Home / Media / News Stories

News Stories

Results:
Tag: People
Clear

  • June

    Man on ATV.

    Boots on the ground: Exploring the heartland’s best trails

    Throughout the thousands of acres of federal lands the Kansas City District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages, there are an abundance of trails the public can access — whether they’re looking for casual exercise or satisfying the outdoorsman within you. With recreational season in full swing and National Trails Day falling on June 6, it’s time for a deep dive into the most scenic and exhilarating paths USACE has across the Midwest.

  • April

    Contract giving a tutorial to district employees.

    “We’re replacing everything — screens, systems, all of it,” A closer look into command center and conference room renovations

    Regular meetings, presentations or briefing complex projects to high-level military and civilian leaders is foundational to the culture of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. That’s why the Kansas City District is undergoing a massive undertaking to improve technology in its emergency operations center and the plethora of conference rooms around its headquarters.
  • An image of a man and woman. The woman is wearing a white dress, and the man is wearing a gray suit.

    A Life of Service Earns Top Civilian Scholastic Honor

    Not all leaders are loud and in your face. They don’t have to demand recognition of their status or demand obedience from their subordinates, and they aren’t motivated by the number of awards they can hang on their walls. Occasionally, a leader is simply recognized and respected because of their calm and quiet way of offering advice and providing mentorship or direction. They look for opportunities to help. They ask the right questions and make those around them feel heard and seen by listening. Luckily for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Kansas City District, these leadership qualities are found in Eric Shumate, the Deputy District Engineer and the chief of Planning, Programs and Project Management Division.
  • Going over blueprints.

    Rebuilding where soldiers live: Inside barracks transformation at Fort Riley

    Dependable housing with modern amenities for U.S. Army personnel stationed at Fort Riley and elsewhere, is a constant priority for the top brass charged with leading our nation’s largest military branch. So, engineers from the Fort Riley Residence Office are helping U.S. Army leaders sleep a little more soundly by working diligently on a $35 million project to improve quality of life for soldiers, one quad or single barracks room at a time.

  • February

    A large grey metal pipe with metal scaffolding surrounding it with concrete walls and floor in the background.

    Ingenuity and innovation bring knife gate back to life

    In the face of a challenge, there are the doers and the dawdlers. The staff at Blue Springs Lake in Blue Springs, Missouri, are doers. When the knife gate in the dam’s outlet tower was facing a full replacement, the lake project staff suggested they attempt to rebuild it instead. Despite the obstacles they faced, the team’s ingenuity and innovation prevailed – not only improving the functionality of the knife gate but also saving taxpayers an estimated $200,000. A knife gate is a specialized low-flow valve inside of a dam’s outlet tower, which features a sharp-edged blade designed to cut through debris so water can flow freely. The knife gate at Blue Springs Lake had not been serviced since its installation, more than 30 years ago. In desperate need of attention, engineers suggested it be replaced. However, due to the conditions in the outlet tower, the cost of a replacement would have been significant.

  • September

    Man working at desk.

    Mentorship made simple: New app helps connect employees across Kansas City District

    When thinking about professional development within the Kansas City District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Leadership Development Program is the gold standard. That’s why fiscal year 2024 LDP graduate, security specialist Jason Smith, took his year two LDP project to the next level — developing an internal mentorship application that focuses on leveraging the principles he and other district senior leadership learned in LDP and throughout their careers in federal service.

  • January

    A man in a black shirt has his back turned and a woman in a black shirt with green cacti on the shoulders looks at him and smiles.

    Construction Management Technology Modernization Office: The future of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

    For the last 250 years, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been tasked with delivering vital engineering solutions to secure the nation, energize the economy and reduce disaster risk. While the mission has evolved over time, USACE has always been America’s engineers, serving the country by providing solutions for the nation’s toughest challenges. Like USACE’s mission, the nation’s toughest challenges have also evolved over time, but perhaps never more quickly than the rate at which they evolve today. To keep up with constantly evolving challenges, USACE must also keep up with industry partners and stakeholders technologically. This is no small feat since the federal government is often disparaged as being slow, outdated, difficult to work with or posing unnecessary barriers to its industry partners.

  • August

    A man in a grey shirt and green pants touches the keypad of an orange machine with greenery in the background.

    Ranger leads the way: Kansas City District park ranger a proponent of cashless fee system

    In the U.S. Army, they say “Rangers lead the way.” In the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, it’s often park rangers leading the way at our nation’s lake projects. At Rathbun Lake, located in southern Iowa, one park ranger is leading the way by being a proponent of the cashless fee system at the lake’s campgrounds and boat ramps. Since 2020, Ryan Vogt, natural resource specialist and park ranger at Rathbun Lake, has led the way in the Kansas City District for adopting a cashless fee system at both the lake project’s campgrounds and boat ramps. While many lake projects in the district’s area of responsibility have automated fee machines from which recreators can purchase recreation passes, Rathbun Lake is one of the first to have a cashless reservation system at its over 400 campsites.

  • July

    A woman in blue jeans and a blue striped shirt holds a camera while smiling in front of a tree with grass in the background.

    Real property, real people: District real property accountability officer on making the most of her job

    April Coleman is no stranger to change. Growing up in a military family, Coleman was accustomed to changing environments. As a former Airman and military spouse, she’s continued to live a life full of change.

  • June

    Four soldiers in uniform stand with trees and a concrete path in the background.

    Force multipliers: 51 Charlies benefit both USACE and U.S. Army

    Behind almost every project at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is at least one contracting action. Depending on the size of the project, there could be dozens. Behind every contract is a dedicated team of professionals ensuring contracts are prepared within federal regulation. Most of these contracting professionals are Department of the Army civilians. But a select few are active-duty military serving in USACE as contracting officers, also known as 51 Charlies.