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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – More than 35 Soldiers and an Army civilian
newly assigned to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gathered at the
USACE Learning Center Feb. 23-27, 2015 for a weeklong District
Officer Introductory Course.
The course is designed to
familiarize newly assigned personnel with military and civil works
projects within USACE through topics such as project management
business processes, civil works, military construction, contracting,
legal areas and emergency management.
The goal of the program
is to provide training and resources necessary for military
personnel and Army civilians to successfully perform duties leading
up to and including those of a district commander.
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February 24, 2015 - U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville Deputy Commander Lt. Col. Kendall Bergmann addresses District Officer Introductory Course at the ULC. Bergmann volunteered to champion the course which provide training and resources necessary for military personnel and Army civilians to successfully perform duties with the Corps of Engineers. (USACE photo by William Farrow)
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Many of the students have vast experience in combat
engineering and support, but their careers have been with
Engineer Regiment's direct reporting units or other Army
units. The majority of the students don't have much
experience with the Corps.
“Overall, the course
teaches them the ropes about their roles and
responsibilities within the divisions and districts they
will serve,” said Stacey English, ULC instructional systems
specialist.
A lineup of seasoned professionals from
the Pittsburgh and Mobile districts and the U.S. Army
Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville provided course
instruction. Instructors used personal experience and
discussion to enhance students' understanding of specific
subject matter in selected areas of the course.
Huntsville Center Deputy Commander Lt. Col. Kendall Bergmann
volunteered to champion the course and said the course
provides students a broad introductory overview of what
USACE is and what it does.
“The Soldiers gain a
better understanding of our civil works, MILCON and
contracting missions as well as project management,
emergency management and USACE's support to overseas
contingency operations,” Bergmann said.
“We [USACE]
gain Soldiers who can reinforce and enable our Project
Delivery Teams with their military perspective, decision
making capabilities and leadership,” he said.
Students are primarily company grade officers in
occupational branch series 21 and noncommissioned officers
from a variety of pertinent Military Occupation Specialties
who are newly assigned duties within USACE. The course is
also available for civilian personnel GS-12 and above who
are newly assigned to USACE.
Instructors during the
week included Huntsville Center Commander Col. Robert Ruch
and Huntsville employees Margaret Simmons (Office of
Counsel); Marcus Adams and Adam Sundstum (Contracting
Directorate) and Wade Doss (Installation Support and
Programs Management Directorate). Also instructing was Steve
Arendale (military construction), Mobile District, and John
Peukert (civil works), Pittsburgh District.
Capt.
Dustin Zawalich, a DOIC student assigned to the 88th
Regional Support Command, Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, said as a
special programs officer for the 88th RCS and a liaison
officer for Huntsville Center, the instruction provided him
with a greater understanding of the role USACE plays in
projects impacting the 88th RCS and its subordinate units.
“Experience is in high demand now in the workplace and
the use of the instructors' personal experiences enhanced
the course,” Zawalich said. “We can relate their
[instructors'] experiences to our future projects.”
By William Farrow, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2015
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