Maintenance and repair unit stabilizes Island 42, Lower ...ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/AA/00/06/14/26/00055/10-2006.pdf · Crosscurrents Vol. 29, No. 10 October 2006 Maintenance and

CrosscurrentsVol. 29, No. 10 October 2006

Maintenance and repairunit stabilizes Island 42,Lower Light in Pool 5

Crosscurrents October 2006

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3 Preparing for pandemics requiresadvance planning

4 Pandemic flu planning checklist forindividuals and families

5 Retirees make it 31 7 ‘Retired’ district Headwaters’ project

manager oversees 30 projects in Iraq 8 Baghdad International Airport

renovations nearly complete 9 Thieves ‘locked up’ at Lock and Dam 7 9 Corps re-shapes site for dredged

material10 Volunteers enrich camping experience

at Corps’ Mississippi Headwaters parks13 News and Notes14 June Employee of the Month:

Davenport connects with Italianconsulate

14 July Employee of the Month: Jacobsonmakes a difference – on duty and off –during hurricane recovery duty

15 District offers platform to re-enlist twointo Minnesota, Wisconsin ArmyNational Guard

CrosscurrentsCrosscurrents is an unofficial publication,authorized under the provisions of AR360-1. It is published monthly for theSt. Paul District, U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers.

Editorial views and opinions are notnecessarily those of the Corps ofEngineers, nor of the Department ofthe Army.

Address all inquiries to:

Editor, CrosscurrentsU.S. Army Corps of Engineers190 Fifth Street EastSt. Paul, MN 55101-1638

Phone: 651-290-5202

District Commander Col. Michael PfenningPublic Affairs Chief Mark DavidsonMedia Specialist Shannon BauerEditor Peter VerstegenE-mail: [email protected]

Bob Kohner, maintenanceand repair unit, FountainCity, operated skidster loaderon rock barge at the Island42 Lower Light in Pool 5 inearly September. The districtwas doing maintenance andrepair for the U.S. CoastGuard.

Photo by Lisa Lund

inside

CrosscurrentsOctober 2006

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An ounce of preventionPreparing forpandemics requiresadvance planningby Shannon Bauer

A St. Paul District projectdelivery team is currently draftingan emergency response plan to beused in the event of pandemic flu.

The Office of PersonnelManagement advises federalemployees to do the same forthemselves and their families.

Most experts agree that it willnot be a matter of if a pandemicoccurs; it is more a matter of whena pandemic will occur.

“Pandemics have occurredintermittently over centuries. Thelast three … in 1918, 1957 and1968, killed approximately 40million, 2 million and 1 millionrespectively,” according to anOPM report. “Although the timingcannot be predicted, history andscience suggest that we will faceone or more pandemics in thiscentury.”

The World Health Organizationhas stated that “the world is nowcloser to another influenzapandemic than at any other timesince 1968.” WHO uses a six-phase alert system for pandemicssimilar to the terrorism alertsystem. Currently, they have ratedthe world at phase three, mainlydue to the threat of the H5N1virus, commonly called the bird flu.

Although this virus now spreadsmainly between birds, a smallnumber of human-to-humancontacted cases have occurred inSoutheast Asia. When this virus

mutates to be more easily spreadbetween humans, though, expertsagree it could be devastating sincehumans have never before been incontact with it.

Scientists will not be able todevelop a vaccine until the virusmutates, and that process couldlikely take six months or longer.Even then, there will not be enoughof the vaccine produced fastenough to be provided to themajority of citizens. According tothe Transportation SecurityAdministration, there could bewidespread death, up to 40 or morepercent absenteeism from workand economic and social disruption.

Additionally, most experts agreethere will not be enough medicalsupplies available for all those whobecome ill and that the healthcaresystem will be overloaded. Hence,both OPM and TSA believe it isimperative that all governmentagencies make continuity ofoperation plans to handle such anemergency. Most local and stategovernments, as well as manycorporations and humanitarianorganizations, have also begunpreparations.

Accordingly, the St. Paul Districtis planning for the worst-casescenario and working with the

Federal Executive Board ofMinnesota and others incoordinating response plans at thefederal, state and local level. Theflu team expects to finish a draftresponse plan and test it with acrisis management team exerciseby February.

“We’re looking primarily atsocial distancing as a way toprotect employees during apandemic,” said DaveChristenson, readiness chief andflu team member. “Examples ofthis may include teleworking,cancelling training and meetingsand the use of personal protectivegear both at work and at home.

