U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Building Strong, Serving the Nation and the Armed Forces, 2020-2021

Page 127

USACE PHOTO

USACE PHOTO

TRANSATL ANTIC DIVISION

Above: Afghanistan highway, laying asphalt, ca. 1961-67. Although the current version of the Transatlantic Division was stood up relatively recently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has a long history in the Middle East, including building roads in Afghanistan. Right: Members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Afghanistan District meet with their Afghan counterparts before inspecting power lines.

“Most of the Afghan National Defense [and] Security Force military installations currently power up using diesel generators, which is incredibly costly,” she said. “In addition, the transport of diesel is susceptible to corruption, so if we can connect many of these installations to the national grid, we can eliminate two things: One is a huge bill that NATO and the U.S. government pays, and two is eliminating the potential for corruption. Further, it’s better for the environment.”

BUILDING CAPACITY BY TRAINING LOCAL NATIONALS One of the least understood but greatest efforts on behalf of the USACE team in Afghanistan is what is known as “capacity-building,” according to Col. Chris Beck, commander of the Transatlantic Division, which is headquartered in Winchester, Virginia, and is the higher headquarters for TAA. “TAA’s revolving cadre of both military and civilian employees operates in a combat zone,” said Beck, “supplemented by Afghan citizens under the Local National Quality Assurance [LNQA] program. The LNQA program allows local Afghanistan nationals to assist the DOD workforce in construction oversight. The participation of Afghan citizens directly contributes to the long-term stability, security, and economic development of Afghanistan, with a goal of building the capacity of Afghan workers and companies to gain the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to sustain the projects once the U.S. and our allied partners are no longer participating in the electric-generating programs. “A significant benefit of our LNQA program is a workforce with the skills necessary for the Afghans to operate and maintain their newly constructed facilities,” Beck said. Afghan national Jayez Zalmay began working for the Afghanistan District in 2006 as a contractor in Kandahar, where he worked on dozens of large-scale projects for USACE. He is now part of the LNQA cadre, stationed in Kabul, where he is the senior program manager and lead engineer for the entire power program. Zalmay said, the “integrity to humanity and work ethics that comply with world standards and requirements” are what led him to work with

USACE. He said the experiences he’s gained are unlike anything that was available to him locally in Kandahar, where he lived. Through his work with USACE and the various teams he interacts with, Zalmay has gained a broad understanding of responsibilities required for a senior program manager and local national lead. He also said his improved knowledge of construction and communication skills “are major important things that I found in myself and will help me to accomplish my duties in a good manner.” He spends his days monitoring the work of the LNQA representatives to assure the work being accomplished is according to design and contract requirements, and managing day-to-day operational aspects of a project site and a project team. “Our projects are necessary for the Afghan government. Electricity plays an important role in the development of a country. Therefore, we, as a team, do our best to provide proper and sustainable electricity to our people. It feels really good when you see that the overall quality of life of your fellow citizens are improved as a direct result of your efforts. Completing all of the essential works will bring positive changes [to Afghanistan],” Zalmay said. Zalmay acknowledges there is an element of personal safety involved in this work; however, he said the Afghan nationals working on the program have learned to reconcile their feelings about that with the work they are doing to improve the lives of their fellow citizens. “We know the mission is risky, but our duty is to our people, who need us to work for them,” he said. “As long as we are alive, this is our obligation – to keep ourselves and our team safe while serving our people.” Zalmay said he and his fellow LNQAs understand the need to fully embrace all that this ongoing project is doing to further develop Afghanistan. “Power is one of the greatest scientific innovations of mankind and is now an important part of our lives. Modern energy services are crucial for economic development and prosperity, and play a key role in ensuring regional stability and security around the world,” he said. “I believe the Power Program in Afghanistan will balance out the power, improve its quality, reduce the likelihood of outages, and finally will improve the quality of life for my fellow citizens. If we count the benefits of the Power Program [to Afghanistan], we could write a book.”

WE’VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A WHILE NOW … The USACE mission in Afghanistan isn’t new. During the 1960s, USAID sought USACE’s assistance in designing a new type of suspension bridge. While making their way to market or school, many Afghan 123


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SOUTHWESTERN DIVISION

2min
page 66

416th THEATER ENGINEER COMMAND Answering the call to serve during COVID-19 pandemic

4min
pages 158-160

412th THEATER ENGINEER COMMAND

5min
pages 156-157

249th ENGINEER BATTALION (PRIME POWER)

3min
pages 24, 154-155

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS FINANCE CENTER

3min
pages 136, 153

MARINE DESIGN CENTER MANAGING PROCUREMENT OF DREDGE FOR AZERBAIJAN

3min
pages 64, 152

OFTEN, THE QUESTION ARISES: “WHAT DOES AVIATION HAVE TO DO WITH LOGISTICS?” THE ANSWER IS: “A LOT MORE THAN YOU THINK!”

