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Author: Cameron McLeod
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  • April

    United States and Bangladesh officials celebrated the handover of the Khonjonighona Government Primary School and Multipurpose Disaster Shelter in eastern Bangladesh in October 2024. The school is constructed with the classrooms on the second and third floors to provide a safe area for the community during a flooding emergency.

    14-year multipurpose disaster shelter program reaches completion in Bangladesh

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District recently completed a robust construction effort aimed at reducing the threat of coastal storms to communities in eastern Bangladesh. Multipurpose Disaster Shelters, or MPDSs, are tailor-made for the volatile conditions of cyclone season. During periods of normal weather, these structures serve functions such as schools and clinics. When the annual storms bring severe flooding, the shelters are built to stand above the flooding and provide secure, elevated spaces for the community.

  • March

    Amy Steiner, chief of the Geotechnical and Materials Section, recently completed a temporary duty trip to McMurdo Station in Antarctica, where she supported the installation of a marine resupply and cargo transport pier. The project is a collaborative effort between the USACE Marine Design Center and the National Science Foundation (NSF) that aims to enhance cargo transport capabilities in Winter Quarters Bay.

    Geotechnical chief completes temporary duty trip in Antarctica

    Amy Steiner, chief of the Geotechnical and Materials Section, recently completed a temporary duty trip to McMurdo Station in Antarctica, where she supported the installation of a marine resupply and cargo transport pier. During her time in Antarctica, Steiner also provided review and comments on the ad-freeze pile design and construction methods. She attended a pre-construction meeting with the project team, including representatives from the Marine Design Center and the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center's Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory.

  • 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

    The group observes the transition between the granite and basalt at the Pfaffensprung sediment bypass tunnel. Researchers at the Swiss research university used test sections to observe different materials in the same environment and compare their performance in a real-world setting. (Photo by Carly Lynch, USACE – Alaska District)

    USACE staff observe dam infrastructure in Switzerland in preparation for tunnel project in Alaska

    Staff from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District toured dam infrastructure in the heart of the rugged Swiss Alps as part of a temporary duty trip. After cataloguing their findings abroad, the team returned to Alaska with a renewed perspective for the improvement of the Lowell Creek Flood Diversion project set in similar mountains near Seward.

  • July

    From the crystalline glacial streams of the Kenai Peninsula to the remote lakes of the Interior, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District’s Regulatory Division is tasked with protecting aquatic resources while balancing reasonable development through the issuing of permits. Encapsulating docks, mines, house pads, and many other man-made structures, the district’s regulatory obligations are an important function in ensuring public compliance with federal law.

    USACE regulatory program celebrates rollout of new online permitting system to augment critical mission

    From the crystalline glacial streams of the Kenai Peninsula to the remote lakes of the Interior, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District’s Regulatory Division is tasked with protecting aquatic resources while balancing reasonable development through the issuing of permits. With an added emphasis on high-quality customer service, USACE recently unveiled the new Regulatory Request System as an important new development for the regulatory mission and for permittees to engage with the program.

  • May

    Glenn Sacro, construction control representative, fills a cylinder mold with concrete in the practical portion of the ACI Level One Concrete Certification Exam.

    Concrete is hard: Materials workshop keeps technical staff skills sharp

    Recently, members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Alaska District’s Construction Division, Civil and Sanitary Section and Geotechnical and Materials Section participated in a field concrete and materials workshop at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. The event included classroom instruction, applied training and a written exam for attendees to obtain the American Concrete Institute’s foundational Level One Field Concrete Certification, which acts as the industry standard for engineers and construction workers around the world.

  • April

    Headquartered at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Alaska District and staffed with engineering professionals from throughout USACE, the 62nd Forward Engineer Support Team – Advanced, or FEST-A, is one of eight expeditionary teams that provides rapidly deployable engineering capabilities throughout the world.

    USACE engineer support team provides expertise, broadens professional experience on European deployment

    Headquartered at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Alaska District and staffed with engineering professionals from throughout USACE, the 62nd Forward Engineer Support Team – Advanced, or FEST-A, is one of eight expeditionary teams that provides rapidly deployable engineering capabilities throughout the world. Primarily composed of civilian employees, these critical personnel groups perform infrastructure damage assessments, environmental surveys and building plans in support of the Army’s mission abroad.

  • February

    Seen from the building’s exterior, the newly constructed child development center at Fort Wainwright can accommodate up to 338 children ranging from six weeks to five years old. (Photo by Katy Doetsch, USACE – Alaska District)

    USACE completes largest child development center in the Army at Fort Wainwright

    A new era of high-quality childcare has dawned in the Fort Wainwright and greater Fairbanks community in Alaska’s interior. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District is conducting its post-construction activities after completing the largest child development center at Fort Wainwright, which will accommodate up to 338 children.

  • January

    Witnessed by the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, Michael Connor, and Gov. Mike Dunleavy, the commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District endorsed an agreement that advances construction of the Kenai Bluffs Bank Stabilization Project during a ceremony on Sept. 25 in the community.

    Alaska District to begin major infrastructure projects in 2024, emphasis on best small business practices

    The Alaska District is preparing for a productive 2024 construction season in the Last Frontier. The organization's robust workload includes major infrastructure construction efforts under the district's civil and military programs in every corner of the state.

  • November

    An aerial view of Dutch Harbor Naval Air Station on July 21, 1943, reveals a runway and other key features of the remote area’s abundant military construction.

    Capturing a Storied Past: Historical Photo Analysis Guides Restoration Work at World War II Site in Alaska

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Alaska District, in collaboration with the USACE Army Geospatial Center, is using historical photographic analysis to help determine the locations of structures, features and abandoned military munitions on Amaknak and Unalaska Islands.