BuDocks, selected Captain Walter Allen, War Plans Officer, to represent BuDocks on the War Plans Board. Capt. Allen presented the bureau's CB concept with the Board including it in the Rainbow war plans. The Seabees named their first training center for Capt. Allen. A criticism of the proposal was CBs would have a dual command; military control administrated by fleet line Officers while construction operations would be administrated by Civil Engineer Corps officers. Additional criticisms were no provisions for the military organization or military training necessary to provide unit structure, discipline, and esprit de corps. In December 1937, RADM. Ben Moreell became BuDocks Chief and the lead proponent of the CB proposal. In 1941, the Navy and BuDocks decided to improve project oversight of civilian contractors by creating "Headquarters Construction Companies". These companies would have 2 officers and 99 enlisted, but would do no actual construction. On 31 October 1941, RADM. Chester Nimitz, Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, authorized the formation of the 1st Headquarters Construction Company. Recruiting began in November while boot training began 7 December 1941 at Naval Station Newport. By 16 December, four additional companies had been authorized, but Pearl Harbor changed everything. The Seabee skillset became multi-faceted with all advanced military training being USMC instruction. That training led to CBs being tasked as USMC Pioneers (Shore party) in multiple landings. They added pontoon development, fabrication, and combat utilization. The military training added frontline combat with both the Marine Corps and the Army during WWII and the Marines and Army Special forces during Vietnam. It also lead to combat as machine gunners on USN LCVP and PT boats during WWII. On the construction side of their toolbox the NCF CBs were formed with skilled tradesmen making the NCF competent in all types of vertical and horizontal civil construction as well as the associated engineering. The newly formed Naval Construction Force (NCF) toolbox quickly focused on airfield and harbor construction. The toolbox was expanded to include underwater construction, demolition, as well as the related combat applications used by the Seabees that comprised the NCDU's and UDTs. The toolbox was further expanded by the creation of Public works units to maintain the facilities they constructed. In addition mosquito/malaria control was added to their Public works skillset. The NCF added traditional fleet salvage, repair, and maintainece as needed. Combat engineering was added to the toolbox when CBs were transferred