NAVFAC Hawaii completes construction of new Military Working Dog Kennel at MCBH
Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Hawaii (NAVFAC HI) completed construction of a new $8.3 million military working dog kennel at Marine Corps Base, Hawaii (MCBH) with contractor Alan Shintani Inc., providing a modern facility to support military working dog operations and installation security.
The P-955 Military Working Dog Kennel was commemorated during a maile lei untying ceremony Sept. 23 at MCBH, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
Col. Steve Detrinis, commanding officer of MCBH, hosted the ceremony, which brought together base leadership, Provost Marshal’s Office personnel, military working dog handlers, NAVFAC HI personnel, contractors and project partners.
“It is a distinct honor to be here today on behalf of Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Hawaii to celebrate the completion of this outstanding and critical warfighting facility,” said Capt. Andrew Hunt, NAVFAC Hawaii executive director. “When we look at a military construction project, we see far more than the concrete and steel before us. We see a vital new capability — one that directly strengthens our warfighting readiness and enables critical teams for the missions ahead.”
The new kennel replaces an aging facility and provides military working dogs and their handlers with infrastructure designed to support their health, safety and readiness.
The 14-kennel facility includes individual indoor and outdoor working areas, veterinary and specialized food preparation rooms, slow-crank doors and overhead power washers.
NAVFAC Hawaii worked with MCBH’s kennel master, base veterinarian and Provost Marshal’s Office throughout the project to incorporate operational requirements into the facility’s design and construction.
“This kennel is an investment in our operational approach,” Detrinis said. “This new facility is a product of our priority to protect people and infrastructure.”
The project supports MCBH’s effort to modernize infrastructure and strengthen the installation as a resilient power projection platform in the Indo-Pacific.
NAVFAC Hawaii ROICC [resident officer in charge of construction] MCBH construction management team provided design and quality assurance for the project, working with contractor Alan Shintani Inc. and its subcontractors to complete construction.
“A project’s true performance, however, is measured not just by the final product, but by the teamwork it took to get there,” Hunt said. “The success we are celebrating today is a direct result of exceptional collaboration. This was a partnership in the truest sense of the word.”
The facility provides military working dog teams with an operating environment designed around their mission. Military working dogs provide specialized capabilities, including explosive and narcotics detection and patrol operations, supporting installation security and force protection.
Military working dogs have served alongside U.S. service members for more than a century. During World War II, Marine Corps war dog platoons deployed throughout the Pacific, where dogs helped detect ambushes, mines and concealed enemy positions.
The partnership between military working dogs and their handlers remains central to the mission.
“Where my dog goes, I go,” is a creed embraced by military working dog handlers that reflects the trust and shared responsibility between handler and dog.
“I hope this gives handler and dog alike the mission and operating platform that they can call home and that both are proud to operate from,” Hunt said.
The completion of P-955 demonstrates NAVFAC Hawaii’s role in providing infrastructure that supports Navy and Marine Corps readiness and mission requirements across the Indo-Pacific.
“May it serve you, our military working dogs, their handlers and our nation with distinction, steadfastness and unwavering loyalty for decades to come,” Hunt said.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
