philippines.

“What better way to foster good relationships with people then to bless them and their school in their own language,” he said.

The ceremony showed the people’s appreciation for the engineers’ hard work. According to 1st Lt. Grissett Gideon, the MSSG engineers platoon commander, despite obstacles, weather and language barriers, the project resulted in a good experience for her platoon to work with their Philippine Marine counterparts as well as get good some practice working in the field.

“It was a great opportunity to work with the Philippine Marines in a field environment,” she said. “Not a lot of my Marines have had a chance to work with foreign militaries. This was a great time for us to apply our skills in a real-world environment as well as build relationships with the Philippine Marines.”

Gunnery Sergeant Kevin C. Hardy, engineering detachment chief, said the Engineering Civic Action Project was the kind of work he enjoys doing with his Marines, and people do not always realize Marines get so involved in the communities they visit.

“This is the work that we do a lot, and that is a good thing,” he said. “People need to know Marines do more than engage in combat, we try and help people.”