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HEAVY-EQUIPMENT TRAINING 

IN TODAY’S HIGH-TECH ENVIRONMENT

Training for the mission, 

education for a lifetime 

We know training and education are the building 

blocks to a bright future. AECOM is honored to 

deliver state-of-the-art training facilities that 

meet the educational needs of the joint services. 

Camp Dawson’s Army National Guard Joint 

Interagency Training and Education Center 

in West Virginia is just one example of how 

we’re working with the U.S. military to lay 

the foundation for a brighter tomorrow. 

To learn more about how we’re 

transforming the future, one brick 

at a time, visit aecom.com. 

24 

contents 

volume 24 | number 4 

JULY / AUGUST 2016 

cover story 

24 Heavy-Equipment Training 

in Today’s High-Tech 

Environment 

The 416th Theater Engineer 

Command is leading the Army 

in 21st-century training practices 

with the purchase of heavyequipment 

simulators for the 

horizontal engineer units across 

the Army Reserve. 

features 

12 Biography: 

COL (Ret) David T. Theisen 

14 Biography: 

LTG (Ret) Thomas P. Bostick 

16 Biography: 

LTG Todd T. Semonite 

29 Memorandum: Soldier Wear 

of Essayons Buttons 

30 Arming the Combat Engineer 

with the Power to Perform 

36 A New Perspective for 

an Army Engineer 

41 South Carolina Army National 

Guard Twins Reflect on 

Flood Response 

departments 

3 notes, news, updates 

DAVID THEISEN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 

5 in other words 

BETH O’HARA, EDITOR 

6 regimental awards 

8 supporting firm members 

10 veterans & reunions 

19 news & info 

© 2013 Ferrell Photographics 

30 

40 

JULY / AUGUST 2016 ARMY ENGINEER u 1

ARMY ENGINEER ASSOCIATION 

VISIT OUR WEBSITE | army.engineer.com 

NOTES, NEWS, UPDATES 

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | xd@armyengineer.com 

EXECUTIVE OFFICE 

Army Engineer Association 

P.O. Box 30260 

Alexandria, VA 22310-8260 

Executive Director 

COL DAVE THEISEN, USA (Ret) 

703.428.6049 

703.428.6043 FAX 

xd@armyengineer.com 

Information & Finance Manager 

KIRSTINA COLVIN 

703.428.6953 

703.428.6043 FAX 

finance@armyengineer.com 

Program Coordinator 

LINDA MITCHELL 

703.428.7084 

703.428.6043 FAX 

execasst@armyengineer.com 

REGIMENTAL OPERATIONS 


P.O. Box 634 

Fort Leonard Wood, MO 65473-0634 

Director, AEA Regimental Operations 

CSM JULIUS B. NUTTER, USA (Ret) 

573.329.6678 

flw@armyengineer.com 

Assistant, Regimental Operations 

MSG JOE VIGIL, USAR (Ret) 

573.329.6678 Voice/FAX 

flwadmin@armyengineer.com 

Regimental Store Manager 

CSM GLENN STINES, USA (Ret) 

573.329.3203 Voice/FAX 

aeastore@armyengineer.com 

ARMY ENGINEER 

Provided under services contract with 

Editor 

BETH O’HARA 

2339 Wismer Avenue 

St. Louis, MO 63114 

618.979.8061 

army.engineer.magazine@gmail.com 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS & ASSOCIATES 

President 

MG Russell L. Fuhrman, USA (Ret) 

Executive Director 

COL Dave Theisen, USA (Ret) 

Director, FLW Operations 

CSM Julius Nutter, USA (Ret) 

Serving Board of Directors 

COL Carl F. Baswell, USA (Ret) 

MG Randal Castro, USA (Ret) 

Lloyd C. Caldwell, USACE, SES 

COL Harold Chappell, USA (Ret) 

John D’Aniello, USACE, SES (Ret) 

BG Peter DeLuca, USA (Ret) 

CSM Robert M. Dils, USA (Ret) 

CW5 John F. Fobish, USAES 

COL Edward C. Gibson, USA (Ret) 

MG Clair F. Gill, USA (Ret), President 

Ex-Officio 

MG Robert H. Griffin, USA (Ret) 

CW5 Michael A. Harper, USA (Ret) 

CSM Bradley J. Houston, USAES 

CSM Antonio S. Jones, USACE 

MG William A. Navas, USANG (Ret) 

LTG Max W. Noah, USA (Ret), 

President Ex-Officio 

COL Michael C. Presnell, USA (Ret) 

COL/SES Geoffrey G. Prosch, SES (Ret) 

MG Don T. Riley, USA (Ret) 

COL James Rowan, USA (Ret) 

LTG Daniel R. Schroeder, USA (Ret) 

LTC Richard E. Sharp, USA (Ret) 

MG Pat M. Stevens IV, USA (Ret) 

LTG Theodore G. Stroup, USA (Ret) 

COL Jeffrey A. Wagonhurst, USA (Ret) 

COL James A. Wank, USA (Ret) 

BG Keith Wedge, USA (Ret) 

Frank Weinberg, President Ex-Officio 

General Counsel 

Robert Nichols, Covington & Burling 

Board Emeritus 

MG Charles J. Fiala, USA (Ret) 

MG Carroll N. LeTellier, USA (Ret) 

Regimental Historical Advisor 

John C. Lonnquest, USACE Office 

of History 

Army Engineer Museum Director 

Troy Morgan, USAES 

Chief of the Corps 

LTG Thomas P. Bostick, Chief of Engineers 

Chief Warrant Officer of the Regiment 

CW5 John F. Fobish, USAES 

Sergeant Major of the Regiment 

CSM Bradley J. Houston, USAES 

Honorary Colonel of the Regiment 

MG Randal Castro, USA (Ret) 

Honorary Chief Warrant Officer 

of the Regiment 

CW5 Michael A. Harper, USA (Ret) 

Honorary Sergeant Major 

of the Regiment 

CSM Robert M. Dils, USA (Ret) 

MEMBER BENEFITS 

The Army Engineer Association (AEA) is 

a member–based, nonprofit corporation 

specifically organized to facilitate 

cohesion, interaction, and networking 

within the United States Army Corps 

of Engineers’ total family of soldiers, 

civilians, family members, and alumni. 

As such, AEA serves as both the “Honor 

Fraternity” and “Alumni Association” 

for the U.S. Army Engineer Regiment. 

AEA provides its members with an Army 

Engineer Network for Life. Why is this 

important? Army Engineers excel at 

completing complex and demanding 

missions in war and peace, always 

performed with uncommon dedication, 

ingenuity, and unsurpassed standards of 

excellence. All members of this network 

are thus inseparably linked for life by their 

service. 

Benefits include: 

1. Affordable rates. 

A 12-month regular membership is 

only $25, a 24-month regular term 

is $45, and a 36-month regular 

membership is a $60 value. 

There are even lower junior rates for 

currently serving soldiers and DA 

civilians in the following grades: PVT– 

SFC, 2LT–1LT, W1–W2, GS1–GS9. 

These lower rates are as follows: 15 

months at $15, 27 months at $25, 

and 36 months at $35. First-time, 

36-month members, and lifetime 

members receive a complimentary 

Engineer regimental coin. 

Lifetime membership for $300 

is available with one-time or 

consecutive-payment options. 

2. Subscription to Army Engineer. 

3. Opportunities for professional 

development. 

4. Participate in award and recognition 

programs. 

5. Discounts at the Engineer Regimental 

Store. 

6. Eligibility for the award of academic 

scholarships. 

Visit www.armyengineer.com to join! 

IAM HAPPY TO BE THE NEW 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE 

ARMY ENGINEER ASSOCIATION. 

The last months have moved quickly 

as I have come to know many of our 

partners. I look forward to serving you 

all, and Marguerite and I are looking 

forward to getting to know you and to 

living in Northern Virginia. 

As I reflect on the past, Jack O’Neill 

and AEA have always been together; 

in fact, Jack is the only AEA director 

I’ve known. For more than 18 years 

he has been the face of AEA, leading 

the charge in supporting the Engineer 

Regiment, especially during the post- 

9/11 years of almost persistent conflict. 

Overseeing a quality magazine during 

this time, Jack’s biggest accomplishment 

was planning, fundraising, building, and 

dedicating the Fallen Sapper Memorial 

and Colonial Sapper Statue in the 

Sapper Grove at Fort Leonard Wood. 

Both of these have become touchstones 

and part of the foundation of Engineer 

Week at Fort Leonard Wood as we 

recognize the sacrifice of the soldiers 

and families, update the Fallen Sapper 

Memorial, and commemorate the more 

than 350 Engineers who have fallen in 

the last 13 years in OIF, OEF, OND, and 

OFS. 

At the Castle Ball on 5 August, LTG 

Todd Semonite, Chief of Engineers, 

will award the Gold de Fleury to two 

deserving leaders in the Engineer 

Regiment. The Gold de Fleury is the 

highest Regimental award available for 

recognition of tremendous service to the 

regiment and the Army over a sustained 

period of time. 

The HON ROBERT K. DAWSON 

will be recognized for a long and 

distinguished career of leading and 

supporting USACE and the nation. He 

has served as the Assistant Secretary 

of the Army for Civil Works and has 

served in the White House Office of 

Management and Budget overseeing a 

quarter of the annual U.S. budget. He 

eventually left public service to start his 

own company, Dawson and Associates. 

As CEO for Dawson, he has been a 

consistent supporter of USACE and its 

support role to the nation. 

COL (RET) JACK O’NEILL also will 

receive the Gold de Fleury. Jack’s 

uniformed career began in 1966 

when he enlisted in the Army. He was 

commissioned in 1967 from the Engineer 

OCS and culminated 30 years of service 

on the Army staff as the Director, Office 

of the Chief of Engineers (Pentagon) 

after commanding at every level through 

brigade. His career included a combat 

tour in Vietnam. After 30 years of 

active service, Jack became the second 

Executive Director of AEA. He has 

guided AEA for the last 18 years and left 

an indelible mark on the Regiment, the 

Army, and AEA. We are thankful to both 

for their service and contributions. 

I look forward to seeing you on 

5 August at the Castle Ball. 

Dave Theisen 

2 t ARMY ENGINEER JULY / AUGUST 2016 JULY / AUGUST 2016 ARMY ENGINEER u 3

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SALES, LEASING, & RENTAL 

ARMY ENGINEER 

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION 

1. TO CHANGE A MAILING ADDRESS 

Visit www.armyengineer.com and click on 

log in to make changes securely and 

quickly. 

OR 

Email LINDA MITCHELL at 

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OR 

Call 703.428.6953 

OR 

Mail a note to: 


P.O. Box 30260 


NOTICE: Magazines are not forwarded 

automatically by the U.S. Postal Service 

if you move. Keep your mailing address 

current. 

2. ORIGINAL ARTICLES 

Editorial guidelines pertaining to articles 

submitted for publication are available at 

www.armyengineer.com. 

