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  • September

    A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers geophysicist operates equipment used to detect and classify metal objects in the subsurface as potentially a target of interest, such as a munition.

    Munitions response programs improve with technological advancement, training

    In August, the EMCX hosted a technical training seminar for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers geophysicists focused on familiarization of simultaneous location and mapping, or SLAM, technology that will increase mapping production rates in thick vegetation where previously only tape measures or line-of-site robotic total station (RTS) technologies were available.
  • Bret Styers and his sons, Easton and Brecken, enjoy the beauty of the great outdoors in Alaska. Styers, senior program manager for Huntsville Center's Balistic Missile Defense Mandatory Center of Expertise, lives in Anchorage with his wife, Britta, and their four kids, including daughters Remy and Paige. (Courtesy Photo)

    Getting to Know Bret Styers, Huntsville Center's 'Snowshoes on the Ground' in Alaska

    Bret Styers is the senior program manager for the Ballistic Missile Defense Center of Expertise at the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville. Styers was born in Valencia, California, but moved to Alaska when he was a toddler. He now lives with his wife and four children in Anchorage and serves as the Center’s lead on missile-defense projects across the state.
  • Bret Styers, senior program manager for the Ballistic Missile Defense Mandatory Center of Expertise at the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville explains the engineering challenges of Alaskan projects during a tour of missile field 4 at Fort Greely, Alaska, with Col. Sebastien P. Joly, Huntsville Center commander, and Jason Wilson, program manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Alaska District, in August. (Photo by Kristen Bergeson)

    From 'Folly' to Fortune

    What was once considered the foolish, costly act of a land-hungry politician is now considered to be one of the most profitable and strategic moves in U.S. history. The U.S. purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867, a transaction negotiated by then Secretary of State William Seward, was initially ridiculed in the press as “Seward’s folly” because the arctic region was thought by many to be unusable and unhabitable. Fast forward more than 150 years to the present, and Alaska is not only one of the richest states in the nation but also a key part of America’s missile defense program.

  • August

    Kellie Williams, Huntsville Center safety manager, delivers her remarks during the Army Safety Star award ceremony in June. On August 23, Williams was awarded the Department of Defense Safety and Occupational Health Management System Individual Achievement Award during a safety conference in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Elizabeth Canfil)

    Huntsville Center safety chief earns national award

    On August 23, Kellie Williams received national recognition as a leader in workplace safety when she was awarded the Department of Defense Safety and Occupational Health Management System Individual Achievement Award during a safety conference in Washington, D.C.

  • Doug Hadley receives USACE Procuring Contractor of the Year Award

    HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- A contract and grants officer with the Environmental and Munitions Center of
  • The U.S. Army observes Antiterrorism Awareness Month in August.

    'See something, say something'

    The Department of the Army designated August as Antiterrorism Awareness Month in 2010 to serve as a reminder of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and lead into National Preparedness Month, held annually in September.

  • Kyle Shireman receives Chief of Engineers Safety Award

    The U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville Safety Office's Kyle Shireman received the 2021 Chief of Engineer Safety Award for improvements to the Safety and Occupational Health (SOH) Program.
  • Dr. Carolyn D. Harris receives the Team Award Civilian Service Commendation Medal

    Dr. Carolyn D. Harris receives the Team Award Civilian Service Commendation Medal

    The U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville Divisions’ Dr. Carolyn D. Harris received the Team Award Civilian Service Commendation Medal for outstanding performance and support while conducting the Army Green Belt Class 22-007.

  • July

    HNC’s Brian Roden (L) and Josh Mason monitor a flight over the UAH campus.

    Huntsville Center and the University of Alabama Huntsville team up to identify research areas in unmanned aircraft systems

    The US Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville has partnered with University of Alabama Huntsville (UAH) to support research and operational excellence in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The partnership will allow both organizations to jointly identify key research areas in UAS technologies, applications, and operations.
  • The decontamination team works to clean any potentially contaminated personnel and equipment at the Redstone Arsenal restoration site.

    Safety top priority at Redstone Arsenal restoration site

    The US Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville manages over 40 Military Munitions Response Program sites worldwide and at each of those sites, safety is the top concern.
  • Huntsville Center’s Human Capital and Resource Management Business Practices Division team built the first ever online “Welcome2IT” dashboard to simplify in-processing procedures. The site and process was recognized as one of the five 2022 U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s Innovation of the Year Awards.