“Not everyone will be able towork at home, though,” he added.“We provide some essentialservices where some employeeswill still have to come to work.”

Part of the district’spreparations also includesencouraging employees to maketheir own pandemic preparednessplans for themselves and theirfamilies. Christenson said allfamilies should have this anyway– not just for a pandemic – but forany emergency. (A checklist isprovided on Page 4 to assist in thisprocess.)

Employees are also encouragedto seek out more information onpandemic flu and staying healthy.The federal government offers awebsite regarding this topic athttp://pandemicflu.gov/ It containslinks to WHO, the Center forDisease Control and Preventionand more.

Editor’s Note: Watch yourCrosscurrents, for morearticles on pandemic flupreparations.


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(Courtesy of the Center for Disease Control andPrevention)

You can prepare for an influenza pandemic now.You should know both the magnitude of what canhappen during a pandemic outbreak and whatactions you can take to help lessen the impact of aninfluenza pandemic on your and your family. Thischecklist will help you gather the information andresources you may need in case of a flu pandemic.

1. To plan for a pandemic: Store a two week supply of water and food.During a pandemic, if you cannot get to a store,or if stores are out of supplies, it will be importantfor you to have extra supplies on hand. This canbe useful in other types of emergencies, such aspower outages and disasters.

Periodically check your regular prescription drugsto ensure a continuous supply in your home.

Have nonprescription drugs and other healthsupplies on hand, including pain relievers, stomachremedies, cough and cold medicines, fluids withelectrolytes and vitamins.

Talk with family members and loved ones abouthow they would be cared for if they got sick orwhat will be needed to care for them in yourhome.

Volunteer with local groups to prepare and assistwith emergency response.

Get involved in your community as it works toprepare for an influenza pandemic.

2. To limit the spread of germs and preventinfection:

Teach your children to wash hands frequentlywith soap and water, and model the currentbehavior.

Teach your children to cover coughs and sneezeswith tissues, and be sure to model that behavior.

Teach your children to stay away form others asmuch as possible if they are sick. Stay homefrom work and school if sick.

3. Items to have on hand for an extendedstay at home:

Examples of food and nonperishables: Ready-to-eat canned meats, fish, fruitsvegetables, beans and soups;

Protein or fruit bars; Dry cereal or granola; Peanut butter or nuts; Dried fruit; Crackers; Canned juices; Bottled water; Pet food; Other nonperishable foods.Examples of medical, health and emergency

supplies: Prescribed medical supplies such as glucose andblood-pressure monitoring equipment;

Soap and water, or alcohol-based (60-95 percent)hand wash;

Medicines for fever,such as acetaminophenor ibuprofen;

Thermometer; Anti-diarrhealmedication;

Vitamins; Fluids with electrolytes; Cleansing agents/soap; Flashlight; Batteries; Portable radio; Manual can opener; Garbage bags; Tissues, toilet paper, disposable diapers.

Pandemic fluplanning checklistfor individuals andfamilies


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Photo by Peter Verstegen

Hall of Fame honorees surround this year’s winners, Dave Loss, left,and Gary Palesh (both seated), project management. Left to right,standing, are Peter Fischer, engineering; Bill Spychalla, projectmanagement; Mary Kay Linder, executive office; Dave Haumersen,construction-operations division; Lou Kowalski, district deputy forprograms and project management; Al Geisen, design branch; andJim Kursu, programs management.

Jim Lohmann, nephew of Leonard Lohmann, accepted a CareerService Award from Judy DesHarnais, acting district commander.Leonard Lohmann was a former St. Paul District records manager.

Photo by Peter VerstegenLaVane Dempsey, a retiree fromengineering division, and AnnAllen, a retiree from resourcemanagement.


Retireesmake it 31by Peter Verstegen

Awards presentations, missionupdates, pausing for a moment ofsilence to remember colleaguespast and renewing longtimerelationships over a long lunchoccupied 57 St. Paul Districtretirees and current employees atthe 31st annual retirees’ reunion inEagan, Minn., Sept. 14.

Wayne Knott, who retired assection chief in the old combinedengineering and planning division,served as master of ceremony.