Article and advertising CLOSE dates: 

ISSUE 

DEADLINE 

JAN/FEB 2016 10 NOV 2015 

MAR/APR 2016 4 JAN 2016 

MAY/JUN 2016 1 MAR 2016 

JUL/AUG 2016 2 MAY 2016 

SEP/OCT 2016 5 JUL 2016 

NOV/DEC 2016 1 SEP 2016 

JAN/FEB 2017 2 NOV 2016 

IN OTHER WORDS 

FROM THE EDITOR | army.engineer.magazine@gmail.com 

H 

ELLO, gentle reader! Let me 

offer a rousing welcome to my 

new boss, COL Dave Theisen 

(pronounced “tyson” like the 

chicken or the boxer-turned-tiger)! He 

has big plans to change the way we 

work and do business, and I am excited 

about the new direction in which we are 

headed. Take a look at COL Theisen’s 

military biography on p. 12. 

The anticipated change in my living 

situation—gaining an extra room in my 

house after my Matthew moves out— 

has not yet been realized. He’s contemplating 

a move to another state and not 

simply to another St. Louis suburb. I will 

let you know what he’s doing and where 

he’s going when he tells me what he’s 

doing and where he’s going! 

Please send in your stories; trust me, 

the rest of the Regiment wants to know 

what great things are happening in your 

units! 

The “deadline” for the September/ 

October issue was 5 July; submit 

your materials as soon as you can for 

inclusion in that fifth issue of the year. 

Instructions on preparing photos for 

submission (please do NOT include 

photos in your Word documents!) and a 

list of materials needed for submission 

can be found at www.armyengineer. 

com/editorial_guidelines.htm. 

One more word: Please remember 

to click on the advertisements on our 

website. AEA gets credit (moolah!) for 

each click! 

NO SURRENDER! 

Beth O’Hara, Editor 

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS 

HARVIE, Ann Marie...............................................................................New England District 

OLSON, MAJ Andrew.............................................................................TWI Fellow, Parsons 

PRAVATO, SGT Tashera...............................................South Carolina Army National Guard 

SHRADER, COL (Ret) “Scotty” R. ..........................................................................416th TEC 

TATE, Bernard W......................................................................................................... USACE 

TREMBLAY, Jason..................................................................................New England District 

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GSA Contract #s: GS-30F-0008, GS-21F-098AA , GS-07F-202CA 

DLA Contract #s: SPE8EC-14-D-0010 and SPE8EC-14-0008 

3. RECEIPT OF A MAGAZINE 

DAMAGED IN MAILING 

Email LINDA MITCHELL at execasst@ 

armyengineer.com 

OR 

Mail a note to: 


P.O. Box 30260 


PUBLICATION: Army Engineer is published six times 

a year and produced using Mac hardware and Adobe 

Creative Cloud (CC) software. It is printed in Rolla, 

MO, by Scotts Printing Company and mailed from Fort 

Leonard Wood. Main body text and most headlines are 

set in Avenir. 

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE 

AECOM....................................... c2 

Bobcat.........................................28 

Caterpillar.............................. 22–23 

Dewberry.....................................11 

Federal Contracts Corp................. 4 

Hippo..........................................13 

John Deere.................................... 9 

Kipper Tool..................................18 

Power to Pass.............................. c3 

Trail King......................................40 

KEEPING GOVERNMENT PURCHASING SIMPLE 


REGIMENTAL AWARDS 

STEEL 

SGT MARK Z. OWENS 

SSG ANDREW BLACK 

SSG BRENT HOLLAND 

SSG JOSHUA A. KING 

SSG SCOTT D. HADDIX 

SSG CHRISTINA M. BUCKNER 

SSG ANDREW L. WHITE 

1LT MATTHEW M. CASSABON 

CPT JASON M. BULSON 

CPT AMANDA ZALESKI 

CPT PAUL T. CHARTERS 

CPT SCOTT J. SCHREIBER 

CPT THOMAS J. MORGAN 

ANDREW KEFFER 

ANDREA MARCUM 

CARON WHALEY 

BRETT LYON 

MERLE D. YINGLING 

ANDREW W. PAYSON 

STACEY L. ANDREASEN 

WILLIAM D. MORRISON 

SEAN McBRIDE 

GWENDOLYN MICHAEL 

BRONZE 

SSG CHRISTOPHER M. KNIGHT 

SFC TIMOTHY BONUS 

SFC RYAN J. PELTIER 

SFC THOMAS WHITE 

SFC JAWN P. DOWNING 

SFC BEN THOMAS, JR. 

SFC LUKE T. PUTNAM 

SFC JUAN R. ZAVALA 

SFC NATHANIEL O. SAMPSON 

SFC MICHAEL M. HUMPHREY 

SFC TORY D. ADAMS 

SFC JESUS ALEJANDRE 

SFC BRADLEY C. WYATT 

SFC DEREK L. BANNAMON 

SFC DAVID A. PALACIOS 

SFC RICK T. LOWARY 

SFC WILLIAM H. CAVANAUGH 

SFC SHANE R. PAYNE 

SFC GEORGE WILLIAMS 

SFC JASON R. PIERCY 

SFC BRYAN COMSTOCK 

SFC JAMES R. WOLF 

MSG RUBEN MURILLO 

MSG ERIK CANNON 

MSG DERRICK BRAUD 

MSG MELISSA CANTRELL 

MSG JONATHAN R. LUKE 

MSG BRIAN H. LOUTH 

1SG KEVIN SULLIVAN 

1SG JEAUMIQUA S. HARRIS 

1SG STANI PAULK 

SGM COREY DEIBEL 

CSM JEFFREY NARUM 

CSM WILLIE S. MITCHELL, JR. 

CW3 (RET) ERIC A. CRUZ 

CW3 AMOSA J. OLOI 

CW4 JASON FESER 

CW4 (RET) GILBERT U. RIOS 

CW4 TIMOTHY B. EGANS 

CPT RYAN M. DUNBAR 

CPT MICHAEL L. DAVIS 

CPT WILLIAM R. WREN 

MAJ VINCENT BONCICH 

MAJ SONNY AVICHAL 

MAJ COLBY K. KRUG 

MAJ JERROD E. MELANDER 

MAJ BERNARD V. FAIRCLOTH, III 

MAJ DAVID M. JENNINGS 

MAJ IANA J. DANIELS 

MAJ ROGER ATES 

MAJ MATTHEW J. PAINTER 

MAJ SETH WACKER 

MAJ CHARLES W. WELLS 

MAJ KEVIN ARNETT 

MAJ BRADLEY T. COMRIE 

MAJ MATTHEW R. FORNEY 

MAJ KELVIN R. PENNILL 

LTC MARK R. HIMES 

LTC TERI D. WILLIAMS 

LTC RICHARD C. COLLINS 

LTC TANEHA N. CARTER 

LTC JAMES B. ARNOLD 

LTC MICHAEL D. PARSONS 

LTC JASON BORG 

LTC SILAS R. BOWMAN 

LTC HUMBERTO BOPPELL 

LTC DENNIS P. SUGRUE 

LTC JEREMY A. BARTEL 

LTC CHET C. CHILES 

LTC CHRISTOPHER T. FABER 

LTC DAVID D. HAWKINS 

LTC ALAN M. OPRSAL 

COL MARK E. GIARDINA 

COL (RET) GERALD W. MEYER 

COL MARK A. COOK 

MANUELA K. WILDRICK 

RODNEY BEARD 

SCOTT HENDERSON 

EDWARD MATTODIA 

MICHAEL REDEMANN 

JOHNNY BELL 

RUSSELL WYCKOFF 

WILLIAM K. DUNLAP 

CAROLYN RUSSELL 

DR. BARBARA A. KLEISS 

JOHN W. DANIELE 

CHRISTANNE E. HAUGHT 

JOHN D. FERGUSON 

TERRY D. STRATTON 

KEVIN D. WIDNER 

KAZUHIRO WATANABE 

MARK W. McCOY 

SILVER 

CSM LAURO F. OBEADA 

COL BLACE C. ALBERT 

COL JOHN S. HURLEY 

COL COURTNEY W. PAUL 

COL THOMAS J. TICKNER 

COL BERNARD R. LINDSTROM 

BG TIMOTHY E. TRAINOR 

MG RICHARD L. STEVENS 

Y. GIL KIM 

OLTON SWANSON 

TROY D. COLLINS, P.E., PMP 

MARK L. MAZZANTI 

GOLD 

MG HAROLD J. GREENE 

COL J.B. (JACK) O’NEILL 

PVT KAITLYN SABATINI 

D Co, 35 EN BN 12B10 Class 16-009/005 

PVT ROY A. VARGAS 

D Co,169 EN BN 12K10 Class 16-017 

PVT JAMES C. HOSKINS 

C Co, 169 EN BN 12W10 Class 1643 

PVT SETH A. DEW 

D Co, 554 EN BN 12V10 Class 0004 

PVT BRANDON K. MCZEAL 

D Co, 169 EN BN 12K10 Class 16-016 

PV2 RONDELL K. GULLEY 

B Co, 169 EN BN 12T10 Class 05-16 

PV2 TIMOTHY P. COLLINS 

B Co, 169 EN BN 12R10 Class 16-16 

PV2 HAI L. NGUYEN 


PV2 EVAN H. WILSON 

A Co, 554 EN BN 12N10 Class 20N 

PV2 JOHNGILBERT C. GORALI 


PV2 AUSTIN C. FIERRO 

D Co, 169 EN BN 12K10 Class 16-015 

PV2 KEVIN M. COUCH 

B Co, 169 EN BN 12T10 Class 6 

PV2 NICHOLAS GARZA, JR. 

D Co, 31 EN BN 12B10 Class 16-501 

PV2 JOHNATHAN K. TRENT 

A Co, 554 EN BN 12N10 Class 22N 

PV2 JUSTIN A. LOVE 

B Co, 169 EN BN 12Y10 Class 006-16 

PV2 ETHAN C. MICEK 

B Co, 35 EN BN 12C10 Class 16-008 

PFC SAMUEL BERNAL 


PFC ALEXANDRIA R. CANTU 


PFC TIMOTHY W. WRIGHT 

D Co, 554 EN BN 21-16N Class 21N 

SPC JUSTIN W. HUTCHINSON 

80 TC, 12W10 Class 002 

SPC NICHOLAS W. SILVA 


SPC STEPHANIE L. BRADEN 


SPC SAMANTHA L. WAGNER 


SGT NATHAN J. CUSHMAN 

1st BDE (EN), 102 DIV (MS) 12C ALC 

Class 001-16 

SGT WILLIAM C. MURRAY 

1st BDE (EN), 102 DIV (MS) 12N ALC 

Class 003-16 

SGT JOHN A. MELTON 

MSCoE, NCOA ALC 12T Class 003-16 

SGT KYLE R. KOETH 

MSCoE, NCOA 12N ALC Class 003-16 

SSG JAMES C. BOYETTE 

D Co, 31 EN BN Drill Sergeant of Cycle 

Class 16-501 

SSG COLEMAN J. TURLEY 

B Co, 35 EN BN 12B Drill Sergeant of Cycle 

Class 16-008 

SFC BRANDON W. REID 

D Co, 35 EN BN Drill Sergeant of Cycle 

Class 16-005 

2LT NEIL A. MARTIN 

B Co, 169 EN BN Sapper Leader Course 

Class 007 

FRANCES B. MAZZANTI 

AMANDA GARTON 

PAIGE SNYDER 

MELISSA WYATT 

JANELLE H. SLOCKBOWER 

ERIN K. ZETTERSTROM 

SALLY HANNAN 

CHRISTY D. CRAMER PRESTON 

MARISA DERANEY 

CARA J. LINDSTROM 


SUPPORTING FIRM MEMBERS 

SUPPORTING FIRM MEMBERS 

* Members as of 1 June 2016 

ANNUAL * 

ADS, Inc. 

