The dynamic structure of the United States Navy is an invaluable characteristic that has made it the most powerful in the world. It not only has large warships with advanced technology, but also organized units of men and women who can provide the support for the Navy to have a forward naval presence, particularly the Seabees. The Seabees or Construction Battalion (CB) are a unit of the US Navy Civil Engineering Corps (CEC). The CEC trains enlisted men and women in the engineering profession with basic military training so that they are capable of building or maintaining necessary infrastructure, including airstrips, naval bases, roads , camps and weather stations. Since the unit's inception during World War II, the role of the Seabees has evolved from a regimented group of tradesmen to a highly trained organization that provides war and disaster relief and support military. Although the Navy Civil Engineer Corps was formalized in the middle of World War II, construction units were evident as early as the War of 1812. During the war, the U.S. Navy sought to hinder British trade by pursuing the merchant ships. Under Captain David Porter, the USS Essex was brought to the Pacific Islands, where she landed on the island of Nukuhiva with 300 craftsmen to build the Navy's first naval base. With the help of nearly 4,000 island natives, they obtained all the necessary equipment, but were forced to work alongside their guns to constantly repel the hostile islanders. This concept was passed to Rear Admiral Ben Moreell of the Bureau of Yards and Dock in the 1940s, following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. After the attack, the majority of the US Navy was left in ruins and the government saw the need for middle of paper......eabees in service, approximately 50% of whom are active in 7 naval construction battalions and 12 reserve battalions. Since their official establishment in 1942, the Seabees have repeatedly demonstrated great courage and skill by landing and laying the foundation for some of the Navy's greatest accomplishments. Works Cited Dooley, Matthew P. "Seabees Complete Disaster Recovery Mission | Military. com." Military.com. Np, November 20, 2012. Web. February 26, 2014. Lee, Sam M. “US Navy: The Seabees.” US Navy: The Seabees. Np, and Web. February 25, 2014. History and heritage of the navy. “FAQ: Seebee Historical Index.” FAQ: Seebee Historical Index. Np, and Web. February 26, 2014. “The heroes of the workshop”. The economist. The Economist Journal, March 2, 2013. Web. February 26, 2014. http://www.public.navy.mil/necc/hq/PublishingImages/NECC%20fact%20sheets/NECC_SEABEES2_FactSheet2012.pdf