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Issue link: https://engineer.epubxp.com/i/145930
Above: A Soldier begins repairs on a section of delaminated concrete. Left: As part of the partnership with the host nation, a Soldier shows a local worker how to install new lights. With a minimum wage of only $1.75 an hour, few of the local inhabitants can pay for health care at the three private clinics on the island, so the state hospital is the only health facility they can access. Since the platoon would complete standard and nonstandard construction while mentoring and supervising 30 local workers, predeployment training was essential for the success of the project. Platoon leaders exercised creativity by seeking out civilian organizations to supplement training in the wood frame construction that is common in Alaska. The Soldiers worked with the Alaska Works Partnership and the Alaska Construction Academy, organizations that provide hands-on training to military members and veterans. The groups were thrilled to host two 40-hour blocks of instruction taught by qualifed journeymen with more than 30 years of construction experience. The 80 hours of training included drywall installation and repair, painting, and plumbing techniques. The knowledge gained during these classes created the opportunity for a smooth start to construction with minimal wasted materials. The catalyst for the hospital renovation project was the faulty roof. Although the precast concrete panels of the roof were in good shape, the joints had been leaking for more than 15 years. The extensive water damage to the interior of the buildings would have caused the hospital to be condemned if it had been in the United States. Pohnpei is one of the wettest places on the planet, receiving more than 300 inches of rainfall annually. Therefore, a 5-foot, hairline crack could leak gallons of water into the hospital. Before May–August 2013 any interior renovations could be completed, the structure had to be leak-free. The roof had three systems layered on top of each other: a tar-like base, an incomplete elastomeric coating, and corrugated tin supported by wooden purlins. The corrugated tin was installed in the early 2000s and had deteriorated. A new elastomeric roofng system, consisting of four coatings and a mesh fabric embedment, was commissioned for the hospital. This created a watertight seal on the hospital roof and lowered its surface temperature by more than 40 degrees. On an island with an average daily temperature of 91 degrees, reducing the surface temperature signifcantly increased the energy effciency of the hospital. It keeps the hospital cool and reduces its electrical and annual operating costs. Although the new roofng system was unfamiliar to the Soldiers and the local national workers, the installation process was simple. During the initial assessment, the host nation government and hospital staff requested that the hospital get a face-lift. Because of the widespread water damage, the state hospital was seen as second class compared to the private clinics, even though it can provide a higher level of care. Most of the ceiling track was covered in rust, ceiling tiles were missing in about 15 percent of the hospital, and water damage was present in 80 percent of the hospital. There were six intermixed patterns of foor tile and areas where tiles were missing. Walls throughout the hospital were dented and scratched, with rotten drywall and metal studs in some places. As a remedy, the team installed 40,800 square feet of Engineer 37