Photo By Renwick Martin | John Fromuth, construction control inspector at the Western Area Office, and Mitchell...... read more read more
John Fromuth, construction control inspector at the Western Area Office, and Mitchell Knegendorf, project engineer at the Eastern Area Office, deployed to Japan District, where they supported military construction projects at Yokota Air Base. Both covered all active USACE projects on Yokota Air Base and contributed to the Japan Engineer District.
“Our work here highlights the continued collaboration between U.S. Army Corps of Engineers districts across the globe, from civil works expertise to mission-critical military infrastructure,” Fromuth said.
Fromuth, deployed as a construction control representative / quality assurance representative for six months, was known for his charismatic personality, leadership and was recognized for his ability to foster a safe, efficient and high-performing jobsite, said Yokota Deputy Resident Engineer Van Wakefield.
“With his depth of experience in construction, he influenced significant positive changes in his projects’ safety programs and overall quality assurance and quality control systems,” he said. “John’s ability to foresee on-site problems saved the contractor and the government from costly errors and ensured our projects, in particular the Yokota C-130J Corrosion Control Hangar, remained on schedule, within scope and on budget.”
Fromuth was also responsible for the safety of an aerial bulk fuel delivery system, combat arms training and maintenance, and improving military family housing projects.
“John has an incredible talent for safety and has personally mentored and coached the site safety and health officers and created a remarkable improvement in their safety program and even received accolades from the USACE safety office,” Wakefield said.
Recognizing the value of teamwork, Fromuth leaned into his deployed partner, Knegendorf, for support when a challenge arose on-site.
“Mitchell immediately knew how to resolve issues, drawing on his technical knowledge and calm problem-solving approach,” Fromuth said.
Knegendorf, deployed for three months as a quality assurance representative, ensured that contractors delivered materials on time, installed them correctly and properly documented the work. He also kept the contracting officer representative informed with timely and accurate updates throughout the project.
“He spent a significant amount of time in the field, providing detailed safety and quality control observations, and escalating concerns when intervention beyond his level was required,” Wakefield said.
During the Phase 8 Family Housing project, Knegendorf volunteered to assist with a long-overdue request for equitable adjustment involving asbestos-containing material abatement.
“Drawing on his strong background in hazardous materials, he developed a solid technical analysis within just a few days. His ability to articulate the analysis with confidence was particularly impressive,” Wakefield said.
In addition to this, he contributed significantly to the resident management system by clearing submittal backlogs, resolving outstanding inspection items, and mentoring junior project engineers new to the system.
“Being deployed as a dedicated quality assurance representative for a large-scale military construction project came with its rewards and challenges,” Knegendorf said. “The rewarding part was the opportunity to teach and share knowledge, while the challenging side came from working within the structure of a military base—navigating multiple chains of command, roles, and disciplines to keep coordination on track.”
“It was a great opportunity to step outside my normal routine, take on new challenges, and still feel at home halfway across the world,” Knegendorf said.
Overall, the deployment to Japan for Fromuth and Knegendorf was a valuable experience—both professionally and personally, they both said. From supporting critical military construction projects to building strong working relationships across cultures, the assignment offered opportunities for growth, leadership and collaboration.
| Date Taken: | 09.04.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.04.2025 10:31 |
| Story ID: | 547211 |
| Location: | YOKOTA AIR BASE, JP |
| Web Views: | 19 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, From civil works to military construction: St. Paul District meets with Japan Area Office, by Elizabeth Stoeckmann, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
Army Corps of Engineers