5min
pages 150-151, 162

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS INSTITUTE FOR WATER RESOURCES

2min
pages 148-149, 163

LOCATION MATTERS

4min
pages 130, 146-147

A PART OF THE SOLUTION: HUNTSVILLE CENTER'S RESPONSE EFFORT TO SAVE LIVES

16min
pages 2, 6, 140-145

ERDC RESEARCHERS TACKLE HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS

4min
pages 137-139

ERDC RESEARCHERS IMPROVE NUMERICAL MODELING FOR POST-WILDFIRE FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT

4min
pages 134-136

ERDC ANSWERS THE COVID-19 CALL

5min
pages 56, 132-133

U.S. ARMY ENGINEER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER

1min
pages 7, 132-133

TASK FORCE ESSAYONS PROVIDES CRITICAL ENGINEERING SUPPORT

4min
pages 129-131

POWERING UP A COUNTRY, ONE TOWER AT A TIME

12min
pages 125-130, 163

MIDDLE EAST DISTRICT BUILDS STRONG DURING PANDEMIC

6min
pages 13-14, 123-125

FINDING THE SCRATCH BEFORE STARTING FROM SCRATCH

5min
pages 8, 122-123

TRANSATLANTIC DIVISION LEADS THE WAY IN CONTINGENCY SUPPORT

8min
pages 2, 4, 6, 8, 118-121

TRANSATLANTIC DIVISION

1min
pages 24, 32, 38, 118-121

PROCESSING THE FUTURE IN A PANDEMIC WORLD

2min
pages 75, 117

FINDING CONSTRUCTION ALTERNATIVES

3min
pages 4, 115-117

ENGINEERING CENTER’S EXPERTISE ENHANCES U.S. INDO-PACIFIC REGIONAL PRESENCE

3min
pages 112-113, 138

HONOLULU DISTRICT CONDUCTS 43 SITE ASSESSMENTS

3min
pages 8, 111-112

DISTRICT PROVIDES TECHNICAL SUPPORT DURING CONSTRUCTION OF ROK F-35A FACILITIES

5min
pages 38, 109-110, 116

ALASKA DISTRICT CONVERTS ARENA INTO ALTERNATE CARE SITE

1min
page 108

ALASKA DISTRICT DELIVERS FACILITIES TO SUPPORT F-35A AIRCRAFT ARRIVAL

5min
pages 106-108, 128, 130

PACIFIC OCEAN DIVISION

4min
pages 104-105, 107, 114

SAN FRANCISCO DISTRICT BIOLOGISTS WORK TO PRESERVE ENDANGERED SALMON

3min
pages 13, 102-103

BUILDING AN URBAN RANGER PROGRAM

4min
pages 2, 4, 98-101, 138, 162

SACRAMENTO DISTRICT DELIVERS DESPITE COVID-19 CHALLENGES

4min
pages 96-98, 136

RAPID COVID-19 RESPONSE IN THE HIGH DESERT

5min
pages 93-95, 130, 138

SOUTH PACIFIC DIVISION

2min
pages 92, 99

WALLA WALLA DISTRICT DEVELOPS FISH SUSTAINABILITY PROJECTS IN THE NORTHWEST

3min
pages 90-91, 136

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Building Strong, Serving the Nation and the Armed Forces, 2020-2021

