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AD BOUYA, Djibouti — The miles and miles of empty, rocky terrain here arebroken up only by the large red rig that runs throughout the day, spitting out hot water and wet dirt.
The Versa-Drill is one of the most important pieces of equipment for the soldiers of the 1133rd Engineer Detachment, a North Carolina National Guard unit sent here to drill wells and provide water to residents ofremote areas.
"Being out here is great, but the best thing is that rig," said Sgt. Jim Morgan, of Statesville, N.C. "If not for that rig, we'd all be broken down and worn out."
All that's required to run the drill isa soldier trainedto push the right buttons and pull the right levers.
"It really makes drilling a well very efficient," said Master Sgt. Andrew Odom, who leads the detachment.
The equipment is so new that a representative from the rig maker traveled to Djibouti in February to teach the soldiers how to use it.
The soldiers have been here, an area about three hours from the main U.S. military base in Djibouti that is home to 15 to 20 families and a school, since Feb. 13. They anticipate they'll complete the 210-foot well by early March,Odom said.
Meanwhile, the soldierslive in two tents — one for the well drillers and the other for soldiers from D Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, the Old Guard, who provide force protection for the 1133rd.
The place the soldiers call home for now looks like it's in the middle of nowhere, but they have Internet access, air conditioning in the tents, a makeshift shower, a trailer that boasts a widescreen TV for movie nights, and a grill for cooking.
"I didn't know there were so many ways to cook spam," Odom said.
They also get a lot of care packages with snacks, and the soldiers often buy their food from Tadjoura, a town about 45 minutes away, or the city of Djibouti, which is about three hours away.
"Here we can't be picky," Odom said. "Anything we can find to eat we'll eat it, but we've basically got all the conveniences of home."
A typical day for the soldiers starts at 7:30 a.m. and they usually knock offabout 5:30 p.m.
To dig the well, which will be 210 feet deep and 6 inches in diameter, the soldiers attach a bit to the bottom of the rig's 20-foot drill stem. As the bit eats through the ground, water mixed with foam additive is run through the middle of the drill stem. That mixture flushes out the soil and dirt from the hole, Odom said.
The dirt that is flushed out is biodegradable, he said.
"You have to be real conscious of that because, theoretically, anything you put in that well could contaminate that water," Odom said.
He said that though many people believe well drilling is as simple as digging a hole, it actually is "very technical."
The finished product will be a hand-pumped well that's easy enough for a child to use, which is fitting because of the nearby school, said Spc. Ronnell Bryant of the 1133rd.
It will be the third well built by the soldiers of the 1133rd, which arrived in Djibouti in December. The Guard members of the unit they relieved, the 1132nd Engineering Detachment, built or repaired 14 wells during its 12-month tour, providing water for 10,000 Djiboutians.
The well drilling is part of the stated mission of the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa to foster good local relations and stability in the region in an effort to minimize the influence and presence of anti-Western extremists.
'It teaches you to adapt'
While the well drillers work, eight soldiers from the Old Guard run force protection shifts 24 hours a day.
"Our main objective is to keep these boys safe," said Sgt. Edward Porter, the force protection commander. "We're not out here sweating like the well drillers, but we always have to be alert."
The area is pretty quiet, but occasionally local residents will stop by, wanting to see what's going on, Porter said.
When they're not working, the soldiers play the guitar, play cards or dice, watch movies or toss a football around, Porter said.
"You'll be surprised how much you miss the simple stuff, like washing clothes," he said. "We have two buckets that we use. I wouldn't say it's a hardship, but it's not what we're used to at home. If anything, it teaches you how to adapt."
For the most part, the soldiers seem to enjoy being out on their own, despite the occasional bouts with boredom and the sometimes austere living conditions.
"I sleep better here than I do [at Camp Lemonier in Djibouti] and it's a little more relaxed," Morgan said. "This is home for us."
Bryant agreed, adding that the soldiers are respectful to the local residents.
"We meet all the families in the area," he said. "It's important to go in and create that good environment. We're ambassadors out here."
On Feb. 24, while the drill rig was grinding away, two teachers from the local school stopped by to talk to the soldiers. Ilyas Moussa teaches Arabic and Mohamed Hassan teaches French at the 70-student school about 100 meters from the well.
The men even tasted some of the water that was being produced during the well driller process, and both sounded their approval.
The first thing the locals ask is "Do you have water?" Bryant said. Then they want to know if it's OK to drink it.
"We sometimes have them taste the water," he said. "It's important to get their input. It's important that we get things so we don't disrupt their lifestyle."
Many of the local residents have to walk a long distance to the existing well in the village, Moussa said. Some make the journey carrying the largest containers they own, while others attach containers to their camels to transport the water. This new well is close to many homes and the school, he said.
In addition, the old well is open — which means it's easily contaminated by animals or other things. The new well will have a seal that blocks anything outside from contaminating the water.
The locals have been very welcoming and friendly, Morgan said.
"They're happy we're here because they know once we're done, things will be better for them," he said.
