When a vertical team from Alpha Company, 46th Engineer Combat Battalion and an earth moving team from the 955 Engineer Company arrived at the Combat Outpost (COP) in Baghdad, there was lots of room for improvement in the living conditions for the Soldiers bravely serving there.
The team's mission was to install two pumps and tanks to contain grey water from the two shower trailers and remove a health risk at the outpost. The health risk was a direct result of the uncontrolled shower runoff, clearly visible to the casual observer.
Behind one trailer was a swamp of lush green ferns growing out of an impassable section of the motor pool where drainage water had been flowing, and in another area a deep, green cesspool, where a temporary tank had over-flown, creating a haven for mosquitoes to breed. 
After arriving at the combat outpost, 955th Engineer Company Soldiers Spc. Nicholas Emory and Pfc. Matt Callahan put their D7 bulldozer and hydraulic excavator (HYEX) into action, removing obstructions and spreading gravel. They demolished the swamp, leveled mud mounds, and did the same in the rest of the motor pool.
Instead of following the initial limited scope of work and simply filling a hole and leveling a parking area, their skilled efforts created almost 20 percent more useable motor pool space.
Next, Alpha Company Soldiers led by Staff Sgt. Gary Butler, ran pipe from the two shower trailers to pumps, then to water storage tanks, and placed concrete for two pads and sumps. 
"In addition to the directed scope of work, the carpenters, electrician, and plumbers did whatever could be done in order to enhance the living standards of the maneuver elements," said Butler.
Pvt. Steven Lincoln designed and built a safer set of stairs for the COP's Tactical Operations Center (TOC) with the help of Pfc. Robert Shoults.
Pfc. Travis Peters, an electrician with Alpha Company, repaired electric outlets, repaired and installed air conditioning units, and made two trailers safer by grounding them.  Plumbing specialist Spc. Johannes Cawood spent a lot of time on his back in the drying muck beneath the shower trailers improving the piping.
During their planned repairs the team found themselves suddenly reacting to a crisis.
"While investigating the cause of a leak from municipal lines, the leaking water main crumbled, causing water to pour from both ends at nearly 150 gallons-per-minute!" said Cawood. 
For twelve hours, Cawood and Lincoln fought to repair the broken main - often while completely submersed.
Meanwhile, Callahan and Sgt. Nicholas Daniel enlarged a lagoon to accommodate the deluge and prevent flooding of the COP and a nearby barracks. Finally, at 1:30 a.m., the water main repairs were completed.
By the end of the mission, the vertical and horizontal engineers of the 46th ECB (H) accomplished their directed repairs and resolved numerous other quality of life issues.  In doing so, these Soldiers exemplified the battalion's motto of "To Achieve!"