3min
pages 89-90, 114

SPEED KEY TO BONNEVILLE LOCK REPAIR

3min
page 88

RESPONSE, RESTORATION, RESEARCH: REBUILDING MISSOURI

7min
pages 24, 32, 84-87

OMAHA DISTRICT SIMPLIFIES ITS CONTRACTING PROGRAMS

3min
pages 20, 83-84

NGA WEST PROJECT MAKING PROGRESS DURING COVID-19 CRISIS

2min
pages 4, 81-82

NORTHWESTERN DIVISION RALLIES TO COMPLETE MASSIVE COVID ASSESSMENT EFFORT

4min
pages 56, 79-81, 116

NORTHWESTERN DIVISION

2min
pages 78, 85

CONSTRUCTION OF KC-46A CAMPUS AT TINKER REMAINS ON TASK DESPITE PANDEMIC

2min
pages 77, 128

FLOOD OF 2019 AFFECTS MKARNS NAVIGATION

1min
pages 76, 114

TULSA DISTRICT SUPPORTS OKLAHOMA COVID-19 RESPONSE

1min
pages 74-75

OZARK-JETA TAYLOR’S SLANT-AXIS TURBINE REHAB

5min
pages 2, 72-73

DISTRICT EMPLOYEES ENLISTED FOR COVID-19 MODELING TASK FORCE

2min
pages 70-71, 80

PROVIDING SITE EVALUATIONS FOR ALTERNATE CARE FACILITIES

2min
pages 38, 69-70, 163

SOUTHWESTERN DIVISION EXECUTES HURRICANE HARVEY SUPPLEMENTAL PROGRAM

4min
pages 2, 13, 67-68, 163

EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL PROJECTS TO AFFECT NORTH CAROLINA FOR DECADES

3min
pages 63-65, 162

DMCAS: SAVANNAH’S SOLUTION FOR PLACING DREDGED MATERIAL

3min
pages 14, 62-63

SAVANNAH HARBOR DEEPENING

3min
pages 6, 59-61

MOBILE DISTRICT NEARS COMPLETION OF SHIP ISLAND

3min
pages 8, 57-59

ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION FOUNDATION PROJECTS BRING WATER TO EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK

3min
pages 55-57

PENINSULA STUDY DRAWS SWEEPING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

2min
pages 53-54, 116

SOUTH ATLANTIC DIVISION

1min
pages 52, 58

VICKSBURG DISTRICT EMPLOYEE RECEIVES NATIONAL ENGINEERING AWARD

2min
pages 51, 86

USACE, SAMARITAN’S PURSE GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO HELP STORM SURVIVOR

4min
pages 49-50, 128, 130

DISTRICT CONVERTS HOTEL INTO HOSPITAL WITHIN DAYS OF REQUEST

4min
pages 46-48, 80, 136

ROCK ISLAND DISTRICT SUPPORTS DERECHO RECOVERY EFFORTS ACROSS IOWA

2min
pages 44-45, 138

CONSTRUCTION REACHES NEW HEIGHTS ON RED RIVER OF THE NORTH PROJECT

3min
pages 42-43, 114

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DIVISION

4min
pages 40-41, 46

WORKING AS ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL IN A COVID-19 ERA

3min
pages 37-39

NASHVILLE DISTRICT RESPONDS TO A GLOBAL PANDEMIC

2min
pages 36-37

TEAM EFFORT MAKES WAUGOSHANCE POINT TARGET PROJECT A SUCCESS

3min
pages 35-36

BLUESTONE DAM: THE FINAL PHASE

2min
page 34

DETROIT DISTRICT RAPIDLY RESPONDS TO MICHIGAN’S CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

2min
pages 31, 33

CHICAGO DISTRICT CIVIL WORKS REALIGNMENT

1min
pages 31-32

CHICAGO DISTRICT’S “OPERATION ENDURING HEALTH”

4min
pages 29-30

THE GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE

3min
pages 27-28

GREAT LAKES AND OHIO RIVER DIVISION

4min
pages 26-27

DISTRICT’S BRIDGE INSPECTION AND EVALUATION TEAM REACHES NEW HEIGHTS

3min
pages 23, 25, 160

FROM THE MID-ATLANTIC TO CANADA, FORESTERS MANAGE UNIQUE ARMY PROGRAM

3min
pages 21-24

NEW YORK DISTRICT CONSTRUCTS “STEAM” TEACHING SCHOOL

2min
pages 19-21

DESPITE COVID-19, USACE HITS 10-MILLION MILESTONE IN BOSTON HARBOR

3min
pages 8, 18-19

USACE HELPS OPEN CENTER FOR WOUNDED WARRIOR CARE IN REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA

2min
pages 17, 163

DISTRICT’S RADIOLOGICAL TEAM PROVIDES EXPERTISE THROUGHOUT USACE AND BEYOND

5min
pages 6, 15-16, 162

USACE PROVIDES A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO ADDRESS THE COMPLEX COVID-19 PROBLEM

4min
pages 2, 4, 11-12, 14, 162

NORTH ATLANTIC DIVISION

1min
pages 3, 10, 12-13
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