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Archive: October, 2012
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  • October

    New York District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers begins post-storm missions in region following Hurricane Sandy, supports FEMA, local and state authorities

    NEW YORK – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, is carrying out missions to support

  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division takes action following Hurricane Sandy's landfall

    BROOKLYN, New York – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division is taking action
  • Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, gives a speech about energy sustainability Oct. 24 during the annual Association of the United States Army Meeting and Exposition at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. (Photo by John Hoffman, USACE Headquarters)

    Bostick discusses USACE, energy sustainability at conference

    Sustainability is an umbrella concept that deals with increasing the Army’s effectiveness by reducing its use of energy and impact to the climate and environment. Bostick spoke about the Corps’ efforts to support the Army Energy Initiatives.
  • 2012 U.S. Army Award Winners at the Women of Color STEM Conference held October 11-13, 2012 in Dallas, Texas. From left to right - Dr. Victoria Dixon, Director of Human Relations/Equal Opportunity Programs for the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command in Alexandria, VA; Jovan Johnson-Griffin, Senior Program Analyst for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District; Lieutenant General Thomas Bostick, Commanding General for the U.S. Army Corps Engineers; Hokulii Tamayori, Architectural Designer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Honolulu District; and Major Erica Johnson, Associate Program Director for SAUSHEC Internal Medicine Residency and Infectious Disease Fellowship Programs at the San Antonio Military Medical Center. Not Pictured: Tamara Murphy, Civil Engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wilmington District; Master Sergeant Faith Alexander, Equal Opportunity Advisor/Facilitator/Platform Instructor for the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute.

    Building the Case for Women in STEM: The 2012 Women of Color Conference Showcases Award Winners and Leverages Opportunities for Females in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Careers

    October 11-13, 2012, the 17th annual Women of Color Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Conference was held in Dallas, Texas at the Hilton Anatole Hotel. This year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was selected by the Department of the Army to be the lead command in planning and coordinating the WOCC with the host organization, Career Communications Group, Inc.

  • Waterfield Building reopens Oct. 30

    The Norfolk District's Waterfield Building will open for normal operations Tuesday, Oct. 30. Liberal leave is authorized. High tide is expected at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning and may cause some localized flooding and travel concerns. Please time your commute appropriately.

  • Army engineers ready to respond to Hurricane Sandy impacts

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division is taking action in anticipation of

  • Waterfield Building closed Oct. 29

    Due to local weather and travel conditions, the Waterfield building is closed Monday, Oct. 29. Administrative leave is authorized for employees who work in the Waterfield building. Employees who work at area military installations should follow the instructions of the garrison commander. Employees who work from field or home offices throughout the Commonwealth should work as conditions allow.

  • Corps of Engineers team in New England prepares for impacts, storm surge from Hurricane Sandy

    CONCORD, Mass. – As Hurricane Sandy descends on the Atlantic coast, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

  • Big plans await Virginia Beach’s Lynnhaven Inlet

    VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – In a continuing effort to reduce annual costs associated with maintaining federal navigation channels in the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting a federal interest determination study at the entrance of the Lynnhaven Inlet. The federal study will determine if jetties or a combination of coastal structures is cost-effective in reducing critical shoaling and annual costs of maintaining the navigation channel, as well as reducing damages incurred on structures in the channel due to continuous wave action.
  • USACE Galveston District Regulatory Specialist Tosin Sekoni volunteers at the Harris County Precinct One Earth Day 2012 celebration at Challenger Seven Memorial Park. Sekoni interacted with approximately 200 children and explained the importance of watershed preservation and water safety.

    Corps in the Classroom Program spark students' interest in STEM

    GALVESTON, Texas - Before entering the building, engineers Franchelle Craft and Eduardo Irigoyen turn their cell phone ringers off. They make their way to the front desk, sign in as visitors and wait to be escorted to a classroom where they will spend the next two hours interacting with middle school students enrolled in science, technology, engineering and mathematics courses as volunteers of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District's "Corps in the Classroom" program.
  • Tugboat in a dry dock for hull painting and propeller work at Caddell Dry Dock & Repair Co.

    Port's dredged materials management method keeps economy afloat

    Summer has come and gone, but boaters are still making their way in and out of the Robbins Reef Yacht Club in New Jersey's Newark Bay within the Port of New York/New Jersey. "We saw a significant increase in boating activity this summer and it's continuing this fall and this is because our members are able to access us with ease," said Jim Hickey, Commodore of the Robbins Reef Yacht Club that's been in existence for over a century.
  • Tugboat in a dry dock for hull painting and propeller work at Caddell Dry Dock & Repair Co.

    Port’s dredged materials management method keeps economy afloat

    Summer has come and gone, but boaters are still making their way in and out of the Robbins Reef
  • Dr. Karl Gustavson, Engineer Research and Development Center, looks on as a student conducts an experiment to show the effects of oil spill dispersants on surface oil and tools used by ERDC to assess the environmental effects of the oil.