Judy DesHarnais, acting districtcommander, presented Hall ofFame awards to Dave Loss andGary Palesh, project managementretirees. She also describedcurrent initiatives in the district andthe Corps and recognized LeonardLohmann posthumously with aCareer Service Award. JimLohmann, nephew of LeonardLohmann, accepted the award onbehalf of the Lohmann family.Leonard Lohmann was the long-time records manager.


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Photo by Jon Lyman

Thirty-two district retirees gathered for a group photo at the conclusion of the 31st annual retirees’reunion held in Eagan, Minn., Sept. 14. Fifty seven attended the reunion.


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‘Retired’ district Headwaters project manageroversees 30 projects in Iraq

Even though he’s officiallyretired after four decades ofgovernment service, 72-year-oldJim Ruyak is at work every dayserving in Iraq with the U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers.

“I’m here because the work ofhelping people in need is the mostsatisfying undertaking one cando,” Ruyak said. “When you lookat the conditions these people areliving, you just naturally want tohelp in any way you can.”

Ruyak is overseeing 30 projectsin western Al Anbar Province,working out of Gulf RegionDivision Central District’s AlAsad office. He’s helping buildfive schools, three primary healthcare centers, an electricaltransmission line and substationand a water distribution network.

Ruyak arrived in May and isheading home this month. He sayshe plans to return to Iraq but islooking forward to a short break.“I get a little tired after six monthsat this pace,” he added.

Ruyak knows something aboutcontingency deployments as hevolunteered for short-term duty ona number of occasions while withthe St. Paul District from 1973-2000. He helped with recoveryoperations in the aftermath offloods and hurricanes.

Shortly after Operation DesertStorm, he went to Kuwait to helprestore that nation’s infrastructure.In October 1992, he served asresident engineer/contractingofficer rebuilding Ali Al SalemAirbase there.

In 2004, he arrived at GulfRegion Division, Central District, inBaghdad, where he wasresponsible for more than 50projects including electrical powergeneration plants, hospitals, sewersystems, water treatment plants,

police training facilities and IraqiMinistry Buildings.

Ruyak is widowed and is theparent of three daughters and oneson (who graduated from the U.S.Military Academy at West Point).Regarding his current Iraq tour andthe military personnel he workswith every day, Ruyak said, “Ihave a great sense of pride when Isee our young troops doing thegreat job they’re doing. I wish ourfolks at home could see all thegood stuff that goes on over here.”

The following appeared in theGulf Region Division, CentralDistrict, Iraq, News, October2006.

Jim Ruyak, retired St. Paul District Mississippi Headwaters projectmanager, served as a project engineer in Iraq from May to October,2006. He worked at the St. Paul District from 1973 to 2000 and hasvolunteered for previous overseas deployments as a retiredannunitant.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo


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BaghdadInternational Airportrenovations nearlycompleteby Norris JonesGulf Region Central District

Baghdad, Iraq – It could be aninternational airport anywhere butthis one connects the world toIraq. Walking from its coffee shopwith its inviting aromas to its duty-free store where a new HarleyDavidson Road King is parkedinside, it’s hard to believe one isstill in Baghdad.

The ceilings of the main terminalare shaped to represent Iraq’sfavorite tree, the date palm. After21 months of extensiverenovations, Baghdad InternationalAirport has the welcome mat fullyextended for travelers entering orexiting the country.

Allan Nelson, U.S. Army Corpsof Engineers Quality AssuranceRepresentative, has beenoverseeing the $13 million inimprovements there for nearly twoyears and that work is almostfinished.

He says when he started, noneof the air conditioning unitsworked, the sewer lines wereblocked and water was pouringfrom the bathrooms out into thecorridors.

He’s been involved withrebuilding three lift stations,repairing the plumbing, getting anew potable water filtrationsystem installed, renovating threeelectric substations there, newstreet lights erected for the sectionof highway leading to the airport,new fire detection system, paintingthe walls, and cleaning the carpets.

“We put in two new 2,400-tonchillers and rebuilt the two existing1,700-ton chillers. Today, there’splenty of air conditioningcapacity.” He’s currently workingwith a contractor who is placingnew 33kV feeder lines to provide amore stable source of electricpower to that area.

“The airport was built in theearly 1980s and little was investedon routine maintenance over theyears. Much of the infrastructurethere was nonfunctional when Iarrived.”

New runway light fixtures, 2,600in total, were replaced along with350 kilometers of cable. “Thetower now has a new control paneland all the new runway signs andlights can be turned on or off fromthat one location,” he explained.

