14 Jun 2023

Training with Industry: Teaching the next generation of leadership what the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has to offer

Progress in a profession is often the result of an innovator identifying an issue, proposing a solution and working to accomplish that solution. That is just what the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District did in 2012 when they collaborated with the Command and General Staff College, also known as the CGSC, hosted at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to develop a new educational program. CGSC is a joint, interagency, intergovernmental and multinational College, and was the perfect place for a program to teach more about USACE. At the time, the Kansas City District identified a need for greater recruitment of officers into USACE, as well as a need for increased understanding across the U.S. Army of what USACE could provide to the nation. The solution they proposed, spearheaded by then district commander Col. Anthony Hofmann, was Training with Industry, or TWI, an educational program administered by the Kansas City District. The program is now an annual elective in the CGSC curriculum. The first few years of the program, the class averaged about 10 to 15 students. This year, 31 students participated in TWI, including international students from partner nations. The 2023 course started on April 6 and ran through May 31. Although the need to recruit officers into USACE is still ongoing, the benefits from the program have not gone unnoticed.

13 Jun 2023

Young and Promising: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District Employee Receives Industry 40 Under 40 Award

The inland maritime profession is a unique and demanding one. Tackling the challenges associated with the career field requires determination and innovation. Every now and then, an individual comes along who, early in their career, makes an impact that is felt across the industry. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District employee Dane Morris is one of these individuals. This June, Morris was recognized with a 40 Under 40 Award at the 2023 Inland Marine Expo in Nashville, Tennessee, also known as IMX, for his outstanding achievements. IMX is an annual event where inland marine professionals collaborate to make maritime transportation more cost-effective, safe and environmentally friendly. Each year, the event recognizes a group of individuals under the age of 40 who have made significant contributions to the inland marine transportation industry and show promise in shaping its future. These award recipients are young professionals in a variety of career fields within the industry, including engineers, surveyors and professionals working on towboats, passenger vehicles or other commercial craft. This year, Morris was the only employee of the federal government to receive the honor.

2 Jun 2023

Untapped Possibilities: Could navigation on the “Big Muddy” provide clean solutions for a more sustainable future?

The words “green” and “clean” are likely not the first that come to mind when thinking of ground transportation in the U.S. Trucks on the interstate and railroads are probably what come to mind first, but the greenest and cleanest form of ground transportation is one that often gets overlooked: waterway navigation. As the oldest form of transportation, navigation on U.S. waterways is not a new concept. At face value, navigation of the nation’s waterways and environmental sustainability may not seem to be related. Except they are, as navigation has very little negative impact to our environment.

31 May 2023

Employee Spotlight: Robin Nitcher

Most U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ lake projects are within 50 miles of a major metropolitan area. Many of those who work for our lake and project offices have grown up in the community they work in. Sometimes, those who grew up in the project’s backyard are the best stewards for the it. One such steward is Robin Nitcher, administrative officer at Pomona Lake project. Nitcher grew up three miles from Pomona Lake located in Vassar, Kansas, and would frequently visit before she became an employee. In May 1986, she started as seasonal clerk before working her way to a permanent position. She worked her first stretch at Pomona Lake until 2008 and then transferred to Melvern Lake. She worked at Melvern Lake for two years before transferring to Perry Lake to work as an administrative officer.

16 May 2023

More than meets the eye: Harlan County Lake completes projects to protect cultural sites

At first glance, the new rock, also called riprap, that has been placed along the banks of Harlan County Lake, Nebraska, might not look like much. However, this seemingly insignificant riprap plays a critical role not only in the mitigation of further shoreline erosion, but also in the protection and preservation of two cultural sites at the lake. Over 11,000 feet of riprap was placed along the shoreline of Harlan County Lake earlier this year. After the 2019 flood, areas of the lake’s shoreline had eroded 50 to 100 feet, with some areas having eroded as much as 400 feet since 1985. Even without experiencing flood conditions, the lake’s shoreline is susceptible to erosion.

15 May 2023

Building Leaders: Officers from the Kansas City District attend Leader Professional Development at Fort Leonard Wood

From April 24 – 29, the officers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District gathered with other military leaders throughout the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Northwestern Division at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, for Leader Professional Development, or LPD. The week-long event included many educational experiences and was a great example of the U.S. Army’s policy to continuously develop their leaders. This valuable opportunity was dedicated to building relationships and sharing operational knowledge across USACE.

15 May 2023

Protect and Preserve: Kansas City District works to manage habitat for endangered species

Every year on the third Friday in May, people around the world observe Endangered Species Day. This day is a chance to learn about fish, wildlife, and plants in need of protection. For many U.S. Army Corps of Engineer employees, this day is another day in a career dedicated to preserving vulnerable wildlife and ecosystems. USACE has one of the largest environmental missions in the federal government. The Kansas City District’s conservation biologists, environmental specialists, natural resource specialists, natural resource managers and park rangers see this day as a chance to educate others on the efforts they are making to protect endangered species on federal land.

3 May 2023

Stopping the Breach: Kansas City District Engineers work to prevent a future levee breach at Sherman Army Airfield, Fort Leavenworth

Known to many as both “the best hometown in the Army” and “the intellectual center of the Army,” Fort Leavenworth is famous for being the home of the U.S. Army’s Combined Arms Center, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, also known as the CGSC, and many other prestigious tenants. While possibly lesser-known than some of the other notable tenants at Fort Leavenworth, the installation’s own Sherman Army Airfield is no less significant. As a joint-use facility, the airfield is an important feature to civilians and military alike. Unfortunately, after the historic 2019 Missouri River flood, the airfield was devastated. In response, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District has been working to make repairs and design mitigation measures to prevent future flood damage to the airfield.

26 Apr 2023

As unique as they come: Big Piney Weir Project at Fort Leonard Wood

What do hellbenders, water supply and construction all have in common? It’s the Piney Weir Project at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri! The $5.8 million project in the woods of Fort Leonard Wood will repair a roughly 80-year-old weir in the Big Piney River. A weir is a low dam built across a river to raise water levels upstream. At Fort Leonard Wood, the weir does just that, but serves a special purpose to the military community living and working on the installation.

14 Apr 2023

Lasting Impressions: Kansas City District establishes district-wide Summer Student Intern Program

As the school year winds down, many college students will be focused on finals and making plans for the summer. For those looking for professional experience in the form of a summer internship, there are seemingly endless options available. The difficult choice may not be if they should do a summer internship, but where and with whom. The Kansas City District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hopes to attract some of these students with its newly established Summer Student Intern Program. There are separate intern programs within the Kansas City District, and although there have been summer interns in the past, 2023 will be the first year the program is district-wide. Previously, each division or section in the district oversaw their own summer intern program. Now, the program will be standardized so that all student interns have a similar experience.