    STEM outreach program impacts students of all ages

    Teacher involvements have been one of the keys to the STEM program’s success. These activities, which make optimal use of vendors who specialize in STEM education training programs, work closely with Department of Defense laboratories across the nation to integrate science and engineers into the training process, providing instruction on modern learning tools and strategies so that teachers and S&Es located near DOD labs can successfully work together.
  • CHESAPEAKE, Va. -- Norfolk District regulators Dave Knepper and Audrey Cotnoir compare notes during a wetland delineation, which is the process of determining the boundary between wetlands and uplands (or non-wetlands) through examination of vegetation, soils and hydrology. The District's 52-person regulatory staff processes more than 3,000 federal permit requests a year and covers all of the Com.onwealth's 42,767 square miles. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Program gets its federal permitting authority from three sources: the Rivers and Harbors Appropriation Act of 1899 (the oldest federal environmental law in the United States), the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (often referred to as the "Clean Water Act") and the 1972 Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act. U.S. Army photo/Mark W. Haviland.

    Regulators focused on mission as Clean Water Act turns 40

    The Clean Water Act turns 40 today and, though opponents and supporters still debate the scope and effectiveness of the landmark legislation, employees of the regulatory branch here have a clear understanding of their mission. “It’s about being consistent and operating within the scope of our authorities,” said Col. Paul Olsen, Norfolk District commander. “It’s about balancing the nation’s passion to build with the needs of the environment.”
  • Col. Robert Ruch, Huntsville Center commander, left, presents Lt. Cmdr. Brandon Groh with the Army Achievement Medal. Groh is a civil engineer and an officer in the U.S. Public Health Services Commissioned Corps where he serves the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as an expert in the field of health care facility construction and renovation.

    Public Health Services Officer recognized with Army Achievement Medal

    Lt. Cmdr. Brandon Groh, a project manager with the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville Medical Repair and Renewal Program, was presented an Army Achievement Medal in September by Col. Robert Ruch, Huntsville Center commander.
  • A barge makes its way through the McKlellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System lock and dam. Reducing the MKARNS hours of operations is just one of the ways the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Southwestern Division is looking to reduce costs as part of the civil works transformation. Currently, the MKARNS runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

    U.S. Army Corps of Engineers learning to do 'less with less'

    When money is tight and times are trying, families, corporations and government organizations alike can be heard around the globe repeating the timeless mantra, "do more with less." But, in fiscally challenging times when the U.S. government is looking for ways to decrease spending and reduce funding across its many agencies, that old saying is getting a new twist, "do less with less."

  • Corps safety team helps contractor at Fort Detrick earn safety award

    The Corps of Engineers contractor (Manhattan/Torcon Joint Venture) building the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) at Fort Detrick has earned a key project safety award from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. They received a plaque recognizing their achievement at a ceremony at the installation Community Center on Sept. 18.

  • STEM programs connect students with District employees

    After attending the "Easy as Pi" event sponsored by the Baltimore Post of the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) last spring, some students are better equipped with what they need to do to excel in a specific field.
  • This carport at Fort Hood, Texas, not only helps keep cars cool from the scorching Texas sun, it also generates solar power to keep the buildings cool on the inside and reduce the energy bills throughout the military facility.

    Building an energy sustainable Corps

    DALLAS -- In the 80s "Reuse, Renew, Recycle" was the way ahead for conquering the earth's energy and pollution problems. Today, energy and environmental sustainability has become so much more vast and complicated, that those three verbs don't cut it anymore.
  • Raye Thornton, a paralegal with the Tulsa District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Office of Counsel, is presented the prestigious USACE Chief Counsel Keystone Award by District Commander Col. Michael Teague. The award recognizes professionalism and valued service of an individual member or of a team comprised of members of the USACE Legal Services System who made a significant contribution to the Corps Legal Services System and its mission.

    Tulsa District attorney, paralegal honored with prestigious awards

    TULSA, Okla. - Two members of the Tulsa District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Office of Counsel staff are winners of USACE Chief Counsel Honorary Awards for 2012. The prestigious Keystone Award and E. Manning Seltzer Award were presented to Raye Thornton and Stephanie R. Darr in a ceremony at Tulsa District Headquarters Oct. 5 by District Commander Col. Michael Teague.

  • USACE builds another facility for Afghan National Security Forces

    KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Afghan National Civil Order Police took possession of a new Service Support Battalion compound near Kandahar Oct. 10. The facilities, completed with minimal delay and within budget, will enable Afghan police to live and train near the people they serve and protect.
  • Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick, commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, visited the Tamiami Trail Modifications project Oct. 10, 2012. Once completed, the project will allow increased water flows into Everglades National Park. (From left: Lt. Gen. Bostick; Howie Gonzales, chief of the Jacksonville District's Ecosystem Branch; Shannon Estenoz, Director of Everglades Initiatives for the Department of the Interior; and Dan Kimball, superintendant of Everglades National Park).