AES Group, Inc. 

Advantus Strategies 

Alamo Group (TX), Inc. 

Alfred Benesch & Company 

Altec Industries 

American Material Handling 

ARMAG Corporation 

A-T Solutions 

Black & Veatch Corp 

Blue Scope Construction 

BMK Consultants 

Bobcat Company 

Brasfield & Gorrie General Contractors 

BTS Software Solutions 

Calibre 

Comanche Nation Construction 

Covington & Burling, LLP 

Critical Solutions International (CSI) 

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC 

Dawson & Associates, Inc. 

Defense Products Marketing, Inc. 

DLR Group 

DRS Sustainment Systems, Inc. 

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense 

Company 

Federal Contracts Corp. 

Federal Programs Management 

FGM Architects, Inc. 

Granite Construction Company 

Greeley Pond Technologies 

Hippo Multipower 

Holden Industries 

iRobot Corporation 

JL Darling, LLC – Rite in the Rain 

Johnson Controls, Inc. Government Relations 

Jones Lang Lasalle Americas, Inc. 

Lockheed Martin Gyrocam Systems 

MacDonald-Bedford 

Mas Zengrange 

MB America, Inc. 

Project Time & Cost, LLC 

QinetiQ - North America 

REHAU Construction, LLC 

STV, Inc. 

Summit Technology, Inc. 

Susquehanna Resources and Environment, 

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TAG – Technology Advancement Group, Inc. 

Trail King Industries, Inc. 

Transhield, Inc. 

Tsay / Ferguson - Williams, LLC 

Vali Cooper International, LLC 

Vanair 

Vectrus 

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AECOM 

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Alliant Techsystems, Inc. 

ARCADIS U.S., Inc. 

Asset Group, Inc. 

Avila Government Services, Inc. 

BAE Systems 

Battelle Memorial Institute 

Bechtel National, Inc. 

B.L. Harbert International 

BRTRC Technology Research Corporation 

Case Construction Equipment 

Caterpillar Inc. 

CDM Federal Programs Corporation 

CH2M Hill, Inc. 

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CM Integrations, LLC 

Crawford Consulting Services, Inc. 

Deschamps Mat Systems, Inc. 

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DIRTT Environmental Solutions 

Dynamac International, Inc. 

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Environmental Chemical Corporation 

EOIR Technologies, Inc. 

EZ Info, Inc. 

Faircount, LLC 

FAUN Trackway USA, Inc. 

First Command Financial Planning 

Fluor Daniel, Inc. 

Freightliner LLC 

Gehrlicher Solar America Corp 

General Dynamics Land Systems 

Granite Construction 

HDR Engineering, Inc. 

Horne Engineering Services, Inc. 

Huitt–Zollars, Inc. 

Ingersoll-Rand Company 

Jacobs Engineering Group 

John Deere & Company 

J.W. Morris, Ltd. 

KBR–Kellogg Brown & Root 

Kipper Tool Company 

Kockums–KKRV, Inc. 

Leo A. Daly 

Lindbergh & Associates, LLC 

Mabey, Inc. 

MAN Technologie AG 

Michael Baker Corporation 

MWH Americas, Inc. 

National Security Associates, Inc. 

NIITEK, Inc. 

NITAR, LLC 

Northrop Grumman IT Intelligence Group 

(TASC) 

Oshkosh Defense 

Pangea, Inc. 

Parsons 

Parsons Brinckerhoff, Inc. 

PBS&J 

Pearson Engineering 

Phantom Products, Inc. 

Plexus Scientific Corporation 

Polu Kai Services 

Pulaski County Tourism Bureau 

RMA Land Construction, Inc. 

Schiebel Technology, Inc. 

Sellers–Sexton, Inc. 

Sevenson Environmental Services, Inc. 

Society of American Military Engineers 

Stronghold Engineering, Inc. 

Systems & Electronics, Inc. 

Tactical Lighting Solutions 

Taylor Engineering, Inc. 

TEREX Corporation 

Tetra Tech, Inc. 

TEXTRON Systems Corporation 

The Louis Berger Group, Inc. 

The Sandbagger Corporation 

The Shaw Group, Inc. 

The SKE Group 

The SPECTRUM Group 

Trimble 

Turner Construction Company 

United Services Automobile Association 

URS Corporation 

Versar, Inc. 

Volvo Construction Equipment NA, Inc. 

WFEL Ltd. 

Zodiac of North America, Inc. 

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8 t ARMY ENGINEER JULY / AUGUST 2016

VETERANS & REUNIONS 

2016 Reunions 

The Vietnam Veterans of the 20th EN 

BDE and All Attached Units 

24th Annual Reunion 

28–31 July 

Best Western Hotel and Convention 

Center 

1125 E. Gore Blvd. 

Lawton, OK 

POC: Gerald Manint, Reunion 

Coordinator • 217.678.8159 • 

217.678.8159 • gmanint@mediacombb. 

net 

46th EN BN 

All veterans who served with the 46th 

Engineers are invited. 

6–11 September 

Kansas City, MO 

POC: Vern Nelson • 715.886.3290 • 

jvnels2@solarus.net 

19th Combat EN BN Association 

Vietnam and Attached Units Reunion 


Baymont Inn 

139 Carmel Valley Way 

St. Robert, MO 

For reservations, call: 573.336.5050; 

mention the 19th Engineer Group. 

Check out our website for complete 

information: http://www.19engrvn.org/ 

POCs: Tom Ebrite • 765.286.4906 • 

s2snoopy@comcast.net or John Hack • 

219.947.2363 • silverjon3@yahoo.com 

577th EN BN Vietnam Reunion 


Branson, MO 

Contact Jim Stevens • jrs562@aol.com • 

704.363.5358 

We also are in search of members of the 

577th in Vietnam between June 1966 

and December 1972. 

Vietnam Veterans of C Co, 

169th EN BN / 50th Anniversary 

of Deployment 

All battalion veterans are welcome! 


Franklin Marriott Cool Springs 

Franklin, TN 

POC: Becky Mallory • 812.686.8211 • 

812.686.8138 • rnmallory@ 

roadrunner.com • https://www.facebook. 

com/events/395351307329871/ 

Veterans of the First Engineer 

Combat Battalion 

Candlewood Suites 

140 Carmel Valley Way 



Call 573.336.3355 and advise First 

Engineer Combat Battalion Reunion 

POC: Ron Labinski • 913.362.6468 

• ron.labinski@gmail.com • www. 

diehardengineer.com 

44th EN BN Association [Brokenheart] 

Welcome to all alumni from Korea, 

Vietnam, Iraq, Fort Carson 44th and 

associated units. 


Drury Inn & Suites 

4213 Frederick Boulevard 

St. Joseph, MO 64506 

816.364.4700 

www.druryhotels.com 

Group confirmation #: 2261899 

Room Block Cutoff date: 13 August 

Room rate: $95.99 + taxes 

Free hot breakfast; 5:30 Kickback ® 

Will tour local attractions. 

POCs: Ken Jobe • kejo425@aol.com • 

757.428.0328 or Rex Hurd • rhurd55 

@yahoo.com • 816.688.7470 or Joe 

Sopher • Jelesopher@aol.com • 

740.465.5015 

547th EN BN (CBT) Association 

30th Annual Reunion 

All 547th (and former attached 

companies) veterans, family members, 

and friends from 1944 to present are 

welcome to attend. 


Hampton Inn 

103 St. Robert Plaza 


573.336.3355 

547th rate: $89/night 

POC: Dave Tarbox • 703.919.0187 • 

1959cessna172@gmail.com 

Our activities will include our 

memorabilia room layouts, our annual 

banquet, a tour of the newly renovated 

training areas on Fort Leonard Wood, 

and a tour of Route 66 and the many fun 

attractions alongside it. Come ready for 

lots of camaraderie and good times! 

249th EN BN Association 

All veterans and their families who 

served in the 249th from 1944 to 

present are welcome. Meet the 

command and staff of the 249th EN BN 

(Prime Power). 


Fort Belvoir, VA 

Lodging, reception, business meeting at 

the Hilton Hotel, Springfield, VA. 

POC: Robin Wandell • 660.815.1166 • 

firewoodfriends@hotmail.com 


29 September–1 October 

Wintergreen Resort 

Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965 

Contact Association President Billy D. 

Quinton Sr. • 727.323.1144 • 

bquinton@tampabay.rr.com 

http://13thengineerbn.homestead.com 

864th EN BN (PACEMAKERS) 

The reunion is open to all former 

PACEMAKERS, members of attached 

units, spouses, and friends of all eras. 

12–16 October 

Norfolk, VA 

For more information, contact Ralph 

Willing • 860.977.9937 • willingrvw@ 

gmail.com 


“JUNGLE CATS” Reunion 

All Jungle Cat veterans, family members, 

and friends of the Association are 

cordially invited to attend. 

13–17 October 

Hyatt Place Hotel, Chesapeake, VA 

$99/night including breakfast for two 

POC: For more info and a registration 

form, please visit our website at 

www.11thengineerbattalion.com or 

contact either Joe Papapietro • o6ret@ 

aol.com • 717.818.7331 or Mike 

Ellegood • msellegood@me.com • 

602.690.1428 

Oakwood Beach Flood Attenuation Feasibility Study and Design 

Committed to delivering resilience 

solutions that strengthen communities 

and positively impact the quality of life 

Michael Walsh 

703.698.9080 • mwalsh@dewberry.com 

Submit your reunion notice to BETH O’HARA at army.engineer.magazine@gmail.com. 

Your notice also will appear on our website. 

www.dewberry.com 


BIOGRAPHY 

COL (RET) DAVID T. THEISEN 

INCOMING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AEA 

COL THEISEN retired in 

December 2015 as the 

Assistant Commandant of the 

U.S. Army Engineer School 

at Fort Leonard Wood, MO, 

after 31 years of service. He 

enlisted in the Army in 1984 

and was commissioned in 

1985 through OCS at Fort 

Benning, GA. 

His previous assignments 

include Commander, 1st 

Maneuver Enhancement 

Brigade (MEB), Fort Polk, 

LA; Director of the Counter 

Explosive Hazard Center 

(CEHC); Commandant, U.S. 