    Center's online onboarding dashboard recognized for innovation

    Innovation supports senior Army and USACE Leadership’s mantra of caring for its number one asset – people – and making a positive first impression for its new employees on day one sets the tone.

  • June

    Kellie Williams, Huntsville Center safety manager; Amy Borman, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for Environment, Safety and Occupational Health; and Col. Sebastien P. Jolie, Huntsville Center commander, hold up the Army Safety and Occupational Health flag during an award ceremony June 15. The U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville received the Army's Safety and Occupational Health Star, making the organization the first in the Corps of Engineers to earn the award. (Photo by Elizabeth Canfil)

    Huntsville Center awarded Army Safety Star

    The U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville became the first U.S. Army Corps of Engineers organization to earn the Army’s prestigious Safety and Occupational Health Star during an award ceremony at the Center on Wednesday, June 15.
  • Russell Dunford, U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville Business Practice Division Chief, administers the oath of office to his daughter, Anne Marie, at her graduation May 25 from the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. (Courtesy Photo)

    Like father, like daughter

    Russell Dunford, U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville Business Practice Division Chief, traveled to the mountains of Colorado for his daughter’s graduation May 25 from the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. A graduate of Huntsville High School, AnnMarie “Annie” Dunford entered the Academy in 2018, alongside 1,434 other cadets. Annie was among the 973 who graduated, making her the first in the Dunford family to graduate from a service academy and one of 6039 women to have graduated since 1976, the first year women were admitted into military service academies.
  • REM workshop 2022

    REM workshop assists with prioritizing work according to policy

    The Resource Efficiency Managers in attendance are all contracted “employees” whose sole purpose is improving their assigned installation’s energy programs by identifying projects and practices to reduce energy and water costs.

  • May

    Albert "Chip" Marin III, Huntsville Center business and programs director; Maj. Gen. Richard Heitkamp, USACE deputy commander; Col. Sebastien P. Joly, Huntsville Center commander; and Lt. Col. Benjamin Summers, Huntsville Center deputy commander on day two of the Center's command strategic review.

    HNC’s command strategic review focuses on collaboration, transparency

    The U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville collaborated with top U.S. Army Corps of Engineers leadership during the Center’s command strategic review May 24-25.
  • The Tom Bevill Lock and Dam near Alliceville, Alabama, is one of 10 lock and dam structures on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway to receive retrofit and replacement of lighting systems from Huntsville Center’s Energy Savings Performance Contract program.

    Energy program saves money, resources for USACE districts

    Huntsville Center’s Energy Savings Performance Contract program has been reducing energy use and water consumption at military installations since the mid-1990s. Over the last several years, the ESPC has also developed contracts to support U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works programs around the country.
  • Operators move M55 rockets containing VX nerve agent from a pallet to a transfer cart to begin the destruction process at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant April 15, 2022. (Courtesy photo by Blue Grass Chemical Stockpile Outreach Office)

    Destruction of last remaining VX nerve agent at Blue Grass marks milestone

    The U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, served as engineering and construction oversight for the Program Executive Office Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives for the duration of this project and continues to maintain a role in ongoing facility reconfigurations.
  • Tony Travia, the senior healthcare engineer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, recently completed Harvard University's Senior Executive Fellows program. (Courtesy Photo)

    Medical Facilities chief completes prestigious Harvard leadership program

    Tony Travia, the senior healthcare engineer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, was the only USACE employee selected to attend the 2022 John F. Kennedy School of Government Senior Executive Fellows program.
  • Ryan Strange, Huntsville Center Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research Physical Scientist, pilots an unmanned aviation system aircraft at Redstone Arsenal, Ala. Strange, one of the pioneers in USACE Aviation, assists USACE aviation operations and ensures compliance with Department of Defense policy, which is a vital service to USACE aviation programs.

    USACE, Huntsville Center sees aviation mission growth

    Aviation operations is based on USACE Aviation policy, standards, training and oversight support which resides within Headquarters USACE Aviation and Remote Systems.
  • Patrick Stone, chief of Huntsville Center’s Facility Technology Integration Division, recently spoke to students at a USACE career fair for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. (Courtesy Photo)

    USACE hosts career fair for Historically Black Colleges and Universities

    Representatives from the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville spoke to students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) about the Center’s numerous career opportunities during a virtual career fair and exposition hosted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.