Naval Construction Training Center Port Hueneme Host’s the Society of American Military Engineering (SAME) Camp
HUENEME, Calif. — Naval Base Ventura County hosted 38 high school juniors and seniors for the annual Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) camp.
Spanning both Port Hueneme and Point Mugu, the weeklong camp offered hands-on experience for students interested in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs and military engineering careers. The teams were guided by 15 military and civilian mentors, who assisted the campers as they tackled real-world engineering challenges designed to test their problem-solving, teamwork, and technical skills.
Naval Construction Training Center (NCTC) Port Hueneme hosted the campers for a concrete beam exercise, where they prepared the beams and tested them for durability. During the NCTC round-robin event, students met schoolhouse staff and gained firsthand experience with different Navy Seabee ratings, including builders, steelworkers, electricians, and engineering aides. Students toured various workspaces and tested the tools of each trade. Campers earned points for design, planning, and execution across all events, with final testing concluding on the last day of camp.
Ben Matthews, SAME national president, was on-site to mentor and guide the teams. “This camp is the foundation for the future engineers of our society,” Matthews said. “Our goal is to inspire the students and allow them to make the connections possible for their future careers in STEM and solving national security priorities.”
John Accardi, a senior member of the SAME Academy of Fellows and the local board of directors for the Oxnard Post, emphasized the program's long-term impact. “Our goal is to introduce and encourage the campers to pursue and foster a career in the sciences, technologies, and math fields,” Accardi said. “Our vision started in 2005. Partnering with NAVFAC Port Hueneme has not only met our expectations but has exceeded the expectation year by year with participation and training.”
Dave Brewer, the camp director with 42 years of SAME experience, highlighted the military partnership that makes the curriculum possible. “We are thankful for NCTC and their partnership for hosting and allowing this amazing event,” Brewer said. “With their continued support, we are able to expose the campers to STEM with the ultimate goal of growing them individually and having them leave as future STEM leaders within their community and our country.”
In addition to Seabee training, campers spent time at Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) designing, building and launching model rockets made from plastic bottles and recycled materials. They also designed popsicle-stick bridges, testing them to determine failure points and evaluate design effectiveness.
The camp also featured a day at Fathomwerx, where students designed, built and tested underwater vehicles, capping off a week of STEM exploration.
Spanning both Port Hueneme and Point Mugu, the weeklong camp offered hands-on experience for students interested in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs and military engineering careers. The teams were guided by 15 military and civilian mentors, who assisted the campers as they tackled real-world engineering challenges designed to test their problem-solving, teamwork, and technical skills.
Naval Construction Training Center (NCTC) Port Hueneme hosted the campers for a concrete beam exercise, where they prepared the beams and tested them for durability. During the NCTC round-robin event, students met schoolhouse staff and gained firsthand experience with different Navy Seabee ratings, including builders, steelworkers, electricians, and engineering aides. Students toured various workspaces and tested the tools of each trade. Campers earned points for design, planning, and execution across all events, with final testing concluding on the last day of camp.
Ben Matthews, SAME national president, was on-site to mentor and guide the teams. “This camp is the foundation for the future engineers of our society,” Matthews said. “Our goal is to inspire the students and allow them to make the connections possible for their future careers in STEM and solving national security priorities.”
John Accardi, a senior member of the SAME Academy of Fellows and the local board of directors for the Oxnard Post, emphasized the program's long-term impact. “Our goal is to introduce and encourage the campers to pursue and foster a career in the sciences, technologies, and math fields,” Accardi said. “Our vision started in 2005. Partnering with NAVFAC Port Hueneme has not only met our expectations but has exceeded the expectation year by year with participation and training.”
Dave Brewer, the camp director with 42 years of SAME experience, highlighted the military partnership that makes the curriculum possible. “We are thankful for NCTC and their partnership for hosting and allowing this amazing event,” Brewer said. “With their continued support, we are able to expose the campers to STEM with the ultimate goal of growing them individually and having them leave as future STEM leaders within their community and our country.”
In addition to Seabee training, campers spent time at Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) designing, building and launching model rockets made from plastic bottles and recycled materials. They also designed popsicle-stick bridges, testing them to determine failure points and evaluate design effectiveness.
The camp also featured a day at Fathomwerx, where students designed, built and tested underwater vehicles, capping off a week of STEM exploration.
https://www.netc.navy.mil/NCTCPH/ or follow NCTC Port Hueneme on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NCTCPH.
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