Ameren Sparta manager takes command of naval construction battalion

A Nashville resident and supervisor at Ameren Illinois' Sparta Operation Center has assumed command of the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 18 in Port Hueneme, California.

On Dec. 1, Navy Reserve Commander Glenn M. Eberhart relieved Commander Andy M. Cook, and will now serve a two-year tour as battalion commander.

In civilian life, Eberhart is a supervisor of gas operations for Ameren Illinois in Sparta.

Eberhart's unit is comprised of 491 highly skilled personnel with currently 124 forward deployed to the AFRICOM and CENTCOM area of responsibility. NMCB 18 is geographically based in the western states of Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Wyoming and Montana but contains troops from 30 states and Guam, and is one of five remaining Reserve Seabee Battalions within the U.S. Navy

Seabees are the Navy's premier construction and engineering asset with the ability to build to all specified standards within any environment.

Eberhart holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering with a structural specialization from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He was recalled to active duty in 2003 as the Alpha Platoon Leader of a Heavy Air Detachment, which was deployed during the initial invasion into Al Hilla, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

He was mobilized once again in 2009 with the Ninth Naval Construction Regiment to Port Hueneme, where he served as the Home Port and CBMU Operations Officer for the Pacific Detachments.

Eberhart is a Seabee Combat Warfare Officer and a registered professional engineer in Illinois. His personal decorations include the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (three awards), and various unit and service awards.