Baghdad International Airport,which employs 1,200 Iraqis,currently has 20 flights dailytransporting 2,000 passengers to

and from locations outside Iraq.“With the improvements, it has thecapability for 10 times thatamount,” Nelson noted.

The airport plans to open thenewly rehabilitated Terminal Dnext month and will thentemporarily close Terminal C forroutine cleaning.

Nelson is from Hager City, Wis.,and worked as lock leader at Lockand Dam 2, Hastings, Minn. The54-year-old has three daughtersand will be returning stateside nextsummer. He plans to retire andfind time to do a little fishing withhis two grandchildren as he liveson a 40-acre farm near a troutstream.

He appreciates his opportunity toserve in Iraq and help with theairport project. He said, “I find ittremendously satisfying to walkthrough the terminals today andsee this great facility back to beingfully operational.”

U.S. Army photo by Norris Jones

Al Nelson has been overseeing the $13 million in improvements atBaghdad International Airport for nearly two years and that work isalmost finished. In his job at the St. Paul District, Nelson was thelock leader at Lock and Dam 2, Hastings, Minn.


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by Mark Davidson

According to the people that work at the district’slock and dams, lots of unusual things happen out there.But apprehending the “bad guys” in the lock chamberis more unusual than most things that happen on theMississippi River.

Fred Maule, lockmaster at Lock and Dam 4, Alma,Wis., got a call the afternoon of Aug. 25 from theBuffalo County, Wis., sheriff’s department that a boatwas stolen on Aug. 24. Maule notified his lock anddam chain-of-command immediately and made calls toother lock and dams up and down the river to let themknow what the missing boat looked like.

The Motor Vessel Phyllis got involved in thesituation by letting the Corps’ personnel know thatthey had seen the missing boat. By this time, lawenforcement agencies on both sides of the Mississippi

Thieves ‘locked up’ at Lock and Dam 7

Photo by Lisa Lund

Corps re-shapes sitefor dredged materialMike Schamaun, maintenanceand repair unit, Fountain City,Wis., runs the controls of anexcavator as he reshaped aplacement site for dredgedmaterial at Upper Boulangerplacement site at MississippiRiver mile 821.5 in Pool 2, July13. This was one of five siteswhere the Corps reshapeddredged material this summerfor future storage. The site wasendorsed for use in 1996.

River had been notified, and it was ascertained thatthe boat was stolen.

The day shift crew at Lock and Dam 7, Todd Ennisand Rodney Berg, notified local law enforcement andwatched the stolen boat. They then turned over thesituation to the swing shift crew, Mike Myhre andGene Nesler.

The stolen boat entered the Lock and Dam 7 lockchamber to lock through. Myhre and Nesler positionedthe stolen boat by itself in the upper end of thechamber, after raising the water, so law enforcementpersonnel could easily surround the boat.

The Winona County, Minn., sheriff’s office arrestedtwo males on the boat. They were assisted by the LaCrescent, Minn., police department and the HoustonCounty, Minn., sheriff’s office. And, of course, by theSt. Paul District, Army Corps of Engineers.


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By Shannon L. Bauer

A number of volunteers pitchedin to keep the St. Paul District’sHeadwaters’ campgrounds cleanthis past summer rather than seefive out of six of these sites closebecause of a fiscal year 2006budget shortfall.

“Our budget went down by morethan half and that left us in aposition of either closing some ofthe parks or looking for morevolunteer help,” said John O’Leary,Headwaters’ operations manager.“When the word got out about ourpredicament, though, there wastremendous local support to keepus open.

“We’re an important part of thecommunity up here,” he continued,“and everyone from localgovernment to individuals cameforward to help.”

For example, the city ofCrosslake, Minn., sent all of its cityworkers to the district’s CrossLake Dam and Recreation Areafor a few days in the spring toclean up the place after the winterand prepare it for the campingseason.

Additionally, each of the siteshad a number of campers whospent at least a month, if not longer,working 20 plus hours and up toseven days a week, doingeverything from cleaning tomaintenance work. The sites havealways had a few volunteers tohelp with the other campers, butthey have never had to do hardlabor before.

“It wasn’t glamorous work,” saidO’Leary. “They mowed grass,

Volunteers enrich camping experience atCorps’ Mississippi River Headwaters parks

cleaned up bathrooms, took out thegarbage and even picked up fishguts.

