Oñate grad reflects on Seabee service

“We Build, We Fight” has been the motto of the U. S. Navy’s Construction Force, known as the “Seabees,” for more than seven decades. The Navy Seabees are personnel trained in both combat and the craft skills of the construction industry.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Adam Porras, a native of Las Cruces, builds and fights around the world as a member of a naval construction battalion center located in Port Hueneme, California.
Porras is serving as a Navy equipment operator and diver, responsible for operating heavy transportation equipment and cranes.
“I inspect, maintain and repair waterfront facilities such as piers, buoy and boat ramps,” Porras said.
Building in austere environments can be a challenge. Fighting in harsh conditions can also be a challenge. Building in austere environments while fighting in harsh conditions takes a special kind of person with a great deal of perseverance and determination, according to officials with the U.S. Navy History and Heritage Command. These are the kinds of people being trained at Port Hueneme to provide crucial support to Seabee units deployed around the world.
The jobs of some of the Seabees today have remained unchanged since World War II, when the Seabees paved the 10,000-mile road to victory for the allies in the Pacific and in Europe, said Lara Godbille, director of the U.S. Navy Seabee Museum.
“I enjoy all the hands-on work we do," Porras said. "It’s very fulfilling to see the work I do and to know I’m making a difference."
Seabees have served in all American conflicts for nearly 80 years. They have also supported humanitarian efforts using their construction skills to help communities around the world following earthquakes, hurricanes and other natural disasters.
Porras is a 2015 Onate High School graduate. According to Porras, the values required to succeed in the Navy are similar to those he found in Las Cruces.
“New Mexico is a melting pot, where I learned to treat everybody with respect,” Porras said. “In the Navy, this a big deal and will help you in the long run.”
Though there are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community and career, Porras is most proud of receiving a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for the work he completed on deployment in 2019.
“It was the first time I lead a group to complete a project," Porras said. "I’m proud to be recognized for my work and will always remember this time in my life.”
Serving in the Navy is a continuing tradition of military service for Porras, who has military ties with family members who have previously served. Porras said he is honored to carry on the family tradition.
“My father served in the Army," Porras said. "It is an honor to serve in the Navy and to carry on a tradition of service for my family."
As a member of the U.S. Navy, Porras said he, as well as other sailors, know they are a part of a service tradition providing unforgettable experiences through leadership development, world affairs and humanitarian assistance. Their efforts, he believes, will have a lasting effect around the globe for generations of sailors who will follow.
“The underwater construction team has been around since the 1970s," Porras said. "We are still in the early stages of history and our work every day is building on the Seabee legacy."

Port Hueneme is the West Coast homeport of the Navy’s Seabees. It’s one of five learning sites in the Center for Seabees and Facilities Engineering domain, where sailors, soldiers, airman and Marines train in construction trades and military skills to accomplish contingency and peacetime construction, chemical, biological and radiological operations, as well as humanitarian assistance missions worldwide.

The men and women who serve at Port Hueneme play a key role in the Navy’s broader mission of protecting American interests on the world’s oceans.
According to Navy officials, maintaining maritime superiority is a vital part of a Navy that is present today and prepared for tomorrow. The impact affects Americans and their interests around the world, as more than 70 percent of the Earth is covered by water and 90 percent of all trade travels by sea.
The foundation of the Navy includes a focus on warfighting, warfighters and the future of the fighting force.
“I am confident that we will maximize the Navy we have today while delivering the Navy that our nation will rely upon tomorrow,” said Adm. Mike Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations. “We will do so with urgency. Our fleet will be a potent, formidable force that competes around the world every day, deterring those who would challenge us while reassuring our allies and partners.”