EMBARKATION

Naval Construction Force (NCF) units, such as Naval Mobile Construction Battalions (NMCBs), Amphibious Construction Battalions (PHIBCBs), Construction Battalion Units (CBUs), and so forth, are required to maintain a high state of readiness and must be capable of rapidly and efficiently embarking aboard aircraft or shipping to provide contingency support to the Navy, the Marine Corps, and other forces and perform and participate in disaster recovery operations and field exercises. Detailed procedures for embarkation are outlined in the Naval Construction Force Embarkation Manual, COMSECOND/ COMTHIRDNCBINST 3120.1.

CESE AND MATERIAL PREPARATION

Upon notification from higher authority to mount-out and deploy, the battalion re-organizes and sets up a mount-out control center (MOCC). The MOCC is under the direction of the battalion executive officer. The MOCC controls, coordinates, and monitors the movement of all personnel, supplies, and equipment to the marshaling area. The MOCC and the embarkation staff control all aspects of an NMCB mount-out and serve as the coordinating center for all the companies and battalion staff.

The preparation of CESE for embarkation is the responsibility of Alfa company. All vehicles and equipment must be absolutely clean of mud, oil, grease, or any other foreign matter, and all leaks must be repaired before being embarked. Embarking on aircraft requires special loading procedures for several types of CESE assigned to the battalion Table of Allowance (TOA). These procedures are outlined in the NCF Embarkation Manual, COMSECOND/ COMTHIRD-NCBINST 3120.1 Series. Alfa company has the responsibility of following these procedures that consist of the removal of dump truck headache racks, equipment exhaust stacks, dozer blades, counterweights, and equipment roll over protective structure (ROPS), bows, tarps and side racks, and so forth.

NOTE: The bolts, nuts, and parts from the disassembled equipment must be placed with the equipment in a location that is easily accessible.

Mobile Loads

A mobile load is an item on a vehicle that is not considered to be a secured part of a vehicle. Mobile-loaded items must be secured to the vehicle by a minimum of one-half-inch-thick rope of manila or hemp, from side to side and front to rear.

Onboard Fuel

Another area that must be checked and serviced is the amount of fuel in the fuel tanks on vehicles. Fuel tanks of a vehicle must be at least one-fourth full and not more than three-fourths full. If the vehicle is to be placed on the ramp of an aircraft, fuel tanks should never be more than one-half full.

Fuel in tanks for trailer-mounted and single-axle units must not exceed one-fourth full when these units are disconnected from the prime mover with the tongue resting on the aircraft floor. When positioned on the aircraft ramp, the fuel tanks must be drained, but not purged.

After a piece of CESE is cleaned, checked, and serviced by Alfa company, the dispatcher notifies the MOCC that the CESE is ready to be transferred to the

Figure 6-24.-Subcategories of labor.

weighing and marking station. Weighing and marking procedures are outlined in the Equipment Operator, Advanced, NAVEDTRA 12537.

Palletized Cargo

Cargo that is to be loaded on an aircraft is palletized on 463-L air certified pallets, as shown in figure 6-25. The weight of an empty 463-L pallet is standardized at 290 pounds; when side and top nets are added the pallet weight is 355 pounds. These figures are to be used in weight and balance planning of an aircraft load plan. The outside dimensions of a 463-L pallet are 88 inches long and 108 inches wide. The usable space on the pallet is 84 by 104 inches; this leaves a 9-inch space around

Figure 6-25.-463-L pallet with cargo and net.

the outside perimeter of the pallet load. Cargo can be loaded on the pallet up to 96 inches high, and the weight limitation is 10,000 pounds per pallet maximum.

Each pallet has a total of 22 tie-down rings (six on the long side and five on the short side) that match up with the cargo net fasteners. 463-L pallets lock into the aircraft by a rail on each side of the aircraft.

When loads are placed on a pallet, three point dunnage must be placed under each pallet. The size of the dunnage must be at least 4- by 4- by 88-inch timbers. One timber must be placed under the center of the pallet and one under each outside edge of the pallet; this helps prevent warping of the pallets.

To store empty pallets, you should first put down one set of three point dunnage, then stack the pallets no more than 10 high. If more pallets must be stacked, another set of dunnage must be placed on top of the first 10 pallets, then 10 more pallets can be stacked. This sequence can be repeated up to a maximum of 40 pallets. Each pallet must be stacked with the cargo loading surface facing in an upward direction.

During the pallet-building process (placing cargo on the pallets), always load heavy cargo in the center of the pallet and build it up with lighter cargo around it. This will keep the center of balance at the center of the pallet. All cargo loaded on a 463-L pallet must be placed close together with no open space between them. If space is left between cargo items, the cargo may shift on the pallet during flight and could cause damage to or even loss of the aircraft.