“They rolled up their sleeves anddid whatever was needed to helpus keep our places open,” he

Ray Haggard (left) and Chris Poirier (right) have been regularcampers at Pokegama and Winnibigoshish Dam campgrounds formany years. This summer they served for 111 days at PokegamaDam Recreation Area in Grand Rapids, Minn. Their duties includedproviding information as campground hosts, cleaning the picnicshelter and restrooms daily and selling firewood from their campsite.With them is Pokegama park ranger Patrick Duffney.

Photo by Tammy Wick

Hosts, continued Page 11


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continued. “They did a tremendousjob.”

A number of the volunteerscame from across the country,such as Roger Anderson fromGardner, Mass., and Patricia andLeroy Bjornson from Trinidad,Texas, both of whom helped keepthe district’s Leech Lake Dam andRecreation Area in Federal Dam,Minn., clean for much of thecamping season.

Others were more local,including retired Cross Lake parkranger Bob Gossett, who returnedto work – this time without pay,and Bud and Ginny Allen, nowCrosslake residents but who firstdecided to move to the area aftervisiting the Cross Lakecampground.

Some, such as Lawrence Cableof Kemp, Texas, possessed specialskills that benefited the site wherethey volunteered. Cable, a retiredelectrician, performed some minor

electrical repairs at Leech Lakethat saved the district hundreds ofdollars.

The majority of the volunteerswere retired couples, around 60 to70 in age, said O’Leary. Inexchange for their labor, theyreceived an electrical campsitefree of charge. In addition toperforming routine maintenancework, they took in camping andfirewood fees and answeredquestions from other guests. Atnight, when the park rangers wereoff-duty, they were often thecampground’s sole representatives.

Hence, all of them receivedspecial training prior to beginningtheir volunteer jobs. Jeff Steere,park manager of Big SandyRecreation Area, which is locatednorth of McGregor, Minn.,provided this training.

Because Steere is the master

trainer for the Headwaters’employees, he provided thevolunteers with the same kinds oftraining, such as lawn mowing andthe use of all-terrain vehicles, orATVs, that he provides all theCorps’ park employees. For hisefforts, he received specialrecognition from Lt. Gen. CarlStrock, chief of engineers, whenthe chief visited the district lateSeptember.

At Sandy, Steere and parkranger Terry Ladd were the onlyCorps’ employees there during thesummer. They had 15 volunteerswho donated around 6,000 hours oflabor. “If we wouldn’t have hadthe volunteers, we wouldn’t havebeen able to keep up with just thetwo of us,” he said. “I don’t thinkwe burned them out, but it was alot of work for them.”

All of the volunteers receivedspecial recognition from the

Bud and Ginny Aschenbernervolunteered this past summer atthe Cross Lake Dam andRecreation Area in Crosslake,Minn. They are also localresidents of Crosslake, movingthere three years ago after firstbeing introduced to the area bystaying at the Cross Lakecampsite.

Bob Drake volunteered at theLeech Lake Dam andRecreation Area, serving as acampground host, collectingfees, taking out the garbageand performing maintenanceduties. Additionally, he assistedstaff in removing, cleaning andstoring more than 50 buoys fromthe Leech River navigationchannel for fall shutdown of theproject

Ken and Norma Maki are avidcampers that have frequenteddistrict’s Winnibigoshish andPokegama campgrounds in thepast. This season, they startedout as campground hosts atWinnie Dam, providing visitorswith information, cleaningrestrooms and doingmaintenance work for 73 days.They finished out their summerat Pokegama for an additional46 days.

Photo by Tammy Wick

Photo by Jason Hauser

St. Paul District photo

Hosts, continued from Page 10

Hosts, continued Page 12


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Lt. Gen. Carl Strock, chief ofengineers, recognized JeffSteere (right), Sandy Lake parkmanager, at the district’s TownHall meeting in September for aremarkable volunteer program.


Headwaters’ staff at the end ofthe camping season. Each sitepresented the volunteers withcommemorative plaques, as well ascoveted Headwaters’ traveler

mugs. All said they were glad tohave been able to help.

“There was camaraderie thereand that was real neat to see,” saidO’Leary. “They liked each otherand kidded around with each other.

“They obviously enjoyed what

Patricia and LeRoy Bjornsonserved as campground hosts atthe Leech Lake Dam andRecreation Area in FederalDam, Minn., for the majority ofthe season. They performedmost of the fee collection andcustomer registration andgrounds and equipmentmaintenance, as well as manyother duties that arose duringthe season. Pictured behindthem is Leech Lake park rangerJason Hauser.