Army Mine Dog School and 

TRADOC Co-Lead for the 

IEDD ICDT at Fort Leonard 

Wood; and Commander, 1st 

EN BN, 1st INF DIV. 

Other previous units 

include 16th EN BN, 293rd 

ECB (Hvy), 40th EN BN, 1st 

EN BN, 35 ENGR REGT (1st 

ARMD DIV, UK), Kansas City 

District COE, OPS GRP “C“ 

BCTP, and 937th EN GRP. 

His previous operational 

tours include SFOR, KFOR, 

and three tours in Operation 

Iraqi Freedom with 1st ARMD 

DIV (UK), 937th EN GRP, and 

1st EN BN. 

Theisen is a graduate 

of the Engineer Officer 

Basic Course, Junior Officer 

Maintainence Course, 

Engineer Officers Advanced 

Course, Combined Arms 

Services and Staff School, 

Command and General Staff 

College, and the U.S. Army 

War College (USAWC). 

Theisen’s awards and 

decorations include the 

Legion of Merit (two 

OLC), Bronze Star Medal 

(OLC), Presidential Unit 

Citation, Joint Meritorious 

Unit Award, Valorous Unit 

Award, Meritorious Unit 

Commendation, Iraqi 

Campaign Medal (two 

Campaign stars), the 

Global War on Terrorism 

Expeditionary Medal, the 

Global War on Terrorism 

Service Medal, and the 

Combat Action Badge. 

He holds a bachelor of 

science degree in petroleum 

engineering from University 

of Missouri–Rolla, a master’s 

in civil engineering from 

the University of Missouri, 

Columbia, and a master’s in 

national security policy from 

USAWC. 

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BIOGRAPHY 

by BERNARD W TATE (USACE) 

LTG (RET) THOMAS P. BOSTICK 

OUTGOING CHIEF OF ENGINEERS 

LTG THOMAS P. BOSTICK 

relinquished command as 

the 53rd U.S. Army Chief of 

Engineers and Commanding 

General of the U.S. Army 

Corps of Engineers (USACE) 

on 19 May 2016 in a changeof-command 

and retirement 

ceremony at Joint Base Myer- 

Henderson Hall (JBMHH), VA. 

He had served as the Chief of 

Engineers since 22 May 2012 

and retired with 38 years of 

service in the U.S. Army. 

LTG Todd T. Semonite 

became the 54th Chief of 

Engineers and assumed command 

of USACE during the 

same ceremony. 

As the USACE commanding 

general, Bostick served 

as the senior military officer 

overseeing most of the nation’s 

civil works infrastructure 

and military construction. 

He was responsible for more 

than 32,000 civilian employees 

and 700 military personnel 

who provide project 

management, construction 

support, and engineering 

expertise in more than 110 

countries around the world. 

USACE has a key role in 

supporting overseas contingency 

operations, with 

thousands of civilians and 

soldiers having deployed to 

support military operations 

and reconstruction in Iraq 

and Afghanistan. 

“USACE is composed of 

extremely loyal and competent 

civil servants. I am 

consistently impressed by our 

personnel at the locks and 

dams, and our park rangers, 

program and project managers, 

attorneys, scientists, and, 

of course, our engineers,” 

Bostick said. “I have seen the 

completion of vital civil works 

projects thanks to collaborations 

among USACE employees; 

contractors; federal, 

state, and local agencies; 

non-profit organizations; and 

private citizens. 

“Take Superstorm Sandy, 

for example, which killed at 

least 117 people, caused 

more than $50 billion in damage, 

and stranded millions 

of people for days without 

water, fuel, and electricity. 

USACE quickly mobilized 

more than 800 personnel to 

help with relief and recovery 

operations. In just nine 

days, we removed 85 million 

gallons of water—enough 

to fill the Rose Bowl—from 

the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, 

the longest vehicular tunnel 

in North America. We could 

not have accomplished that 

mission without the help of 

two other great teammates, 

the U.S. Coast Guard and the 

U.S. Navy.” 

Bostick also was responsible 

for USACE’s diverse 

missions such as the operation 

and maintenance of the 

nation’s inland waterways and 

coastal ports and harbors; the 

nation’s largest hydropower 

and federal recreation programs; 

environmental protection 

and restoration projects; 

the regulatory permit program 

to protect, restore, and 

enhance thousands of acres 

of wetlands; and emergency 

response missions to support 

the Federal Emergency 

Management Agency in the 

aftermath of natural or manmade 

disasters. 

As the Chief of Engineers, 

Bostick advised the Army 

on engineering matters and 

served as the Army’s topographer 

and the proponent 

for real estate and other related 

engineering programs. 

During his tenure, Bostick 

strengthened ties between 

USACE and the Army and 

Combatant Commands and 

also expanded opportunities 

with the Department of Veterans 

Affairs and the Department 

of Energy. USACE has 

started a $5 billion program 

to build hospitals for the DVA 

for the first time since the 

post–World War II era. 

Before commanding 

USACE, Bostick served as the 

Army’s Deputy Chief of Staff, 

G-1, Personnel, responsible 

for developing, managing, 

and executing manpower 

and personnel plans, programs, 

and policies for more 

than 1 million soldiers and 

300,000 Army civilians. 

Other command and staff 

positions that Bostick held 

during his 38 years of service 

include Commanding General, 

U.S. Army Recruiting 

Command; Director of Military 

Programs in USACE with 

duty as Commander of the 

Gulf Region Division in Iraq; 

Assistant Division Commander 

(Maneuver), later Assistant 

Division Commander (Support), 

1st CAV DIV during the 

deployment into Operation 

Iraqi Freedom; Commander, 

Engineer Brigade, 1st AR 

DIV, Operation Joint Forge 

in Bosnia-Herzegovina; and 

1 

Commander, 1st EN BN, 1st 

INF DIV (Mechanized). 

Bostick also served as 

Executive Officer to the 

Chief of Engineers, Executive 

Officer to the Army Chief of 

Staff, and Deputy Director of 

Operations for the National 

Military Command Center, 

J-3, the Joint Staff in the 

Pentagon from May 2001 

to August 2002, including 

the events of 11 September 

2001. 

Bostick also was an assistant 

professor of mechanical 

engineering at West Point 

and was a White House 

Fellow, serving as a special 

assistant to the Secretary of 

Veterans Affairs. 

Bostick graduated from 

the U.S. Military Academy 

at West Point in 1978 with a 

bachelor of science degree. 

He holds a master’s degree 

in both civil engineering and 

mechanical engineering from 

Stanford University and is a 

graduate of the U.S. Army 

War College. 

He is a registered 

professional engineer in 

Virginia. Bostick and his 

wife Renee will reside in 

Arlington, VA. 

1 

1 LTG Thomas P. Bostick retired 

on 19 May as the 53rd Chief of 

Engineers and Commanding 

General of the U.S. Army Corps 

of Engineers. He had 38 years 

of service and was honored with 

an Armed Forces Full Honors 

retirement ceremony. GEN Mark 

Milley, Chief of Staff of the Army, 

presided. PHOTO BY MICHAEL 

P. WHETSTON, USACE PUBLIC AFFAIRS 


BIOGRAPHY 

LTG TODD T. SEMONITE 

COMMANDING GENERAL AND CHIEF OF ENGINEERS 

LTG TODD T. SEMONITE 

assumed command as the 

54th Chief of Engineers and 

Commanding General of the 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

(USACE) in a changeof-command 

ceremony at 

Joint Base Myer-Henderson 

Hall (JBMHH), VA, on 19 May. 

The previous commanding 

general of USACE was LTG 

Thomas P. Bostick. 

Semonite also was 

promoted to the rank of 

lieutenant general that day 

in a ceremony preceding the 

change-of-command. 

“I’m excited to assume 

the role of the Chief of Engineers 

and the command of 

the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,” 

Semonite said during 

the change of command 

ceremony. “I am convinced, 

though, that the power and 

the value of USACE is not in 

the facilities and the waterways 

we build and maintain. 

It is not measured by concrete 

and steel, nor by miles 

of combat routes cleared. It 

is measured by the passion 

in the hearts of our engineer 

force. Our people are truly 

the most important component 

of the command. 

“Our commitment is to 

be ready to solve the nation’s 

most complex engineering 

challenges, to improve our 

readiness to be Army Strong, 

and to expand our technical 

capability to be Building 

Strong.” 

As the Chief of Engineers, 

Semonite advises the 

U.S. Army on engineering 

matters and serves as the 

Army’s topographer and the 

proponent for real estate and 

other engineering programs. 

As the USACE commanding 

general, he is responsible for 

more than 32,000 civilian employees 

and 700 military personnel 

who provide project 

management, construction 

support, and engineering 

expertise in more than 110 

countries around the world. 

USACE is America’s 

premier engineering agency. 

It managed an Army military 

construction program 

between 2006 and 2013 

totaling $44.6 billion, the 

largest construction effort 

since World War II. It operates 

and maintains more than 

12,000 miles of commercial 

inland navigation channels, 

and dredges more than 200 

million cubic yards of material 

annually to maintain 926 

coastal, Great Lakes, and 

inland harbors. 

USACE is the nation’s 

environmental engineer 

and restores or creates tens 

of thousands of acres of 

wetlands annually under their 

Regulatory Program. USACE 

owns more than 700 dams, 

and operates 24 percent of 

the U.S. hydropower capacity. 

As part of that, USACE is 

also the nation’s number-one 

federal provider of outdoor 

recreation, hosting 370 

million visits annually at its 

recreation areas. 

BEFORE THIS ASSIGNMENT, 

LTG Semonite established 

the Army Talent Management 

Task Force and served as 

its first director. In this role, 

Semonite was responsible for 

reforming the way the Army 

acquires, develops, employs, 

and retains a talented 

workforce. Prior to these 

duties, LTG Semonite was 

the Commanding General for 

Combined Security Transition 

Command–Afghanistan, 

responsible for the building 

of the Afghan Army and 

Police through management 

of a $13 billion budget to 

support a 352,000 individual 

force. 

During his tenure, 

the mission focused on 

sustainment of that force 

and training, advising, 

and assisting the Security 

Ministries toward establishing 

an enduring culture of fiscal 

discipline, transparency, 

and accountability, while 

continuing to fight and win 

against a significant enemy 

threat. 

Previous to that command, 

LTG Semonite served 

as the Deputy Chief of 

Engineers and the Deputy 

Commanding General, 

USACE. LTG Semonite also 

has served as Commanding 

General, South Atlantic 

Division, responsible for 

the oversight of planning, 

design, and construction 

projects to support the U.S. 

military, protect America’s 

water resources, and provide 

USACE support to U.S. 

Southern Command. The 

South Atlantic Division 

provides engineering and 

construction services from 

Alabama to North Carolina, 

the Caribbean and Central 

and South America. 

