Welcome to my blog, "Corps e-spondence"
Shortly after I took command at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, we introduced a list of new priorities and tenets for the Corps. One of those tenets is about my commitment to communicating transparently. That's why I am really excited about engaging in the blogosphere and I hope you'll join me in this conversation. I plan to blog about all things relevant to the Corps, from our many missions in service to the Nation, but also leadership, selfless service and people. -Best, Van
My wife, Paula, and I want to extend our warmest greetings and best wishes to you and yours.
This past year has been exciting for the Corps, with a historical workload in our Civil Works, Military Programs and research and development missions. Our Corps Family can take pride of the integral role that we've played in helping the Army improve the lives of our Soldiers and their Families. We've worked diligently with our local, state, and federal partners to reduce risk to Americans through key flood control and coastal projects, and we provided our Nation with critical engineering expertise. Our Corps employees served selflessly in assisting the good people of Louisiana and Texas recover from Gustav and Ike during a very active hurricane season.
I am especially grateful to our Corps' Civilians and Soldiers who will spend this Holiday season away from their loved ones- many in harms way. Please join us in praying for them and their families and giving thanks for their selfless service and sacrifice.
Have a safe and joyful Holiday season and a prosperous New Year.
BUILDING STRONG
Best,
Van
This week I am in Memphis hosting the Corps' Small Business Conference, sponsored by The Society of American Military Engineers. Small businesses play a key role in strengthening and restoring our Nation's infrastructure and supporting our service men and women with first-class facilities.
Small businesses provide an important link to our communities and local governments. They are entrepreneurs responsible for most of the new inventions. Did you know that the majority of our Nation's patents come from small businesses?
Last year, fiscal year 2008, was a record year for the Corps, as we awarded nearly $7 billion to small businesses- $1 billion more than 2007. Dollars to "Service Disabled, Veteran Owned Business" doubled to $541 million. We predict 2009 will be an even better year! We plan to award 115 civil works contracts in New Orleans alone- many to small businesses. We are depending on our partnership with small businesses to help us deliver superior performance!
As my kids and grandkids get ready for Halloween -- I always look forward to seeing their pictures -- I couldn't think of a better way to finish off one of my favorite months. Here in Washington, October has been a month of physical fitness and mental endurance. Earlier this month some of our Corps' military and civilian members ran the Army 10-miler, while members of our team completed the Marine Corps Marathon last week. And of course, my military staff recently conducted their bi-annual physical fitness test.
Our military physical fitness tests always start by rising at oh-dark hundred (that’s military speak for early in the morning), and driving to Fort McNair in northern Virginia. There, we do as many pushups as we can in two minutes, as many sit-ups as we can in two minutes and we run two miles in a timed event along the parade field. We require our Soldiers to maintain a high level of physical fitness, because a healthy, fit and strong body goes a long way towards having a healthy and strong mind.
One of my top priorities as USACE commander is to build our organization "strong," so that it is built to last. I want to keep this organization "fit," so that we are able to make the best decisions at the right time. One way we're building strong is to hire passionate and talented people -- folks who care about the role they play in providing the infrastructure our Nation needs. Folks who understand that they help to strengthen our economy and keep our country, Armed Forces and their families safe and secure. Folks who are willing to be stretched, who want to explore use of the latest technology on everything from geospatial mapping to the latest designing and drafting software. The Corps is all about people. The right people make a difference, and they
BUILDING STRONG!
Last weekend I had distinct the honor and privilege of awarding two of our park rangers at Abiquiu Lake in New Mexico the Meritorious Civilian Service for Bravery.
I did this in front of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, Mr. John Woodley, along with the Division and District Commanders, the employees who service this project, and the families of these two great Americans.
It was one of the most satisfying moments of my career.
Our lakes see nearly 400 million visitors each year. And our great park rangers provide valuable service and support each visitor needs to have a safe and enjoyable time at these projects. When we think of our park rangers, we think of our education programs and partnerships. We think of our family and friends camping, boating and fishing. We think of our children playing on the beaches and making life-long memories.
But what we sometimes forget is the incredible responsibility we place in our rangers' hands. You see, while our family and friends are boating, fishing and camping, our rangers are standing by watching out for our loved ones, ensuring a safe enviroment in order to protect them from nature’s wrath and…sometimes…from each other.
One December morning at Abiquiu Lake in New Mexico, ranger Alfred Chavez was on routine patrol of the project when he saw a suspicious unoccupied vehicle parked next to a pump house with it's door, normally locked, standing wide open. Two men emerged from the pump house, and one carried a revolver. Alfred thought quickly and attempted to flee what could have been a deadly situation, but he was too late. Two shots were fired, one barely missed his head, and the other shattered his right knee. He dropped to the ground. Despite the pain and fear for his life, Alfred had the presence of mind to lay motionless, leading the assailants to think he was dead. He used his training and experience to make the right decision, which allowed him to take note of the vital details of the attack and descriptions of the perpetrators so that law enforcement could take appropriate action.
And in the minutes after the attack, with only minimal details receive from a quick phone call, his teammate and friend, fellow ranger Eric Garner, sprang to action. Placing himself in an unknown degree of danger, he provided valuable life-saving support to his friend and colleague, all while not knowing if or where the assailants lurked.
In a book called "The Purpose Driven Life," by Rick Warren, he describes a characteristic of good leadership as "not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less."
These two rangers are the best examples of thinking less of themselves and more about others, and they serve as models to all of us the value of selfless service. They show the true character of the men and woman of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and we are proud to serve alongside of them.
BUILDNG STRONG
Earlier this week, residents returned to their homes on Galveston Island for the first time since Hurricane Ike roared through the Texas coast. For many families, they came home to a scene of devastation, destruction, and loss. Please join me in praying that God would give them hope for the future, wisdom as to what to do next, and strength for the long hard days ahead.
One of our teammates, Tim Peters, takes applications for Blue Roofs in Texas.
Returning home is the first step towards recovering from this challenging event. Their return would not be possible if not for the efforts of hundreds of dedicated men and women of our Corps Family across the nation who so worked hard with our federal, state, and local partners. Together, we installed generators to provide critical power, delivered life-sustaining ice and water, and provided valuable temporary roofing and debris removal services and expertise.
We've contracted crews and more than 80 trucks to help clear interstate of debris.
To the volunteers who deployed to assist our Galveston teammates, and those back at home who carried a little more weight to continue your missions, I'm grateful for your hard work and determination. It's moments and days like these that highlight why I am so honored to be a part of this great family.
We still have a long way to go to fully recover from Hurricanes Ike, Gustav and Katrina, but days like today serve as a reminder that together we can overcome anything! Keep on BUILDING STRONG.
Building Strong!