Wilmington District leaders tour military construction program supporting Army readiness at Fort Bragg

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District
Story by Ernest Henry

Date: 07.01.2026
Posted: 07.02.2026 13:22
News ID: 569295
Wilmington District leaders tour military construction projects at Fort Bragg

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — Leaders from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wilmington District toured military construction projects across Fort Bragg July 1, highlighting the district's ongoing efforts to deliver modern facilities that enhance Army readiness, support Special Operations Forces and improve quality of life for Soldiers. The visit included Maj. Bruce Merrill, incoming deputy commander, and Rob Baulsir, incoming chief of the Engineering and Construction Division, who joined district construction leaders and resident office personnel to gain firsthand insight into the scope of the district's military construction mission. Throughout the day, the group received project briefings and visited facilities supporting training, troop housing and special operations missions. Stops included the nearly completed Tech Support Training Annex, ongoing construction at the Yarborough Barracks complex and Range 37, where new infrastructure is expanding training capabilities. Additional briefings highlighted projects supporting the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School of Excellence campus, Special Operations aviation facilities and future military construction planned across the installation. Collectively, the projects demonstrate the diversity of Wilmington District's military construction portfolio, which ranges from specialized training facilities and operational infrastructure to barracks designed to improve Soldiers' quality of life while supporting Fort Bragg's evolving mission requirements. "As the incoming deputy commander, I want to support our workforce by understanding what makes this team successful," Merrill said. "There's no substitute for seeing our field professionals execute the mission firsthand. Spending time with the people delivering these projects is the best way to learn how the district operates and how I can best support them." During the tour, Merrill met with resident office personnel, engineers, construction representatives and contractor partners responsible for planning and delivering projects across the installation. "Everyone I spoke with knows their program inside and out," Merrill said. "They understand what's working, where we can improve and the importance of communicating early and often with our stakeholders. That commitment to collaboration is what allows us to deliver quality facilities that support our warfighters." The visit also reinforced the importance of strong partnerships between the Corps of Engineers, Fort Bragg leadership, contractors and project delivery teams in successfully executing one of the district's largest military construction programs. "Fort Bragg is one of the Army's most important installations, and the Wilmington District has consistently delivered the facilities our warfighters depend on," Merrill said. "Seeing that commitment firsthand reinforced the critical role our team plays in supporting Army readiness." The Wilmington District manages one of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' largest military construction programs, delivering facilities that strengthen Army readiness while supporting the training, operational and quality-of-life needs of Soldiers stationed at Fort Bragg.