Prior to assuming Command 

of the South Atlantic 

Division, LTG Semonite 

commanded USACE’s North 

Atlantic Division in New York 

City, serving the states from 

Virginia to Maine as well as 

the U.S. European Command 

and U.S. Africa Command 

Areas of Responsibility. He 

also served as Commanding 

General, Maneuver Support 

Center and Fort Leonard 

Wood, and as assistant commandant, 

U.S. Army Engineer 

School at Fort Leonard 

Wood, MO. 

Additionally, he served in 

a wide variety of command 

and staff positions including: 

Director, Office of the Chief 

of Engineers, Headquarters, 

Department of the Army at 

the Pentagon; Deputy Commander, 

Task Force Restore 

Iraqi Electricity; and Executive 

Officer to the commanding 

general, U.S. Army Europe 

(USAEUR) and 7th Army. 

LTG Semonite served as 

Commander of the 130th 

Engineer and the V Corps 

Engineer, Hanau, Germany; 

Chief of Military Operations 

and Topography and Chief 

of International Operations, 

both with USAEUR; Battalion 

Commander, 23rd EN BN, 1st 

Armored Division, Friedberg, 

Germany (with a one-year 

deployment to Bosnia); 

Construction and Design 

Supervisor, 416th Engineer 

Command, Chicago, IL; Staff 

Officer for Logistics (S-4), 

937th Engineer Group and 

Staff Officer for Operations 

(S-3) and Executive Officer, 

1st Engineer Battalion, both 

at Fort Riley, KS; and Operations 

Officer, U.S. Army 

Corps of Engineers Office, 

Fort Drum, NY. 

Semonite, a native of Bellows 

Falls, VT, is a registered 

professional engineer in 

Virginia and Vermont. 

He graduated from 

the U.S. Military Academy 

(USMA), West Point, NY, and 

was commissioned into the 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

in 1979. He holds a 

bachelor of science degree in 

civil engineering from USMA, 

a master of science in civil 

engineering degree from the 

University of Vermont, and 

a master of military arts and 

sciences from Fort Leavenworth, 

KS. 

He is a graduate of the 

Engineer Officer Basic and 

Advanced Courses, the Combined 

Arms Services Staff 

School, the Command and 

General Staff College, and 

the Army War College. 

Semonite’s awards include 

the Distinguished Service 

Medal (two awards), Defense 

Superior Service Award, 

Legion of Merit (five awards), 

Bronze Star, Meritorious 

Service Medal (seven 

awards), Army Commendation 

Medal (three awards), 

Army Achievement Medal, 

Joint Meritorious Unit Award, 

Meritorious Unit Citation, 

Army Superior Unit Award 

(two awards), NATO award, 

Ranger tab, and Parachutist 

Badge. 


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ANN MARIE R. HARVIE 

USACE, NEW ENGLAND DISTRICT 

CONSTRUCTING BRIDGES WITH 

spaghetti and marshmallows? Making 

bird feeders out of pine cones? Performing 

archaeological digs using cookies? 

Not a typical day at the New England 

District headquarters, but it is a typically 

fun and educational agenda for the 

annual Take-Your-Daughters-and-Sonsto-Work 

event. On 22 April, 26 children 

enjoyed a day of discovery with handson 

activities focused on Science, Technology, 

Engineering, and Math (STEM). 

Jackie DiDomenico, Equal Employment 

Opportunity Office, and Denise 

Kammerer-Cody, Federal Women’s 

Program Manager, sponsored the event. 

DiDomenico was on hand to answer 

questions and assist with the children. 

CPT Daniel Brady, Project Engineer, 

Construction Division, greeted the potential 

future engineers and scientists. 

A fun and unique ice breaker helped 

the children introduce themselves and 

get to know a bit about each other 

before splitting into three groups. Every 

year the Federal Women’s Program and 

the Equal Employment Opportunity Office 

come up with fun team names. This 

year the kids were broken up into candy 

bar teams: Snickers, Baby Ruth, and 

Reese’s. Each group rotated between 

three 45-minute sessions in the morning 

and another three 45-minute sessions in 

the afternoon. 

In the morning Penny Reddy and 

CPT Brady hosted the spaghetti bridge 

activity in the New England Conference 

Room. The activity started off with a 

presentation that included videos and 

photos of many types of bridges. After 

viewing the presentation material, the 

children designed and constructed a 

bridge out of uncooked spaghetti and 

marshmallows. 

Paul Young and Jessica Rudd held a 

geology presentation in the cafeteria. 

“We are surrounded by rocks, minerals, 

and fossils,” said Young. During the 

presentation, the children learned how 

such minerals formed. The children got 

the chance to hold samples of different 

types of minerals to include gold, silver, 

copper, and diamonds. They also were 

able to handle fossils such as clams, 

whalebone, wood, dinosaur, and footprints 

and much more. Most of the items 

the children got to handle were found 

in New England. “The geology was my 

favorite,” said Tristan. “The rocks are 

rare and the fossils too. They were very 

cool.” Drake agreed with Tristan. “There 

were tons of really cool ones,” he said. 

Jessica Schanz took a green approach 

to teaching the children how to love and 

appreciate their planet in the Massachusetts/Connecticut 

Conference Rooms. 

During the session titled, “Earth Day,” 

the children learned about environmental 

changes and why it’s important to 

protect the earth and recycle. After a 

brief presentation, the children made 

pine cone bird feeders that they could 

take home and hang to feed the birds 

in their yards. “My favorite activity was 

making the bird feeders,” said Amelie. 

“I’ve never made one, and I like to do 

things that I’ve never done before.” 

After meeting their sponsors for a 

pizza lunch, the children headed into the 

afternoon activities. 

Marc Paiva took the children on an 

Archaeological Cookie Dig in the Cafeteria. 

“This is a simple and fun exercise to 

try with the kids,” said Paiva. “It simulates 

the delicate work of an archaeologist, 

and is likely to stir an interest in 

archaeology and fossils.” 

Christine Renzoni and Kevin Kotelly 

hosted an endangered species presentation. 

During this activity, the children 

learned how human activities can 

change a sea turtle’s and other endangers 

species’ environment. “This one 

was my favorite,” explained Anna. “You 

got to run around and play the sensory 

game.” 

Park Ranger Ronald Woodall gave a 

para-cord survival Key Fob presentation. 

Using a 550-foot para-cord that was created 

by Army scientists during WWII for 

parachutes, the children learned about 

the multiples uses of the cord. After the 

presentation, the children made their 

own survival key fobs. “This looked really 

interesting,” said Luc of his favorite 

activity. “I really wanted to do it.” 

District team members who assisted 

the main presenters were Tina Chaisson, 

Ann Marie Harvie, Valerie Cappola, 

Karen Baumert, and Grace Moses. 

Penny Reddy (right) assists Olivia with her spaghetti and marshmallow 

tower. PHOTO COURTESY U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, NEW ENGLAND DISTRICT 

18 t ARMY ENGINEER JULY 800-295-9595 / AUGUST 2016 | govsales@kippertool.com | Kippertool.com 


NEWS & INFO 

District and partners move forward with 

turtle-nesting habitat enhancement project 

by 

JASON TREMBLAY 

PROJECT MANAGER 

EDWARD MacDOWELL LAKE 

NEW ENGLAND DISTRICT 

THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS 

at Edward MacDowell Lake in Peterborough, 

NH, has been working with 

state and local partners since September 

2013 on a turtle-nesting habitat 

project that will greatly benefit turtles 

and upland species. With the help and 

expertise of New Hampshire Fish and 

Game Department’s Wildlife Division 

and a collaboration of biologists, foresters, 

and soil scientists, a Wildlife Habitat 

Prescription Plan was developed for 

this project. Local partners such as the 

Monadnock Trail Breakers Snowmobile 

Club, Cub Scout Pack 8, Boy Scout 

Troop 308, and Venture Crew 308 will 

help to execute the final stages of the 

project which involves preparing the site 

for plantings and securing the nesting 

area. 

The project involves reclaiming an 

existing 3.5 acres of gravel pit in order 

to enhance critical turtle-nesting habitat. 

The primary goal of the project is to 

provide a suitable nesting area at the 

gravel pit, thereby increasing turtlenesting 

rates and decreasing turtle 

mortality. The habitat prescription plan, 

developed by the New Hampshire Fish 

& Game Department, targets a variety 

of turtle species, including three species 

of turtles that are currently listed as 

Species of Concern in the state of New 

Hampshire. 

Edward MacDowell Lake currently 

supports nesting turtles at the gravel 

pit, located adjacent to the lake and a 

wetland area, and is the primary area 

for nest sites at the park, as identified 

by the New Hampshire Natural Heritage 

Inventory in 2000. Over time, natural 

succession of trees and shrubs and their 

associated cover has reduced the overall 

size of suitable nesting habitat. The 

project would open the canopy to help 

the sun heat the area for turtle egg incubation. 

All New Hampshire freshwater 

turtle species require an open canopy 

with well-drained soils and sparse 

vegetation consisting of native sedges, 

grasses, and less than 2- to 5-percent 

low-growing shrub cover for nesting. 

The New Hampshire Fish and Game 

Department’s Wildlife Division’s habitat 

prescription plan also will benefit upland 

wildlife species such as smooth green 

snakes, grouse, turkey, and a number of 

songbirds. 

This project will be the first for turtlenesting 

habitat under the Handshake 

Partnership Program since the program’s 

inception in 2004. The application for 

this Handshake Partnership project went 

before a national committee and was 

awarded on 19 November 2014. 

By 3 August 2015, the Challenge 

Partnership Agreement for Edward 

MacDowell Lake’s Turtle Habitat Restoration 

Project was officially signed 

by New Hampshire Fish and Game 

Department’s Executive Director Glenn 

Normandeau; Monadnock Trail Breaker’s 

President Chris Raymond; Cub Scouts 

of America Pack 8 Cubmaster Jeffrey 

King; Boy Scouts of America Troop 308 

Scoutmaster Michael Miller; and Venture 

Crew Adviser Arianne Miller. Through 

a memorandum of delegation from 

COL Christopher Barron, New England 

District Commander, Operations Chief 

Frank Fedele provided the final signature. 

The projected increase in turtle 

populations as a result of this project will 

provide the general public with more 

opportunities for wildlife observation 

and photography at Edward MacDowell 

Lake and naturalist-led interpretive programs 

to demonstrate habitat enhancements. 

1 

MANY THANKS FOR 

THE SUPPORT TO AND 

INVOLVEMENT WITH OUR 

LOCAL PARTNERS: Jeff King and 

Cub Scouts Pack 8; the Miller 

family, Boy Scouts, and Venture 

Crew from Troop 308; and the 

members of Monadnock Trail 

Breakers Snowmobile Club, the 

New Hampshire Fish and Game 

Department’s Wildlife Division 

(Jim Oehler, Denyce Gagne, Mike 

Marchand, Brian Lemire, and 

Wendy Ward from NRCS), USACE 

Operations Division; Kimberly 

Russell, Natalie McCormack, Rob 

Shanks, Jen Rockett, Marty Curran, 

Joshua Levesque, and Matt 

Cummings. 

