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  • November 1963: A time of Building Strong for America

    Nov. 22, 1963, was likely a typical fall day in North Texas for employees of the Southwestern Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which was headquartered in Dallas. Just as it does this year, Nov. 22 fell on a Friday in 1963, so a weekend was in the works. From their offices in downtown Dallas, SWD employees would have been taking care of their responsibilities as engineers, biologists, economists, hydrologists, foresters—the vast array of disciplines that make up the Corps.

  • JFK 50th anniversary: It's our choice to remember the dark side of history or the inspired leadership that continues to light the world

    DALLAS - Like afterimages seared into our mind’s eye long after the camera has stopped flashing, the assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas 50 years ago this month is replete with iconic images that marked my generation. These images, normally safely buried away, can quickly be summoned by hundreds of memories that swirl in and out of the streets and back roads of Dallas to this day.

  • Ron Richards named USACE Logistician of the Year

    DALLAS-The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Southwestern Division’s Regional Logistics Manager, Ron Richards, has been named USACE 2012 Meritorious Logistician of the Year.

  • Kamisato named acting SWD Regional Business Director

    DALLAS—The Southwestern Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has named Mr. Brian Kamisato as the Acting Director of the Regional Business Directorate at the Division headquarters here beginning Oct. 21. Kamisato will manage the operations of the Regional Business Center and oversee three divisions: the Business Technical Division, Business Management Division, and Business Resources Division. He will lead the regional governance boards and synchronize activities with a particular focus on regional issues. Kamisato will serve in this position until the arrival or Mr. Pete Perez, whose permanent selection for the position and appointment to the Senior Executive Service was announced last month.

  • Building together...for the long haul

    Pacesetter Team, You have been uppermost in our minds and hearts during the last 10 days, as we have worked through the turbulent times of a government shutdown. Our Chief of Engineers, Lt. Gen. Bostick, puts you first when he talks about his concerns on the shutdown, and I echo his thoughts, as do all the leadership in the Southwestern Division and across the Corps of Engineers.

  • Tommy Schmidt: Remembering the life and legacy of a transformative engineer

    The Corps of Engineers recently marked the passing of a major transformational leader: Tommy Schmidt, former Southwestern Division Dam Safety Program Manager and senior Geotechnical Engineer. Schmidt passed away in Fort Worth on Aug. 16, about a year and a half after his retirement; he had provided outstanding service to the Corps of Engineers and the nation for almost four decades.

  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to discontinue Cooperative Joint Management arrangements

    DALLAS– The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced today that it has performed a legal review of all Cooperative Joint Management (CJM) agreements with non-profit, cooperating associations and determined that USACE is operating outside of its authority and that the agreements will require modification. The long-term impacts of these modifications are still being determined, however; the Corps is currently looking at ways to keep the impacted recreation facilities open through the end of the recreational season.

  • Perez appointed to Senior Executive Service, selected as director of Regional Business for SWD

    DALLAS — Pete G. Perez has been appointed to the Senior Executive Service by the Secretary of the Army and selected for the position of director of Regional Business for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Southwestern Division.

  • What inspired me to become an engineer

    DALLAS—Growing up, I didn't really have a family member or role model that influenced me to pursue an engineering degree. I was blessed with wonderful parents that stressed education and I inherited their math genes. I was most inspired by my 8th grade math teacher, Ms. JoAnne Perpich who saw I had a talent and encouraged me to make the most of it. It was the power of the positive feedback I received at a young age that led me to pursue not only solving math problems, but later engineering problems and organization effectiveness challenges. One of the greatest things we can do as parents, teachers, mentors, and adults is, if we see children with a talent for STEM, then praise them and encourage them!

  • SWD property book manager retires after more than 49 years of service

    Romano Caturegli, property book officer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Southwestern Division, recently retired after more than 49 years with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.