Farewell Rock Island District

Photo By Kelcy Hanson | Col. Steve Sattinger (center) and Engineering and Construction Division Chief Roger Perk (left) meet with construction representatives at Lock and Dam 20 to view progress during a 2019 winter maintenance project.  

ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, IL, UNITED STATES

07.06.2021

Story by Kelcy Hanson 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District

I’ll just go ahead and say it: This sucks.

I’ve put off writing this farewell column as long as possible, trying not to face the fact that my time at the Rock Island District is rapidly dwindling. Serving as your district commander has been the highlight of my career, and I hate seeing it come to an end.

To say the last three years have been eventful would be a massive understatement. I hardly know where to begin to acknowledge the amazing work this district has accomplished for the Nation and our partners and stakeholders throughout the region.

It’s a record of nearly unparalleled success despite unprecedented challenges. Record-breaking appropriations and workload; a record-breaking flood; a record-low temperature in the Quad Cities; and record-breaking winds from a derecho – too many superlatives to go into. Throw into the mix the worst pandemic since 1919, the worst economic crisis since the 1930s, the worst civil unrest since 1968, and for good measure a boundary realignment, and you could be forgiven for thinking you were living in a scene from Dante’s Inferno.

But that’s not how the Rock Island District operates. No matter what was happening, you took it all in stride and continued to deliver the program. And what a program we have delivered over the last three years; enough highlights to fill a career, with even better things on the horizon:
• After years of planning and stakeholder engagement, the $117M Cedar Rapids FRM project was funded in the 2018 Bipartisan Budget Act. The district charged forward, signing the Project Partnership Agreement with the city in November 2018 and breaking ground on the first federal construction project in October 2019.
• The Brandon Road Chief’s Report was signed in May 2019, and after signing the design agreement with Illinois we received our first appropriation of funds for preconstruction engineering and design in the 2021 Workplan, the first step in completing this $850M project.
• The LaGrange Major Rehab/Major Maintenance is the largest single construction contract in the district’s history and was the centerpiece of the incredibly successful ILWW2020 Closures – four simultaneous dewaterings, five locks closed, and all reopened on-time to navigation.
• The 2019 flood fight and recovery represented nearly $150M in both PL84-99 and O&M supplemental work, work of incredible importance to local communities all along the rivers and to our own operations projects.
• Over the last three work plans the district has received over $10M for NESP, allowing us to posture this $7B program for a construction new start after many years of it languishing on the shelf. This critical program will deliver much needed reliability and redundancy to our lock system as well as continue to restore the Upper Mississippi River system.

These highlights represent just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to project delivery. I could go on for pages and talk more about full funding for the UMRR program, multiple dewaterings, anchorage replacements, dredging, diversion dams and supplemental pump stations, visitor center renovations, electrical upgrades and hydro power commissioning, 88th RD construction, support to the enterprise with the INDC or the NFFMC, community events and christenings, or the million other things we’ve done as a team over the last three years. Suffice it to say that we have BUILT STRONG and led the way in the division on program execution.
While I am justifiably proud of our project and program accomplishments, I am equally proud of the atmosphere and climate we have built in the Rock Island District. This team of teams is proud of the work they do, is fully committed to the mission and each other, and has an absolutely infectious pride in the work they do. I have been so impressed with the way we develop our future leaders, provide resources to our supervisors and employees to ensure they can reach their full potential, and work through obstacles to make things better. Rock Island District was the only district in the division to be designated a World-Class Workforce based on the 2020 FEVS, a testament to the entire Rock Island team.
The true highlight of my command, though, has been meeting and getting to know as many of you as I could. I remain in awe of your professionalism, your spirit of service, and your character. I simply wish I had more time to see more of you in action, and to continue to celebrate all of your achievements.

I rest easy knowing I leave the district in great hands. The district’s leadership team is universally amazing, and I know that COL Jess Curry, the incoming commander, will be a superb addition to the team. I trust you will give him the same incredible reception I received three years ago, and I know you will continue to execute in the manner Rock Island District is known for.

Stephanie and I are off to our next and final great Army adventure, this one at the Pentagon working for the Assistant Secretary to the Army for Civil Works. I hope to continue to be able to support the district from afar, and I want you all to know that you have a friend in DC – please look me up if you are ever in the area.

I close by looking back at my first Tower Times column, in the July/August 2018 issue. I opened with my first impression of the district: “The Rock Island District is running on all cylinders…[and] is a well-oiled machine.” Nothing has happened since to change that impression – MVR sets the standard for the Corps.

Lastly, I closed that first column with this: “I am looking forward to helping the District tackle challenges and will enjoy having a court-side seat to marvel at your continued success.” Believe me when I say that I have enjoyed that court-side seat more than you can ever know. I am humbled to have been a part of the Rock Island District family.

Thank you for all you do each and every day and CONTINUE BUILDING STRONG!

• Date Taken: 07.06.2021
• Date Posted: 07.06.2021 16:15
• Story ID: 400398
• Location: ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, IL, US