First female Sapper graduate in Honduras 

COL CHARLES SAMARIS, Command Engineer for United States Southern 

Command, congratulates SGT JESSICA BAINES, the first female Sapper (Zapador) 

graduate in Honduras. She is a member of 1st EN BN, based in Sequatepeque, 

Honduras. U.S. Southern Command conducted a key leader engagement in 

Honduras to explore opportunities for leveraging Joint Engineer forces to support 

the growth of the Honduran Engineer School. 

1 A painted turtle rests on a log. PHOTO BY U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 


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HEAVY-EQUIPMENT TRAINING IN TODAY’S HIGH-TECH ENVIRONMENT 

SHRADER 

by COL “SCOTTY” R. SHRADER PHOTOS BY NATE HURN 

HEAVY-EQUIPMENT TRAINING in TODAY’S 

HIGH-TECH ENVIRONMENT 

THE 416TH THEATER 

ENGINEER COMMAND 

(TEC) is leading the Army in 

21st-century training practices 

with the purchase of 

heavy-equipment simulators 

for the horizontal engineer 

units across the Army Reserve. 

The command purchased 

more than 120 Cat ® Simulators 

last year. Each horizontal 

engineer unit in the 416th 

and 412th TEC received four 

next-gen simulators—a hydraulic 

excavator, small wheel 

loader, track-type tractor, and 

an M-Series motor grader, 

along with a manager’s workstation. 

The simulator systems not 

only train soldiers to become 

tactically and technically 

proficient but also to boost 

critical thinking skills for 

heavy equipment operators. 

Furthermore, the technologyenabled 

training empowers 

unit leaders to undertake 

training while reducing 

soldiers’ direct exposure 

to hazardous risk, which is 

ultimately beneficial to the 

soldier and the government. 

TACTICAL AND TECHNICAL 

PROFICIENCY 

Prior to stepping foot on a 

machine, soldiers are immersed 

in a cab environment 

that features original equipment 

manufacturer (OEM) 

parts and a spatial layout 

of controls identical to the 

actual machine. This, coupled 

with realistic and immersive 

training simulation experience, 

ensures their learning 

transfers directly to the heavy 

equipment at the work site. 

The simulator training 

environment is completely 

independent of the surrounding 

area and weather 

conditions. Weather events 

can cause massive variation 

in the scheduled training 

for soldiers. During winter 

months, lightning strikes, or 

the muddy spring season, 

soldiers can continue to train 

on the simulator, as training 

is not affected by the 

weather. Soldiers are able to 

maintain aggressive training 

tempos and instructors are 

able to provide better training 

oversight to both novice 

and experienced equipment 

operators, developing key 

technical skillsets, that build 

experienced, proficient, and 

experienced operators. Over 

the years, organizations such 

as the U.S. Air Force have 

greatly relied on simulator 

training to hone their operators’ 

craft with a very high 

level of success. Today’s Army 

Reserve Engineers are looking 

to capitalize on these vital 

lessons learned by training 

a new generation of soldiers 

using simulations, enhancing 

the individual soldier’s 

capabilities to operate this 

technically complex heavy 

earth-moving machinery. 

HEIGHTENED CRITICAL THINKING 

Critical thinking is a key 

component of every mission. 

Soldiers can work 

through complex construction 

scenarios enhancing the 

learning environment through 

the exceptional realism of 

audio and video graphics in 

the custom software, along 

with the fully articulated seat 

and hand controls. Training 

exercises are based on input 

from subject-matter experts 

with this data used to establish 

benchmark information. 

Unit leaders and instructors 

can provide instant feedback 

throughout the training 

exercises as the soldiers’ 

results are recorded and 

made available for immediate 

use. Instructors, soldiers, and 

unit leaders can review the 

data and apply the lessons 

learned to future exercises 

and missions. Soldiers progressively 

refine their critical 

thinking skills as this activity 

improves their ability to 

conduct after-action reviews 

“MY OPINION only got stronger on the need for the simulators. They are an excellent training tool as well as a great source of 

sustainment training.” — JOE TARCZYNSKI, GRADER INSTRUCTOR 


HEAVY-EQUIPMENT TRAINING IN TODAY’S HIGH-TECH ENVIRONMENT 

SHRADER 

and refine standard operating 

procedures to ensure mission 

success. 

INCREASED SAFETY; 

DECREASED EXPOSURE TO RISK 

Through increased “stick 

time” safety checks and operating 

procedures become 

second nature. The iterative 

training, building confidence, 

developing experience, on 

the simulators develop strong 

motor skills and muscle 

memory in soldiers, helping 

them to understand the 

complex equipment and what 

must be done to operate 

the equipment under severe 

conditions experienced in 

combat construction. By the 

time soldiers hit the job site, 

skills and safety procedures 

have become an intuitive 

reflexive memory. 

The simulators can replicate 

catastrophic incidents, 

allowing soldiers to face the 

challenge of operating equipment 

under stress. By understanding 

the equipment’s 

capabilities, soldiers gain 

confidence, mitigate risk, and 

become safer operators. This, 

in turn, leads to accomplishing 

the mission in less time, 

limiting the potential exposure 

to enemy fire. Through 

this training, unit leaders are 

ensuring mission success and 

the safety of their soldiers. 

DECREASED COSTS; 

MAXIMIZED RESOURCES 

Integrating the simulator 

training into the existing 

Army Reserve’s “one weekend 

per month, two weeks 

per year” training schedule is 

already saving a quantifiable 

amount of taxpayer dollars. 

Increased “stick time” results 

in significant reduction of 

wear and tear on equipment, 

with the added benefit of 

considerable savings in fuel 

costs. In the face of increasingly 

diminishing resources, 

reserve units are maximizing 

every opportunity to train 

soldiers year round, independent 

of environmental 

conditions and equipment 

maintenance schedules. 

CONCLUSION 

The Army Reserve engineers 

are leading the way with the 

use of Cat ® Simulators. By 

creating a successful learning 

environment and setting conditions 

in which challenging 

situations are met head-on 

in a virtual environment, the 

simulators enable soldiers 

from the 416th and 412th 

TECs to become tactically 

and technically proficient 

in the use of heavy equipment, 

executing construction 

missions in both CONUS 

and combat construction. 

Soldiers master the functions, 

features, and capabilities of 

their equipment before they 

step foot inside the actual 

machine. Unit leaders can 

mitigate considerable safety 

risks on the job site through 

the regular use of simulator 

training and applying lessons 

learned. Simulation training 

quickly pays for itself when 

quantifying the costs of the 

alternative: fuel, maintenance, 

and time, plus the 

potential damage to property 

or injury to soldiers. Simulator 

training is a smart use of time 

and tax-payer dollars in the 

face of diminishing resources. 

The implementation of Cat ® 

Simulators by the 416th and 

412th TECs are a training 

enabler to continually build 

training and readiness in our 

soldiers. 

COL “SCOTTY” R. SHRADER 

graduated Utah State 

University in 1987 with a 

bachelor of science degree 

in business administration, 

production management, 

and graduated the 

Command and General Staff 

College. He enlisted into the 

Utah National Guard as an 

artilleryman in 1985 and soon 

after entered the Reserve 

Officer Training Corps at 

Utah State University. He 

was commissioned in the 

field artillery branch in 1987. 

He has served the Engineer 

Regiment since 1994, 

starting as a first lieutenant 

and serving in positions of 

increasing responsibility 

from the company, battalion, 

brigade, Regional Support 

Command, USARC, OCAR, 

and DA Staff levels. 

A skilled and versatile 

engineer, he capably 

served as Engineer Force/ 

Organizational Integrator 

for the Chief, Army Reserve, 

with two deployments to the 

Iraqi Theater of Operations 

as an engineer, one with 

the 353rd EN GP, 1st CAV 

DIV, and the second time to 

serve as the Military Police 

Brigade Engineer for Task 

Force MP North under Task 

Force 134, Multi-National 

Force-Iraq during Operation 

Iraqi Freedom (OIF). In the 

latter assignment, Shrader 

was responsible for three of 

the largest detention facility 

construction projects in Iraq, 

amounting to more than 850 

million dollars. 

Upon returning from 

OIF, Shrader assumed the 

dual role of the Engineer 

and Logistics Management 

Officer, G-4, of the 416th 

TEC. He conducted 

a strategic regimentlevel 

DOTMLPF process 

application to upgrade the 

force from the inside out. The 

416th and 412th TECs afford 

him the ability to cross the 

spectrum of operations from 

DA/DOD to all supporting 

agencies. Additionally, he 

has done work to facilitate 

a much better relationship 

between both Engineer 

Commands at the G-4 

and Operations levels of 

command. 

In his senior assignments, 

Shrader has held key roles, 

such as the Acting Chief 

of Staff, 416th TEC, and 

Director, Army Reserve 

Engineer for Integration. 

He has been the catalyst 

to implement and execute 

the de-modularization of 

the Army Reserve Engineer 

force structure, advising 

DA and OCAR staffs on 

the initiative to right size 

and shape the future Army 

Reserve Engineer Structure, 

designing the architectural 

rewrite and development of 

the Regiments Sets Kits and 

Outfits as well as cultivating 

vital partnerships with Tankautomotive 

and Armaments 

Command (TACOM), U.S. 

Army Maneuver Support 

Center of Excellence 

(MSCoE), United States 

Army Training and Doctrine 

Command (TRADOC), and 

the United States Army 

Engineer School in order to 

bring the optimal engineer 

resources to focus in pursuing 

our national interests. 

COL Shrader’s awards 

and decorations include 

the Bronze Star Medal, 

two Meritorious Service 

Medals, and five Army 

Commendation Medals. 


MEMORANDUM 

• SOLDIER WEAR OF ESSAYONS BUTTONS 

AT HOME IN THE TOUGHEST 

PLACE ON EARTH 

Don’t leave tough jobs to chance. Bobcat ® equipment ensures victory 

with easy operation, superb performance and the durability to thrive 

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Available through DLA and GSA contracts. 

©2016 Bobcat Company. All rights reserved. | 1307 


ARMING THE COMBAT ENGINEER WITH THE POWER TO PERFORM 

HIPPO MULTIPOWER 

WITH THE 

ARMING THE 

COMBAT 

ENGINEER 

POWER TO 

PERFORM 

THE DEPARTMENT of Defense 

(DoD) and U.S. Army 

are on the constant lookout 

to identify commercial energy 

and power technology 

suitable for military deployment. 

Testing and adapting 

innovative technologies in 

mobile power generation, 

energy conversion, power 

distribution, and energy storage 

is an ongoing project. 

This search for mobile 

power solutions is necessary 

because almost every task 

or activity the U.S. military 

engages in today is linked directly 

to some power source. 

Examples include personal 

solutions like soldier-worn 

portable battery chargers 

for powering field infantry 

electronics to advances in 

dynamic power requirements 

for the largest of weapons 

systems. Discovering new, 

more efficient ways to match 

power with mission-critical 

components is a key to maintaining 

the country’s military 

advantage. 

