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Building the Framework at Camp Paumalu for the Girl Scouts

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Michael P Fariss
  • 171 Air Refueling Wing

Innovative Readiness Training builds mutually beneficial civil-military partnerships between U.S. communities and the Department of Defense. This provides the military with high-quality, mission-essential training for active, guard and reserve members.

The IRT consisted of seven rotations. Guardsmen with the 171st deployed during the fourth rotation. Their primary focus was training activities supporting the construction of eight Girl Scout cabins, beam fabrication and installation, floor and roof installations and hurricane brace installation. The secondary focus included access road grading, maintenance of existing cabins and tree stump removal.

“This was a great opportunity for upgrade and proficiency training for the civil engineering structures and pavements and construction Airmen,” said Senior Master Sgt. Mark C. Nicolia, 171st ARW CE heavy repair superintendent.

The Airmen and Marines benefitted greatly from the joint-service collaboration, even those not working within their career fields.

“We were also able to work side by side with 12 Marine Corps reservists. It was great to see the two different services come together, work hand and hand without any issues and complete the tasking presented to us,” said Nicolia.

This IRT project provided the Girls Scouts of America a no cost labor force that saved them $2.2 million while providing 280 joint service members the valuable training needed to stay proficient in their respective career fields. Service members may not have the opportunity to complete this type of training during their typical unit training assemblies.

“What stood out to me the most was how grateful the Girl Scout leaders and other personnel at the camp were to us and our work,” said Nicolia. “Everyday people were coming up to me and thanking me for our labor. It was a very gratifying experience.”