Thursday, March 24, 2016

Houston native serves with Naval Beach Group TWO


By Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs

NORFOLK – A 2009 Ross Sterling High School graduate and Houston native is serving in the U.S. Navy with Naval Beach Group TWO (NBG 2).

Seaman Bianca Boleware is working with the beach group operating out of Virginia Beach, Virginia.

As a Navy seaman she is responsible for multiple duties that assist in the command completing its mission.

“My job allows me to branch out and work with different people at the command,” said Boleware.

Commissioned in 1948, NBG 2 is designed to organize, man, train and equip forces to execute, combat support, and combat service support missions.

NBG 2 is made of four commands, Assault Craft Unit TWO (ACU 2), Assault Craft Unit FOUR (ACU 4), Amphibious Construction Battalion TWO (PHIBCB 2), and Beach Master Unit TWO (BMU 2); who have their own individual missions that assist to ensure the overall mission of NBG 2 is complete.

Boleware serves with BMU2 who provides Naval Beach Party Teams (BPTs) for deployment in conjunction with Expeditionary Forces in order to provide beach and surf zone salvage and to facilitate the landing and movement over the beach of troops, equipment, supplies, and the evacuation of casualties, prisoners-of-war, and non-combatants.

“This command is great because they are invested in my well being and success as a Sailor and person,” said Boleware

Approximately 30 officers and 300 enlisted men and women make up the beach group. Their jobs are highly specialized and keep each part of the command running smoothly. The jobs range from operating boats to maintaining engines and handling weaponry.

"The Sailors here never cease to impress me with the effort they put into their daily work," said Capt. Jeffrey Hayhurst, commodore commander of NBG 2. "Their dedication and hard work make me proud to be in command of Naval Beach Group Two."

Although NBG 2 is made up of four separate commands, they all work together to complete their mission of providing the Navy personnel and equipment to support an amphibious operation or exercise.

These exercises can include evacuation of American citizens from a hostile territory, delivery of food and medical supplies after a natural disaster, the bulk delivery of fuel or fresh water from a ship anchored off the coast through a pipeline to a shore facility, and nearly any other task that involves moving from ships offshore to the beach.

“The Navy has given me a sense of direction and discipline,” said Boleware. “The Navy has given me hope and the change that I needed in my life.”

As a member of the one of the U.S. Navy’s most unique commands, Boleware and other NBG 2 Sailors understand that they need to have the ability to complete a variety of missions to help keep America safe from enemies foreign and domestic.