For Army combat engineers, 

the need for power solutions 

to drive power equipment 

has never been more 

crucial. Two words stand out 

in particular for these power 

requirements especially in 

battle situations: the need for 

mobility and reliability. 

MOBILE POWER IN THE FIELD 

For more than two centuries, 

Army combat engineers have 

stood ready to support the 

country’s military performing 

a variety of construction 

and demolition tasks under 

combat conditions. 

The combat engineers’ 

missions typically involve one 

of two goals: improving the 

ability of one’s own troops 

to move around the battlefield 

or building obstacles 

to prevent the enemy from 

easily maneuvering. Tasks 

could include construction 

or destruction of roads, 

bridges, water distribution 

points, field fortifications, 

and obstacles. In these roles, 

combat engineers use a variety 

of power tools in addition 

to manual hand tools. For 

the former, different mobile 

power sources are often 

needed, power sources that 

include hydraulic, air, electric, 

and welding. 

Until recently, getting 

all this power into the field 

often required four separate 

vehicles or tow-ins. This often 

resulted in logistical challenges, 

especially in combat 

situations in which linear 

approaches to solving engineering 

problems could cost 

the mission valuable time or 

even the element of surprise. 

When called to duty, combat 

engineers need to get 

in, get the job done, and get 

out—which means having the 

power to accomplish all tasks 

readily at hand no matter 

1 Welding in remote locations can be easily 

accomplished with the HIPPO 2042E, a variant of the 

2032E available through GSA/TLS. 

1 




2 

what task they face. Having 

all power sources in a single 

multipower unit is preferable, 

and the ability to run multiple 

power sources simultaneously 

is a force multiplier and 

greatly reduces the soldiers’ 

exposure. 

One commercial company, 

HIPPO Multipower, located 

in Kansas City, had successfully 

developed a Complete 

Power Solution (CPS) solution 

that caught the eye of both 

the Engineer Regiment of 

the U.S. Army, located at Fort 

Leonard Wood, MO, and 

the DoD. The self-contained 

HIPPO Multipower units run 

on 30-HP diesel engines and 

have all four power sources 

available with the ability to 

run any two power sources 

at one time without any cycle 

time loss. Constructed with 

heavy-duty lifting rings and a 

high-strength steel and aluminum 

enclosure, the units 

were ideally suited for use in 

rugged, battlefield environments. 

MEETING POWER RELIABILITY 

STANDARDS 

But locating a power source 

option is different from being 

ready to deploy in the field, 

and like any commercial 

technology solution, the 

HIPPO CPS unit had to first 

pass intense scrutiny and 

testing. This process took 

more than six years to fully 

test the durability and reliability 

of the power units. 

First came extensive operational 

and environmental 

testing at Aberdeen Proving 

2 Hydraulic power makes quick work of setting this picket. 




3 

Ground. After completing 

these in-depth tests, the CPS 

unit also was subjected to 

real-world evaluation and 

testing with the U.S. Army 

Reserve. The two battalions 

enlisted in this effort were the 

911th combat engineer battalion 

at Fort Belvoir, VA, and 

the 411th combat engineer 

battalion in Harrison, AR. 

HIPPO Multipower began 

selling CPS units to the U.S. 

Army combat engineers in 

2008, and the HIPPO CPS 

2032E was later granted a 

National Stock Number (NSN 

6115-01-585-4339), opening 

availability to all U.S. government 

entities. Since 2010, the 

U.S. Army Engineers’ HEP- 

POE Tool Kit has been a program 

of record, and includes 

the HIPPO CPS 2032E as 

the backbone power unit of 

that kit. As a retired USASOC 

colonel said, “the feedback 

from the 18C Committee is 

that every team should have 

one ... those guys love it and 

use it continuously.” 

Nearly a thousand HIPPO 

Multipower CPS units have 

been fielded by the U.S. 

military throughout the world 

and has been selected by the 

DoD as the most dependable 

mobile multipower unit 

available. 

“It’s an honor to be 

selected by the DoD in this 

manner,” said Mike Blank, 

president, Hippo Multipower. 

“We understand the 

importance of having remote 

mobile power available so 

engineers can be battleready 

and better equipped 

for successful missions.” 

Innovative commercial 

solutions like the CPS are 

constantly being sourced to 

keep up with the increased 

power consumption needs 

of the U.S. military, and as 

technology improvements 

continue to increase the effectiveness 

and safety of our 

troops, you can expect this 

trend to continue. 

For more information 

about the unique HIPPO 

Multipower mobile solution 

listed in the procurement 

system, visit www. 

HippoMultipower.com/ 

military. 

3 The HIPPO Multipower CPS unit lets combat engineers manage more 

jobs with fewer pieces of equipment with hydraulic, air, electric, and 

welding power from one self-contained diesel-powered unit. 


A NEW PERSPECTIVE FOR AN ARMY ENGINEER 

OLSON 

A NEW 

PERSPECTIVE 

FOR AN 

ARMY 

ENGINEER 

O N E Y E A R O N A N U C L E A R 

C O N S T R U C T I O N P R O J E C T 

by MAJ ANDREW OLSON, P.E., PMP 

IN 2002, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY awarded 

a contract to Parsons to design, construct, commission, 

and test a Salt Waste Processing Facility (SWPF) at the 

Savannah River Site located near Aiken, SC. The facility 

is critical to properly disposing of 36 million gallons of 

cold-war–era nuclear waste and will replace the only 

two operational radionuclide decontamination facilities 

for liquid wastes in the nation, increasing the current 

processing rate by a factor of six. Construction was 

completed on the facility in April 2016 and the project is 

now in the commissioning and testing phase. 

While participating in the Training with Industry (TWI) 

broadening program, I was assigned to Parsons and 

the SWPF project. I participated in the final 20% of 

construction and the transition from the construction 

phase to commissioning and testing. I worked closely 

with the lead construction manager and other key 

players and actively managed part of the process. The 

Engineer Regiment’s TWI program provides experience, 

insights, and training that simply cannot be gained 

anywhere in the Army. For engineer officers en-route to 

a utilization tour with USACE, 12 months of experience 

on a complex project with a large construction firm is 

extremely valuable. 

1 Aerial view of the Salt Waste Processing Facility at the Department 

of Energy Savannah River Site. 

1 

2 


A NEW PERSPECTIVE FOR AN ARMY ENGINEER 

OLSON 

MAKING DECISIONS MATTER 

When a decision needs to 

be made by an Army commander, 

it is second-nature 

for the commander’s staff 

to conduct mission analysis, 

and follow through the other 

steps of the Military Decision- 

Making Process (MDMP) 

culminating with orders 

production. The fact that the 

Army’s planning processes 

are codified and formalized, 

taught to all leaders, and 

oft-practiced, leads to an 

efficiency that would rarely 

be matched in the civilian 

sector. The same automatic 

response to a decision point 

and efficiency with a formal 

planning process is less likely 

to occur in the corporate sector 

because decisions rarely 

require action in such a timeconstrained, 

sleep-deprived, 

and high-stress environment 

in which the Army operates. 

There is not such a need to 

formalize the process and 

enforce training on mid-level 

managers and leaders. In 

some cases, an Army officer, 

well-versed in MDMP, might 

add value in a corporate 

environment by formalizing 

and expediting the existing 

decision-making process. 

Most active duty Army officers 

are well-practiced at 

troop-leading procedures 

and MDMP, but may not 

be aware that these same 

principles and processes 

can readily be applied in the 

corporate sector. 

My involvement at 

Parsons included participating 

in decision-making that 

altered the task organization 

of foremen, superintendents, 

and engineers to better align 

with the final processes leading 

to system turnovers. As 

the project progressed, final 

tasks leading to system turnovers 

grew in number while 

the numbers of other construction 

tasks began to decrease. 

Management began 

to consider how to increase 

efficiency with the shifting 

work focus. Managers across 

the organization informally 

voiced opinions, desires, and 

concerns either as part of 

routine meetings or in private 

discussions with upper 

management. However, no 

consensus emerged. At this 

point, I was able to implement 

a hasty and condensed 

version of MDMP (albeit late) 

and provided the decisionmaker 

with a course of action 

comparison and later with a 

plan to publish. In retrospect, 

this process might have been 

improved by a more formal 

and timely implementation. 

In the aftermath of this decision, 

I created a step-by-step 

model patterned after the 

MDMP to assist with future 

significant decisions where 

appropriate. 

A formal process is likely 

to speed up fact-gathering 

(and subsequent decisionmaking), 

provide more transparency 

to all stakeholders, 

and ensure a more objective 

or less-biased analysis and 

comparison of solutions. 

Without a formal process, it 

is difficult to confirm that the 

decision-maker has all the 

facts and an objective and 

relevant comparison to guide 

his or her decision. 

QUALITY CONTROL EMPHASIS 

This TWI assignment with 

Parsons, particularly working 

on a nuclear project, has 

deepened my appreciation 

for quality control and quality 

assurance like no experience 

in the Army ever could. 

Achieving quality standards 

on a large construction 

project requires a significant 

effort to plan and execute 

quality-control activities and 

processes. This textbook 

statement could pass as 

common knowledge or a 

“no-brainer” for anyone in 

the industry. However, hard 

copy and digital records for 

80,000 pipe welds, verification 

of placement and proper 

torque values on more than 

30,000 flange bolts and other 

connections, and ensuring 

traceability for more than 

50,000 bolts, gaskets, valves, 

and other safety significant 

material from the factory to 

the point of installation all attest 

to the hard truth of that 

simple textbook statement. 

The processes established to 

achieve the high standards 

required by the American 

Society of Mechanical 

Engineers Nuclear Quality 

Assurance Regulation (ASME 

NQA-1) are impressively 

thorough. Having been a part 

of the contractor’s preparation 

for these inspections, I’m 

certain now that I’ll be able 

to help ensure more effective 

partnerships with contractors 

for construction quality management 

in the future. 

SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT 

Safety and risk management 

principles are paramount 

in both the Army and the 

private sector. There are 

many parallels between the 

Parsons’ safety program on 

the SWPF project and a typical 

Army brigade or battalion. 

Just as an Army unit has 

a practical need and a real 

desire to protect the health 

and safety of its Soldiers, a 

construction firm also needs 

and desires to ensure the 

safety and wellness of its 

skilled laborers throughout 

varied and dangerous operations. 

At Parsons, the project 

Job Hazard Analyses parallel 

the Army’s Risk Management 

Worksheets, ensuring that all 

work controls and mitigation 

measures are tailored to 

the specific site and circumstances. 

When circumstances 

or activities change 

at the construction site, the 

pertinent hazard analysis is 

updated with input from the 

workers and foremen directly 

involved. Both the Army and 

Parsons hold regular safety 

briefs and emphasize safety 

24/7, at home as well as on 

duty. Both organizations reinforce 

that safety is everyone’s 

responsibility empowering 

individuals and leaders at 

all levels to address safety 

concerns. In November, the 

SWPF project was recognized 

for achieving OSHA’s prestigious 

Voluntary Protection 

Program (VPP) Star Status. 