Photo by Jack Atkins

Hosts, continued from Page 11 they were doing, and that says alot about them and a lot about the[Headwaters’] staff,” hecontinued. “The staff went out oftheir way to make sure thevolunteers felt like part of a team.”

O’Leary said the budget looksbetter for the Headwaters’ parksnext year. The campgrounds willstill need volunteers but not to thesame extent as was needed lastseason.

Already some of the volunteershave expressed an interest inreturning to work next year. Steeresaid of his 15 helpers, eight so farhave said they would be back tohelp out again in the spring.

Bernice and Doug Sokolowski,Hastings, Minn., volunteered ascampground hosts at SandyLake from June to October.


Jeff Steere (left), Sandy Lake manager, and John O’Leary,headwaters manager, recognized Don and Betty Fossum, center, fortheir volunteer efforts at Sandy Lake from April to October.



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News and Notes

Steve Lenhart (left) upper arealockmaster in St. Paul District,accompanied Lt. Gen. CarlStrock, chief of engineers, ona half-day tour of Camp Clark,Afghanistan. Right, he is on asite inspection in KhowstProvince, 57 kilometers fromPakistan.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photos

Lockmaster far from home

NewcomersDenise Blackwell-Kraft,

regulatory, for the second timearound, Gull Lake RecreationArea;

Susan Enright, student, TwoHarbors, Minn.;

Michael Gunderson, welder,Fountain City Service Base

Robert Maroney, regulatory,Brainerd, Minn.;

Stacy Marshall, regulatory,Waukesha, Wis.;

Jeffrey Olson, regulatory,district office;

Chad Rethwisch, laborer,natural resources, BlackhawkPark;

Richard Rothbauer, projectmanagement, district office; and

Ashley Schnable, humanresources, district office.

RetirementsPatricia Ann Neros, regulatory

administrator at Two Harbors,Wis., with more than nine years offederal service.

by Peter Verstegen

Brad Perkl, archaeologist inproject management, conductedpresentations on archaeology andthe Corps’ mission for the nine-foot navigation channel and locksand dams on the Upper Mississippiat sites along Pool 1 and UpperPool 2, Oct. 11. He teamed withtwo community educators from theNational Park Service.

Wilderness Inquiry sponsoredthe Mississippi River field trip.Participants paddled 24-footvoyager canoes in pools 1 and 2.“This was one of the field trips aspart of the North AmericanAssociation for EnvironmentalEducation 35th annualconference,” said Perkl.

Conference members, parkservice staff, Wilderness Inquirystaff and the Center for Global

Brad Perkl (top left), projectmanagement, discussesarchaeology at the St. PaulYacht Cub in Pool 1 just north ofthe Lake Street Bridge on thewest bank of the MississippiRiver.

Perkl conducts archaeology education

National Park Service photo

Environmental Education atHamline University, St. Paul,participated.

“There’s No Place Like Home,” is this season’s Holiday Awards Ceremony theme. Theprogram will offer essays on the meaning of the theme. Mark your calendars for The PromCenter, I-94 and Inwood Ave., Oakdale, Minn., Friday, Dec. 15, 2006.


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Ken Beck, formerly real estatedivision, and Mike McGarvey,logistics management, nominatedRichard Davenport for the JuneEmployee of the Month for hiseffective assistance in obtainingvisas for Beck’s tour of duty inItaly.

Davenport’s extra effort enabledBeck to depart on-time for aposition with the U.S. Navy inNaples, Italy.

Said Beck, “I would like torecognize Davenport for hispersistence in obtaining my wife’sand my Italian visas on schedulefor my transfer to the U.S. Navyin June. The Navy provided uswith a contact at the Italian ConsulGeneral in Chicago to process ourrequired Visa requests.

“When neither Richard or Icould find anyone at the ConsulGeneral’s office who wouldrespond or reply to our messages,Davenport searched the internetand located Consul OnorarioD’Italia, for Minnesota. Heprovided us with accurate contactinformation and updated visaforms,” said Beck, who arrived inItaly on time.

Cynthia Calhoun, anadministrative assistant, operationsdivision, Stevens Point, Wis.nominated Otis Jacobson, Lock andDam 6, Trempealeau, Wis., forJuly Employee of the Month.

