Courtesy Photo | Dominic Booth (left), engineering intern and Army Reserve Officer Training Corps cadet...... read more read more
A University of Maryland, Baltimore County student and Army Reserve Officer Training Corps cadet completed an internship with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District, Aug. 21.
Dominic Booth, a mechanical engineering major travelled more than 1200 miles from Maryland to the “Sooner State” to participate in USACE’s Engineering Internship Program with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District.
Booth is from Laurel, Md., and was one of three Army ROTC cadets assigned to the Tulsa District through the EIP. The internship is sponsored and funded by USACE and geared toward students enrolled in engineering programs. Selected applicants perform their internship at one of 41 USACE districts inside or outside the Continental United States.
“I joined ROTC because I wanted to further my education and serve my country,” said Booth. “I knew ROTC would help me improve my leadership skills and would help me in my personal life and professional career.”
Booth visited Keystone Dam and Robert S. Kerr Lock and Dam 15, two of Tulsa District’s 38 civil works projects. These tours provided opportunities to speak with engineers and staff who work in hydropower, flood control operations, dam safety, maintenance and other authorized missions.
The interns also visited the Tulsa District’s Tinker Air Force Base and Fort Sill resident offices, and learned about the district’s role providing engineering, design and construction services. Tinker AFB and Fort Sill are two of the six military customers the Tulsa District supports in Oklahoma and Texas.
“My main goals for the cadets were for them to learn what USACE is and does, so they could gain an idea of what to expect as an Army Engineer Officer, and to see what roles an active-duty engineer officer can fulfill in USACE,” said Capt. Sumin Hong, engineer officer, Tulsa District, USACE, who sponsored the cadets during their internship. “I think their biggest takeaways as engineering students were seeing the hydroelectric dams and shadowing licensed engineers.”
At the Robert S. Kerr Powerhouse and Lock and Dam 15 in Sallisaw, Okla cadets observed hydropower generation and lock operations. The powerhouse’s four turbines can each produce up to 36.8 megawatts of electricity, and the lock and dam enables riverine shipping via the McClellen-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, a 445-mile marine highway consisting of 18 locks and dams that allow riverine transport of goods between Oklahoma and the Mississippi River.
Booth said the internship corrected some of his misconceptions about USACE’s role as stewards of the nation’s water resource projects.
“Before my time here, I thought USACE was only about combat engineering,” said Booth, who hails from Laurel, Md., “Now, I have a better understanding about the importance of the Army Corps of Engineers. They help keep cities running by generating renewable energy and facilitate goods being shipped via waterways.”
One of three ROTC cadets serving at the Tulsa District, Booth and his cohort met with engineers, project managers, emergency management specialists, and Army officers, to better understand how the USACE designs solutions, manages projects, executes disaster recovery and develops leaders.
“Most ROTC cadets, and most Army officers, don’t know about USACE and what we do,” said Hong. “I focused their time on visiting projects, learning about USACE’s different functions and learning what to expect as a lieutenant in the United States Army.”
During a visit to Keystone Dam, a flood control and hydroelectric dam on the Arkansas River about 15 miles west of Tulsa, Booth said he was surprised how USACE operates water releases between 30 dams on Arkansas River Basin.
“The most eye-opening part was learning about how USACE must coordinate water releases with dams both up and down stream to control the water levels in order to prevent damage to cities,” Booth said.
| Date Taken: | 08.25.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.25.2025 09:47 |
| Story ID: | 546370 |
| Location: | LAUREL, OKLAHOMA, US |
| Hometown: | LAUREL, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 80 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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