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Pacific Ocean Division News

  • November

    Lieutenant General William H. Graham (far left), 56th Chief of Engineers and Commanding General, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Command Sergeant Major Douglas Galick (far right), 15th Command Sergeant Major, USACE present (left to right) Brad Scully, Lise Ditzel-Ma, Gerald Young, Jodi Yoshishige, and David Matsumoto the 2024 USACE Project Delivery Team of the Year Award at the 2024 USACE National Award Ceremony in Washington, DC Nov. 13, 2024. This was to commemorate the PDT’s work on the Command and Control Facility Project on Fort Shafter, Hawaii, which is the new U.S. Army Pacific Headquarters building now named the Frederick C. Weyand Command Center. (Photo courtesy of USACE HQ).

    Honolulu District Wins Two Awards at 2024 USACE National Award Ceremony

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu District received National Recognition in two different categories this year awarded during 2024 USACE National Award Ceremony: USACE Project Delivery Team of the Year – Excellence and USACE Program Manager of the Year.

  • September

    Attendees pose for a photo on the front steps of the new school after the ceremony. Special design considerations include heated floors, triple-pane windows, extensive natural lighting, backup solar power and an elevated ground floor to prevent the thawing of permafrost below the building. (Courtesy photo)

    USACE completes handover of newly constructed kindergarten building in Mongolia

    While Alaska and Mongolia are separated by an ocean, the two regions share some key characteristics. Frigid climates, rugged mountains and austere regions can make for challenging construction, but staff at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District are experts at delivering high-quality infrastructure in arctic conditions. The team recently celebrated the handover of a newly constructed kindergarten building in the remote community of Tosontsengel. For this critical project, their experience in Alaska guided them to an effective construction solution while thousands of miles from home.

  • August

    A debris crew works to remove debris from the last multi-unit residential property, The Spinnaker condominiums, in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' debris removal program, August 26, 2024. The completion of all residential debris removal in Lahaina is expected in the coming weeks, just over a year after the August 2023 wildfires destroyed more than 2,200 structures. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Susan Lee)

    USACE Clearing Debris from Final Residential Properties in Lahaina

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), in partnership with federal, state, and local partners, is pleased to announce that debris removal on the last single- and multi-unit residential properties in Lahaina is underway. This milestone marks a significant achievement in the Personal Property Debris Removal Program, as all residential properties will be cleared months ahead of the original January 2025 deadline—a testament to the dedication and efficiency of the teams involved.
  • USACE construction personnel walk near a recently completed hangar complex for newly stationed F-35s at Eielson Air Force Base near North Pole, Alaska. The Department of Defense invested about $600 million on a beddown program at the installation located near North Pole, Alaska. Also known as the “joint strike fighter,” two new squadrons of 54 aircraft now have the proper facilities to support their missions thanks to the design and construction work of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District.

    Half-billion-dollar F-35 infrastructure program wraps up at Eielson Air Force Base

    Understanding the need for supporting infrastructure for one of the nation’s most advanced weapon systems, the Department of Defense invested about $600 million on a beddown program at the installation located near North Pole, Alaska. Also known as the “joint strike fighter,” the two squadrons consist of 54 aircraft that now have the proper facilities to support their missions thanks to the design and construction work of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District.
  • A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contractor removes debris from a residence in Lahaina, Hawai‘i, Feb. 1. USACE is overseeing the debris removal mission under a Federal Emergency Management Agency mission assignment, which is part of a coordinated effort with the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency, Maui County and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to clean up areas of the island affected by the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires. (Photo by Erin Jimenez)

    Mission Maui: How USACE Engineered Lahaina's Remarkable Debris Cleanup

    The August 8, 2023 wildfires didn’t just raze Lahaina’s homes and landscapes; they left an indelible scar on the hearts of its people. Fire ash and debris posed an immediate and grave threat, endangering lives, the environment, and the cultural fabric of this historic place. In this solemn hour, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers stepped in with a mission that extended beyond debris removal—it was about safeguarding a community’s future and honoring the spirit of a resilient people.
  • Local cultural leader Kumu Pueo Pat performs an opening chant during a ground blessing ceremony at Wahikuli Park on Aug. 9. The ceremony marked preparations for the installation of a critical sewer line at the Kilohana Temporary Group Housing site in Lahaina. This project represents a significant milestone in the recovery process, transitioning the community from cesspools to a more sanitary, environmentally conscious public sewer system.

    Officials gather for Kilohana Sewer Main Ground Blessing in Lahaina

    Lahaina, Hawaii – Today, Governor Josh Green, M.D., Maui Mayor Richard Bissen, FEMA Region 9 Administrator Bob Fenton, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Recovery Field Office Commander Col. Eric Swenson convened at Wahikuli Park for a ground blessing ceremony, marking the start of a critical sewer line installation at the Kilohana Temporary Group Housing site in Lahaina. This project part of the utility preparation for Kilohana, which will provide longer-term housing for survivors of the August 2023 Maui wildfires.

  • July

    Maintenance dredging began July 22, 2024 at the Honolulu Harbor, located on the southern coast of the island of O‘ahu, by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu District. Healy Tibbitts Builders, Inc. is the contractor.

    Maintenance Dredging Underway at Honolulu Harbor

    Maintenance dredging is currently underway at the Honolulu Harbor, located on the southern coast of the island of O‘ahu, by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu District. This is the third maintenance dredging project that the Corps has undertaken this year in Hawai‘i.
  • Lt. Col. Adrian Biggerstaff, incoming District Commander for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Honolulu District, symbolically assumes command after receiving the unit colors from Brig. Gen. Joseph C. “Clete” Goetz II, Commanding General for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pacific Ocean Division in a July 10 ceremony aboard the Battleship Missouri Memorial.

    Honolulu District welcomes 74th commander

    Lt. Col. Adrian Biggerstaff became the 74th commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu District, during a change of command ceremony July 10, at the Battleship Missouri Memorial in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. 

  • Honolulu District Earns Prestigious Army Safety Award

    The Honolulu District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, received the prestigious Army Safety and Occupational Health Star Award here June 28, 2024, recognizing the district’s successful implementation of the Corps of Engineers Safety and Occupation Health Management System. Lt. Gen. James B. Jarrard, Deputy Commanding General for U.S. Army Pacific, presided over the ceremony at the historic Palm Circle, where Lt. Col. Christopher “Ryan” Pevey, Honolulu District commander, received the SOH Star flag from Troy Larson, Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Safety and Occupational Health Manager.

  • June

    Pacific Ocean Division's Change of Command June 13, 2024

    BG Goetz assumes command of USACE Pacific Ocean Division, bids aloha to BG Gibbs

    Brig. Gen. Joseph C. “Clete” Goetz II became the 35th commanding general and division engineer of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Pacific Ocean Division (POD) in a June 13 ceremony at Ft. Shafter, Hawaii.