Here’s what she said: “While I was temporarily

stationed in Slidell, La., I had thepleasure to meet one of our fellowSt. Paul District employees, OtisJacobsen. He works at one of thelocks and dams and due to the

Jacobson makes a difference – on dutyand off – during hurricane recovery duty

June Employee of the Month July Employee of the Month

Davenport connectswith Italian consulate

Mark Nelson (left) acting districtdeputy commander, recognizesRichard Davenport, logisticsmanagement.

Lt. Col. John Kunkle, actingdistrict commander,recognizes Otis Jacobson,operations division.

differences in our duties, I do not think that we would have crossed pathsif it weren’t for this assignment in Slidell. His pleasant disposition andwillingness to help anyone was quite impressive.

“He was sent to Louisiana as a quality assurance supervisor. When hearrived in Slidell, he was put into a QA slot. Everyday he would come intothe office, always with a smile on his face; and when he asked for copiesof right of entry, he wasn’t demanding in any way. He was one of manyQA’s who would come into the office and need additional rights of entryon a daily basis and he understood that he may have to wait just a fewminutes for one of the office people to assist him.

“Besides his positive attitude, his genuine concern for his team membersand the office personal was very refreshing.

“During my tour of duty in Louisiana, we had the fortune of having twodays off, one being the July 4 and one day being Sunday prior to July 4.

“That Sunday, he took me into New Orleans to show me some of themore damaged areas from the hurricanes and levee breach. Hisexperience and familiarity with the area were impressive.

“He explained some of the markings on the buildings and gave somehistory about the area (since he had already been in the area prior to thistasking). He took me to a levee; he also showed me the difference in a fullbarge versus an empty one. This may seem simple to most people in theCorps but I work in the office all day and don’t have these types ofopportunities too often.

He merits the Employee of the Month honor because, despite theeveryday frustrations and uncertainties, his attitude was always up-beat, hewas always smiling and always willing to help in any way necessary. I wasproud to work with him and even more proud to know that he was fromthe St. Paul District.

He always displayed a professional attitude and was concerned aboutthose around him. His initiative helped me have a greater understanding ofthe overall situation in Louisiana and see how what each of us can do tohelp make a difference.

Photo by Angie PetersonPhoto by Peter Verstegen


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Lt. Gen. Carl Strock, chief of engineers,administered the oath of office for Adrian G.Swanson, lock operator at Lock and Dam 2,Hastings, Minn., after the district’s TownHall meeting Sept. 6. Swanson is a sergeant(E-5) with the Wisconsin Army NationalGuard, 264th Engineering Group. He is acommunications team leader at the 264thand has been in the Army eight years. Strockre-enlisted Swanson for six years.

Photo by Shannon BauerPhoto by Peter Verstegen

Maj. Leigh Bandy, contracting officer withthe St. Paul District, administered the oathof office to Richard Pecoraro, contracting,Oct. 17. He will return to his previous rankof sergeant first class (E-7) after a 10-yearbreak in service. Pecoraro had 17 years onactive duty prior to 1996. He re-enlisted forone-year and will be assigned to theNational Guard’s 34th (Red Bull) InfantryDivision, based in Rosemount, Minn., as aplatoon sergeant.

District offers platform to re-enlist two intoMinnesota, Wisconsin Army National Guardby Peter Verstegen

Richard Pecoraro, contracting, and AdrianG. Swanson, lock operator at Lock and Dam2, Hastings, Minn., independently tappedthe resources of the Corps of Engineers tore-affirm their pledge “to support anddefend the constitution of the United Statesagainst all enemies,” when they re-enlisted

OATH OF ENLISTMENT

“I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend theConstitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that Iwill bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of thePresident of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me,according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”

in the Army National Guard this fall.Maj. Leigh Bandy, contracting officer, re-

enlisted Pecoraro in the Minnesota ArmyNational Guard in the District Office, Oct. 17,

Lt. Gen. Carl Strock, chief of engineers,re-enlisted Swanson in the 264th EngineerGroup, Wisconsin Army National Guard, aftera Town Hall meeting in St. Paul, Minn., Sept.6. The 264th is based in Chippewa Falls, Wis.

Photo of ACU by Shanon BauerACU courtesy Maj. Leigh Bandy

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Documents

Maintenance and repair unit stabilizes Island 42, Lower ...ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/AA/00/06/14/26/00055/10-2006.pdf · Crosscurrents Vol. 29, No. 10 October 2006 Maintenance and