Fort Worth Native Trains U.S. Navy Warfighters

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class David R. Finley Jr., Navy Office of Community Outreach

PORT HUENEME, Calif. – “We Build, We Fight” has been the motto of the U. S. Navy’s Construction Force, known as the “Seabees,” for more than seven decades. The Navy Seabees are an elite group of personnel trained in both combat and the craft skills of the construction industry.

At Naval Construction Training Center (NCTC) Port Hueneme, this training requires highly-dedicated instructors to train and mentor the Navy’s future warfighters, while providing the tools and opportunities for continuous learning and development.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Shumeckea Dears, a native of Fort Worth, Texas, is an instructor at NCTC Port Hueneme providing the fleet with Seabees who possess the technical knowledge and skills necessary to build and fight around the world.

“I like the moment when everything clicks for the students,” said Dears. “It’s very rewarding to share the knowledge I’ve obtained from my career with my students.”

Building in austere environments can be a challenge. Fighting in harsh conditions can also be a challenge. Building in austere environments while fighting in harsh conditions takes a special kind of person with a great deal of perseverance and determination. These are the kinds of people being trained at NCTC Port Hueneme to provide crucial support to Seabee units deployed around the world.

The jobs of some of the Seabees today have remained unchanged since World War II, when the Seabees paved the 10,000-mile road to victory for the allies in the Pacific and in Europe, said Lara Godbille, director of the U.S. Navy Seabee Museum.

Seabees have served in all American conflicts for nearly 80 years. They have also supported humanitarian efforts using their construction skills to help communities around the world following earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters.

Dears is a 2004 Polytechnic High School graduate. According to Dears, the values required to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Fort Worth.

“Growing up in a bad neighborhood, I learned the importance of courage,” said Dears. “Serving in the Navy, it takes a great deal of courage to be successful.”

NCTC Port Hueneme is the West Coast homeport of the Navy’s Seabees. It’s one of five learning sites in the Center for Seabees and Facilities Engineering domain. They train and develop sailors, soldiers, airmen, Marines and foreign military members in construction trades and military skills for the Department of Defense operating forces and its allies to accomplish contingency and peacetime construction, chemical, biological, and radiological operations, and humanitarian assistance missions worldwide.

According to Navy officials, maintaining maritime superiority is a vital part of a Navy that is present today and prepared for tomorrow. The impact affects Americans and their interests around the world, as more than 70 percent of the Earth is covered by water and 90 percent of all trade travels by sea.

The foundation of the Navy the nation needs includes a focus on warfighting, warfighters and the future of the fighting force.

“I am confident that we will maximize the Navy we have today while delivering the Navy that our nation will rely upon tomorrow,” said Adm. Mike Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations. “We will do so with urgency. Our fleet will be a potent, formidable force that competes around the world every day, deterring those who would challenge us while reassuring our allies and partners.”

Though there are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community, and career, Dears is most proud of receiving the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal 2019.

“It shows that my command saw value in my work,” said Dears. “I am proud of this award and will always remember this time in my Navy career.”

As a member of the U.S. Navy, Dears, as well as other sailors, know they are a part of a service tradition providing unforgettable experiences through leadership development, world affairs and humanitarian assistance. Their efforts will have a lasting effect around the globe and for generations of sailors who will follow.

“I like being a Seabee because of the camaraderie,” said Dears. “We are such a small community and always have each other’s back.”