Photo By Lawrence Brooks | Veterans of the Kansas City Districts Debris Planning and Response Team, training new...... read more read more
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Since the beginning of fiscal year 2025, more than 80 employees from the Kansas City District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have deployed across the country to support recovery efforts following devastating natural disasters.
These deployments included locations such as southern California —where multiple wildfires burned more than 57,000 acres between Los Angeles and San Diego County in January, and western North Carolina, which was ravaged by Hurricane Helene in fall 2024, along with several neighboring states.
USACE’s ongoing missions in both places reflect the district’s culture of volunteerism and readiness. For those who serve, the work is not just professional; it’s deeply personal.
“It’s a great feeling knowing that the organization is able to provide this kind of help because without it, I don’t know how the recovery could be possible,” said Brandon Beckman, who left for a 30-day deployment to North
Carolina on July 16. “The people there were so appreciative … some were in tears of joy as the lights and power came back on.”
Beckman, a safety and occupational health specialist, volunteered after seeing an internal call for help. During his first deployment to Puerto Rico in 2018 following Hurricane Maria, he served as a quality assurance inspector on a long-term power restoration mission.
Now, on this assignment, he will act as a safety specialist for debris cleanup operations — a demanding role requiring long hours and constant hazard mitigation. The 12-hour workdays are something he says every volunteer should be prepared for before leaving the comfort of district headquarters.
“The best thing for me to prepare for a mission like this is support from family, friends and co-workers. They provide the encouragement and support I need to help mentally prepare,” he said.
Disasters like Hurricane Helene and the Los Angeles wildfires have shown the value of the district’s emergency response capabilities and the dedicated people behind them. But more than that, they have showcased the unwavering commitment and heart of volunteers who choose to deploy thousands of miles from home to help their fellow citizens begin to rebuild.
“It is a great feeling knowing that the organization can provide this kind of help because without it, I don’t know how the recovery could be possible. I do feel like those affected by the disaster appreciate it very much and I’ve seen that firsthand. Those working the mission were viewed as almost heroes to the survivors,” he said.
Building a culture of service
The Kansas City District has a long-standing reputation for fielding experienced personnel during emergency events. For Jud Kneuvean, branch chief for the Readiness and Contingency Operations Office, the district’s strength lies in its people.
“We’ve built an organization where people want to serve,” he said. “We have people raising their hands over and over again.”
Kneuvean, who recently left for another deployment to the Los Angeles region, emphasized that while technical expertise helps, it’s not required to volunteer. To him, the most important value is having a mission-first mindset that truly motivates you to make an impact.
“If you have the right character, we can train you. It’s all about being ready to deploy, knowing the environment will be tough and still saying yes,” he said.
That willingness has been especially evident this year as record-breaking floods, wildfires and hurricanes have impacted communities across the country. Volunteers from the Kansas City District filled a wide range of roles — from safety oversight and debris removal to mission planning, quality assurance.
“People find meaning in this work,” Kneuvean said. “They see the direct impact of what they’re doing. In many cases, they’re helping people on the worst day of their lives — and helping them find a path forward.”
Rick Weixelbaum, a senior emergency management specialist and U.S. Army veteran, recently returned from a deployment to Asheville, North Carolina. He said the district’s volunteers always go above and beyond to get things done efficiently and within time constraints.
But it’s the people standing behind them to support the growing demands their professions require, who deserve an equal amount of credit.
“I would be remiss in my duties if I didn't talk about the families that support our volunteers. The loved ones that the volunteer leaves behind, they have to tend to the daily work of being the homeowner or being the mother, the teacher or the father,” Weixelbaum said, who himself admitted to going on nearly 20 deployments since joining the district a decade ago. “So, all those sacrifices are truly worthy of recognition … we greatly appreciate the contributions of those families.”
Reflecting on his own experiences, Beckman summed up the job in one word: “Rewarding.”
“If this job helps provide assistance in any way toward recovery, then that’s a very rewarding feeling to me,” he said. “I highly encourage anyone who hasn’t volunteered before to sign up — it’s truly an unforgettable experience.”
Battling disinformation on the ground
While mission success relies on coordination and technical execution, it increasingly also depends on the district’s ability to counter false narratives, misinformation and disinformation spreading on social media — an emerging challenge in disaster response.
“Disinformation is something we are dealing with more and more,” said Weixelbaum. “It affects trust. If the public doesn’t understand who’s in charge or why something is taking time, they start to believe what they read online.”
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, disinformation is defined as, “false information deliberately and often covertly spread (as by the planting of rumors) in order to influence public opinion or obscure the truth.”
Misinformation has a similar definition; however, a distinction is made when an attempt to deliver new information that could be bad, is not deliberately misleading.
Weixelbaum recalled instances in which false claims about delays, contract decisions or eligibility for aid led to confusion and in some cases, anger among local populations and the broader public who lived in other regions of the country. False claims spread not because of USACE’s actions, but because certain forms of misinformation and disinformation spread faster than the actual facts.
“We're boots on the ground and people assume we can fix everything immediately. When things don't happen fast enough, they look for someone to blame,” he said.” And if they've seen a post online saying we're not doing our jobs, it makes it that much harder to build rapport and get the work done.”
To counter this, communication with local leaders and the public has become just as important as the physical infrastructure. USACE teams hold regular briefings with affected communities, when possible, to share accurate information and provide progress to maintain public confidence.
“Transparency is key,” Weixelbaum said. “People need to see that we’re here, we care and we’re doing everything we can — even when it’s not visible right away.”
Kneuvean, who has been responding to disasters in the district and beyond since The Great Flood of 1993, agrees about the importance of transparency with the communities they enter.
Still, he acknowledged that as the information landscape continues to change and technological advancements to systems like artificial intelligence will only make their job more challenging.
“All the planning that we do, even at the speed that we can move, it only takes one individual out there posting a video or inaccurately describing what they're seeing or what they think they heard, to totally disrupt our momentum,” he said.
Preparedness starts at home
As disasters grow in frequency and intensity, Beckman offered advice for individuals looking to protect themselves and their families.
“Have a plan, review it with your family and keep a disaster supply kit ready,” he said. “You also need to stay informed with accurate alerts
He emphasized that preparation not only helps families stay safe; it allows emergency responders to focus resources where they’re needed most.
According to Weixelbaum, the more experience on the frontlines to see the unique devastation each storm, fire or flood brings, the more prepared he is and that’s the best advice he can offer to fellow citizens who live in regions more prone to disasters than others.
“I find myself taking more active roles to not have my family have to endure some of the hardships that some of the folks that we’re helping survive these tragedies,” he said. “So, having the plans with your family is key. It can be as simple as having a dedicated weather tracking tool, or establishing a rally point for you family to meet once disaster strikes.”
From emergency power restoration to debris safety oversight and interagency coordination, the Kansas City District continues to demonstrate USACE’s enduring commitment to national resilience. And with every volunteer deployment, the team grows stronger, more capable and more determined to serve.
| Date Taken: | 07.30.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.30.2025 14:14 |
| Story ID: | 544280 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 48 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Answering the call: Kansas City District volunteers bring expertise, compassion to national disaster response, by Lawrence Brooks, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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