23 Jul 2024

‘Someplace they can feel at home and happy’: Kansas City District completes design for new Fort Leavenworth child development center

One of the biggest challenges our nation’s servicemembers and their families face is moving from installation to installation across the country, sometimes across the world, every couple of years. To help reduce the stress and uncertainty that servicemembers and their families can experience during a permanent change of station, the Army uses standard designs when constructing facilities on their installations. This helps to instill a sense of familiarity across installations.

22 Jul 2024

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.

22 Jul 2024

Robust volunteer program helps reduce recreation operating costs at Rathbun Lake

Rathbun Lake, located in southern Iowa, is one of the largest in the state and boasts approximately half a million visitors annually. With over 22,000 acres of land surrounding the lake, there is plenty of work to be done to keep the lake project operable for one of its congressionally authorized purposes: recreation. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the lake, which began operations in 1970. Managed by the Kansas City District, Rathbun Lake hosts recreators from all over the U.S., and even from around the world, at its over 400 campsites, 12 recreation areas, 21 trail miles, 11 boat ramps and three swimming areas. Spend a little time at the lake and you’ll understand why — the scenery in the area is beautiful. It might come as a surprise then, to learn the lake depends on dozens of volunteers rather than paid staff to keep it operating at a capacity able to satisfy the recreational needs of its visitors.