The most notable factor leading 

to this distinction is not 

the excellent safety record 

from the recent past, but 

rather the positive and pervasive 

safety culture that is in 

place. At Parsons, as in the 

Army, keys to establishing 

a positive safety culture include: 

1) leaders at all levels 

take responsibility for safety, 

2) everyone is included 

and involved in preventing 

and addressing hazards, 3) 

leaders consistently enforce 

established safety standards 

and model safe practices. 

“EARNED VALUE” 

MUST BE MANAGED 

Federal Acquisition Regulation 

specifies that all costincentive 

contracts over $20 

million must use Earned 

Value Management System 

(EVMS) to track and report 

progress. 1 I was able to 

spend one month observing 

and assisting in the 

2 MAJ Andrew Olson poses 

inside the Salt Waste Treatment 

Facility with a cross-flow filter in 

the background. 

PHOTO BY CHRIS GOOD, PARSONS 

schedule and cost management 

processes that lead to 

EVMS reporting. Seeing and 

dealing with the details of 

the systems as they match 

raw data to required reports, 

as well as accounting for 

recent progress and schedule 

adjustments by leveling 

resources has helped me 

to understand the “story” 

behind the numbers on an 

EVMS report. While I may 

never become a cost engineer, 

scheduling expert, or 

project controls manager, I 

certainly can appreciate the 

critical role they play on very 

large projects. 

CONCLUSION 

Living the life of a government 

contractor in the 

construction industry for 

a year has allowed me to 

“walk a mile in their shoes,” 

broadening my perspective 

and deepening my understanding 

of the construction 

contracting and management 

process. Previously I 

had learned many of these 

processes and theoretical 

concepts in the classroom 

and had gained some 

practical experience applying 

them while assigned to 

USACE Europe District and 

Afghanistan Engineer District 

South. However, applying 

these concepts inside a large 

construction firm and living 

with the results over a year’s 

time has allowed me to transition 

the book knowledge to 

a working understanding on 

a practical level. I believe in 

the adage“Unless you apply 

it, you do not understand it.” 

After this TWI experience, I 

know that when I transition to 

a USACE utilization assignment, 

I’ll be much better 

prepared to negotiate and 

partner with construction 

contractors on USACE projects. 

The Engineer Regiment 

should continue the TWI 

program precisely because it 

infuses the engineer officer 

corps with valuable knowledge 

and understanding that 

could not be gained anywhere 

else. 

2 

MAJ ANDREW OLSON, Training 

with Industry Fellow with 

duty at Parsons, Aiken, SC, 

will assume duties as the 

Deputy Commander, USACE 

Seattle District, in August 

2016. 

ENDNOTE 

1 

Department of Defense 

Instruction (DoDI) 5000.02, 

December 2008, Table 5, EVM 

Implementation Policy. 

THIS ARTICLE ALSO APPEARS 

IN THE MILITARY ENGINEER, 

JULY-AUGUST 2016. 


TRAIL KING 

CONTRACT 

GS-30F- 0004X 

Tough. 

Dependable. 

M A N U F A C T U R E D T O E X C E E D 

E V E R Y C H A L L E N G E 

SOUTH CAROLINA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD TWINS REFLECT ON FLOOD RESPONSE • PRAVATO 

SOUTH CAROLINA ARMY 

NATIONAL GUARD TWINS REFLECT 

ON FLOOD RESPONSE 

by 

SGT TASHERA PRAVATO 

SIX MONTHS AFTER historic 

flooding devastated parts 

of South Carolina, many 

residents took time to reflect 

on the events of those days 

in early October 2015, while 

others were still trying to get 

back to their normal lives. 

Among those are two South 

Carolina National Guardsmen, 

who are South Carolina 

natives and public servants. 

The Sirmon twins are just 

now taking time to look back 

on their involvement in the 

flood response. 

CWO3 William Sirmon 

and CPT Jay Sirmon, who 

have served a combined 22 

years in the SC Army National 

Guard, were called to 

respond on 2 October 2015, 

after heavy rains and flood 

waters began impacting 

South Carolina. 

“On my ride in, I realized 

this was an extraordinary 

event. I passed a state 

trooper who was pointing his 

car north in the southbound 

lane and I slowed down and 

we both exchanged looks of 

amazement,” said William, a 

UH-60 Black Hawk pilot and 

member of the SC-Helicopter 

Aquatic Rescue Team. “As 

I continued, I saw multiple 

overturned cars. I witnessed 

an unoccupied van drift and 

overturn in the westbound 

lane.” 

Jay, an Army engineer, 

spent the first few days of 

the Guard’s response at 

the state’s Joint Operations 

Center, but soon went to the 

Columbia canal to help support 

the engineer response. 

The twins, who enlisted in 

the SC National Guard and 

completed Basic Combat 

Training together in 2005, 

spoke every day while assisting 

during the flood to check 

on each other and share 

experiences. 

“We are very close and 

always have been. During 

breaks in the response we 

would exchange quick phone 

calls and text messages,” 

said Jay. “Prior to the canal 

project, I was in the JOC and 

I made sure to track the SC- 

HART missions regularly to 

see what he was up to.” 

Because William is a pilot 

and Jay is an engineer, they 

saw different aspects of the 

1 

flood and flood response. 

“There were children we 

evacuated and I’m sure this 

was a terrifying experience 

for them. I would take a quick 

glance back as they entered 

the aircraft to check on and 

reassure them. My twins were 

9 months old at the time 

of the flood, and my heart 

went out to those children’s 

parents,” said William. “One 

rescue involved a mother 

and her child. They were in 

the attic and the waters were 

well past the first story of 

their home. Prior to that, a 

firefighter had been swept 

away trying to get access 

to their house, and it was a 

very difficult hoist. When we 

dropped them off, they were 

overcome with emotion but 

safe.” 

Jay spent a lot of time on 

the ground while working on 

the Columbia canal to help 

reestablish the city’s water 

supply. With various other 

engineer missions, altogether 

he was active for 32 days during 

the flood response. He 

said previous deployments 

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1 U.S. Army CPT Jay Sirmon, 

an engineer officer assigned 

to the training site command, 

and his brother CWO3 William 

Sirmon, a pilot assigned to 

the 1-111th General Support 

Aviation Battalion, SC Army 

National Guard, pose for a photo 

after a flight taken to survey the 

recovery efforts. PHOTO BY AIRMAN 

1ST CLASS MEGAN FLOYD, U.S. AIR 

NATIONAL GUARD 


SOUTH CAROLINA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD TWINS REFLECT ON FLOOD RESPONSE 

PRAVATO 

to combat zones helped him 

and his team operate under 

extreme pressure. 

“Most of those working 

on the canal were used 

to operating in a changing 

environment. The biggest difference 

was this is home and 

we were conducting these 

missions in our backyards, 

with our neighbors,” said Jay. 

Both Jay and William have 

deployed overseas, including 

to Iraq, Afghanistan, 

and Kosovo. The brothers 

added that their father grew 

up in Forest Acres, one of 

the more heavily impacted 

areas from breached dams 

and flood waters. They said 

seeing how catastrophic the 

event was made them want 

to do whatever they could to 

help. 

Weather experts estimate 

approximately 11 trillion gallons 

of rain fell on the Carolinas 

that caused the severe 

flooding. At the peak of the 

response, more than 4,000 

SC National Guard soldiers 

and airmen were on duty to 

assist first responders. 

“The support from citizens 

of our state and others was 

overwhelming. Random 

people would stop by the 

canal to drop off food and 

water and to offer thanks. 

We had a local mosque drop 

food off one day—that one 

really stuck with me,” said 

Jay. “The attitude of the soldiers 

was incredible. These 

guys were operating around 

the clock with little sleep, yet 

they had the same level of 

intensity on day 30 as they 

did on day one.” 

Six months later, parts 

of South Carolina were still 

recovering from the catastrophic 

flood, but those who 

experienced the historic 

event agree: it was the spirit 

of neighbors helping neighbors 

that got them through. 

The Sirmon twins said 

they knew their units were 

trained and ready to respond 

when called and they were 

proud to have been able to 

help when needed. They also 

shared words of gratitude 

about their loved ones at 

home who kept everything 

together while they were 

performing their missions. 

“Many of us spoke of 

Hugo as a defining moment 

in our state’s history, when 

we demonstrated to our 

nation the resiliency of South 

Carolinians. There is no 

doubt generations will again 

speak of the strength, character, 

and compassion South 

Carolinians have shown the 

world through this historic 

flood event,” said MG Robert 

E. Livingston, Jr., the adjutant 

general for South Carolina. 

“When your state called, 

you were ready.” 

2 

1 

2 Aerial photo of the recovery effort in Columbia, SC, on 5 April 

2016 following the flood that hit the area in October 2015. Many 

bridges and roads remained closed six months later as recovery 

efforts were still underway. PHOTO BY AIRMAN 1ST CLASS MEGAN 

FLOYD, U.S. AIR NATIONAL GUARD 


ENGINEERS’ 

CREED 

AS A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER, I DEDICATE MY 

PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL TO THE 

ADVANCEMENT AND BETTERMENT OF HUMAN 

WELFARE. 

I PLEDGE: 

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ENTERPRISE; 

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OF MAN AND THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF 

PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT; 

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AND STANDING OF THE PROFESSION BEFORE 

PERSONAL ADVANTAGE, AND THE PUBLIC 

WELFARE ABOVE ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS. 

IN HUMILITY AND WITH NEED FOR DIVINE GUIDANCE, 

I MAKE THIS PLEDGE. 

ADOPTED BY NATIONAL SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS, JUNE 1954

Nonprofit Organization 

U.S. Postage Paid, Permit 132 

Fort Leonard Wood, MO 65473 

ARMY ENGINEER ASSOCIATION 

See www.armyengineer.com 

for submission deadlines 

and application forms. 

MG LEIF J. SVERDRUP SCHOLARSHIP to an 

active or reserve component junior 

grade officer CPT or lower and an active 

or reserve component warrant officer 

W-1 or W-2. 

CSM ROBERT W. ELKEY SCHOLARSHIP to up 

to three active or reserve component 

junior enlisted soldiers, SSG and below. 

SAUL HOROWITZ SCHOLARSHIP to a 

Department of the Army civilian 

engineer in grade GS-9 and below. 

COL HAROLD BEARDSLEE SCHOLARSHIP 

awarded to five individuals who are 

spouses, sons, or daughters of AEA 

members. 

DAVID L. HOBSON CIVIL ENGINEERING 

SCHOLARSHIP to qualified AEA members 

or family members who are full-time 

undergraduate students pursuing a 

degree in civil engineering. 

COL CARL F. BASWELL FALLEN ENGINEER 

MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP to a son, 

daughter, or spouse of a fallen Engineer 

who lost his or her life in either 

Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) or 

Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). 

COL CARL F. BASWELL COMBAT-WOUNDED 

ENGINEER SCHOLARSHIP to an Army 

Engineer who received combat wounds 

resulting in the presentation of the 

Purple Heart in either OEF or OIF.

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