Sealaska Construction Intern Visits Air Force Base Project

By: Jay Brendible Jr., Construction Management Intern

Jay Brendible Jr. and Superintendent Dave Houx examine the gravel layer of the vegetative swale (a channel for water runoff) at the construction site.

The project was the new main security gate entrance for the Portland Air National Guard Base

On my first trip to the job site in Oregon, my manager David McQueen and I went through a job site safety meeting and an overview of the project. I learned that the project was the removal of the old security entrance and construction of a new main security gate entrance for the U.S. Air Force base, which consisted of anti-terrorism and force protection upgrades. After I learned about what the project looked like on paper, we went outside and took a tour around the physical job site. That very much interested me because I got to see how complex the building plans were and how much preparation it took to get where they are.

Heath Barger, Jay Brendible Jr., and Dave McQueen on project site

I got to learn about what it’s like to work on-site

The project manager on site, Heath Barger, was very enthusiastic about me being there and even invited me down to Portland to help him work on the job site so I could get a better understanding of all the work that goes into this particular type of project. During my second trip, I went overnight and got to work on as-built drawings, RFI’s, scheduling, and project documentation. This further interested me because I got to learn about what it’s like to work on-site, along with the differences of working in the office with my manager.

Jay Brendible Jr. and Superintendent Dave Houx on-site discussing work activities with the concrete crew.

These trips have opened my eyes

My favorite part about the trips would have to be going around the job site, taking pictures of the site, and seeing the progress that has been made from the start of the job. Overall, these trips have opened my eyes to what my future should look like, and I am very thankful for the experience.