Members of the military love to give back to their communities. For example, see this letter to the editor:
Mississippi Press
Saturday, November 29, 2008
At last Saturday's KaBoom Playground built at West Hancock Elementary, it was apparent that everyone showed up to work.
One group of 30 or so Seabees really caught my attention though when early in the morning, even before the main building kicked off, they started in on a large pile of dirt that had to be spread out. During the hour it took me to dig a 32-inch wide by 36-inch deep hole with a posthole digger and bust through a little concrete, I watched them work like bees around a hive and with only shovels and wheel barrows re-distribute, across several acres, that mountain of dirt. It was a task that would have taken the same number of civilians four hours. Men and women alike did not let up until that pile was not only gone but you could clearly see the grass that it had covered. They continued to apply that kind of drive and determination to task after task.
Later, while mixing cement with one of their chiefs, I learned they were trained as steel and iron workers. I can only wonder what an earth moving Seabee team could have accomplished.
J.J. SMITH/ Vancleave