    Lt. Gen. Bostick visits the Everglades

    JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick, commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, visited the Everglades October 10, 2012 to see the restoration work being performed by the Jacksonville District and their partnering agencies.
  • Army Corps volunteers interact with students at the 10th Annual Estuary Day celebration, Elizabeth New Jersey.

    Army Corps and Partners Celebrate ‘Estuary Day’

    Army Corps volunteers interact with students at the Peterstown Community Center during Estuary Day 2012 in Elizabeth, N.J.

  • Army Corps and Partners Celebrate ‘Estuary Day’

    Hundreds of area school students celebrate the 10th annual Estuary Day Oct. 12 in Elizabeth, New Jersey.
  • The Army’s award-winning ACE or “Ask, Care and Escort,” encourages Soldiers and employees at all levels to be alert to suicide warning signs, ask directly if a person is thinking about suicide, care for the person and escort to the person to professional help.

    District leaders ‘stand down’ for suicide prevention training

    Employees wrapped up their suicide prevention stand-down activities here Oct. 15. The effort, which included manager-led training sessions and small group discussions for each employee was part of the Army-wide suicide prevention stand-down conducted Sept. 27. Training and discussions for supervisors and employees focused on the Army’s award-winning ACE or “Ask, Care and Escort,” which encourages Soldiers and employees at all levels to be alert to suicide warning signs, ask directly if a person is thinking about suicide, care for the person and escort to the person to professional help.
  • Cpl. Jeremy D. Haile, an airframes mechanic with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced), 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, and native of Lancaster, S.C., uses aircraft paint to touch up dozens of screws on an AH-1W Super Cobra aboard USS Bataan March 16, 2009 during the MEU's certification exercise. The CERTEX is the last required training evolution before the MEU deploys this spring. (Official Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Justin M. Martinez)

    Army Corps, NYC Parks, National Park Service, beginning coastal storm risk reduction work at Plumb Beach

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, working in partnership with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation and the National Park Service, will manage the placement of sand along eroded portions of Plumb Beach in Brooklyn today as part of the first phase of coastal storm risk reduction work.
  • PORTSMOUTH Va. – Col. Paul Olsen presents Jorel Nadal, a district safety and health specialist, with the pen he used to sign the Voluntary Protection Program Commitment Statement affirming the district’s support to participate in the safety program at the Craney Island Dredge Material Management Area here. Nadal worked to get the program off the ground at the facility, which will make the area safer for employees through extensive documentation and modeling, which identifies problematic areas; giving employers the chance to see trends and correct deficiencies.

    District one step closer to being accepted into OSHA program

    The Voluntary Protection Program uses performance-based criteria and requires extensive documentation in order to be in compliance. The program uses different models and tools to try and identify problematic areas so agencies can attempt to minimize and eliminate as many accidents as possible.
  • Traditionally dressed Serbian students welcome representatives from the U.S. European Command, U.S. Embassy Belgrade, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Europe District, Serbian government and the local community with bread and salt to celebrate the completion of the school's sports gymnasium in Pranjani September 24, 2012. The EUCOM funded and USACE managed humanitarian assistance project included a 1,580-square-meter sports gymnasium with locker room facilities. The gym was originally started by the municipality, but never completed due to lack of funding. The project also included the installation of indoor bathroom facilities and general renovations to the existing building (new flooring, exterior doors and windows, entry canopy and paint). The project was completed in the town of Pranjani as a small token of thanks. During World War II more than 500 airmen were shot down over occupied Serbia and rescued by local Serbians who ultimately assisted in the largest evacuation of troops behind enemy lines in history. The people of Pranjani were instrumental in the success of the Halyard Mission rescue, building an airstrip to enable the evacuation. Through partnership and the successful completion of this project the people of the U.S. and Serbia continue to cultivate their friendship.

    US honors Serbian friendship

    PRANJANI, Serbia --The cheers of more than 520 World War II Allied airmen being evacuated from Pranjani is a 68-year-old memory for the residents of this rural, farming village.

  • USACE gives Wounded Warriors on Kandahar Airfield a little slice of home

    KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees support recovering Wounded Warriors on Kandahar Airfield by donating items and voluteering to host Wounded Warriors on the Afghanistan Engineer District-South compound for movie night, game night, holiday celebrations and inpromptu get-togethers.

  • Afghanistan Engineer District-South builds strong in 2012

    KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan-- Building on the significant public infrastructure progress that was achieved in fiscal year 2011, the Afghanistan Engineer District-South closed fiscal year 2012 having awarded 102 contracts and achieved almost 96 percent of its construction placement goal for the year; an 8.5 percent increase compared to last year.