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Transatlantic Division News

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Archive: 2019
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  • August

    ​E. Scott Lowdermilk (center), the Transatlantic Division Chief of Plans and Operations, receives the Army Engineer Association's Silver Order of the de Fleury Medal at his retirement ceremony from both the military and civilian service on Aug. 2, 2019, after a career that spanned 38 years. Presenting the award to Lowdermilk are Maj. Gen. Donald Jackson (left) and Maj. Gen. Robert Carlson (right).

    Lowdermilk retires after 38 years of military, civilian service

    Transatlantic Division employee E. Scott Lowdermilk retired from both federal civil service and the U.S. Army Reserves on Aug. 2, 2019, during a dual-retirement ceremony that took place on the campus of Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia, in front of a crowd of more than 250 of his colleagues, peers and friends. In addition to the event celebrating both a military and civilian retirement, it was unique in that two Army Major Generals hosted the event: Maj. Gen. Donald Jackson, Deputy Inspector General of the United States Army Inspector General Agency, oversaw Lowdermilk's civil service retirement and Maj. Gen. Robert Carlson, Senior Military Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, oversaw the military retirement.

  • July

    Army Reserve Col. Scott Lowdermilk, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Transatlantic Division Director of Plans and Operations (left) and TAD Commander Col. Chris Beck (right) present a retirement flag to Army Reserve Col. Todd M. Heuser (center), who retired July 13, 2019, after a 30-year military career, during a ceremony held in Winchester, Virginia.

    Heuser retires from military service; heads to Army War College as a civilian

    Army Reserve Col. Todd M. Heuser was retired July 13, 2019, at the George Washington Hotel in downtown Winchester, Virginia, after a 30-year military career. And, in an unusual twist, he was also “farewelled” from his civilian position as the Transatlantic Division’s Chief of Plans as he departs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to attend the Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Usually, military colonels attend the Army’s senior service school while still in uniform; however, it is open to members of the civil service ranks. Heuser will be a part of the Class of 2020, where he will earn a Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies following 10-months of rigorous study at the college.
  • Col. Chris Becking assumes command of the Transatlantic Afghanistan District during the informal Change of Command Ceremony held July 15 at the District headquarters.

    Becking assumes command of Transatlantic Afghanistan District

    The Transatlantic Afghanistan District welcomes new commanding officer Col. Chris Becking.
  • The new AAFES Exchange on Erbil AB in Iraq officially opens July 4, 2019. It will serve a significant base population of U.S. and coalition soldiers and civilians. The new facility replaces a mobile expeditionary unit which consists of two semi-trailers providing approximately 650 square-feet of retail space. The new store has more than 2,100 square feet of retail floor space to provide necessary commodities and popular merchandise. It will also have a Western Union financial service area, almost 500 square-feet of warehouse space and stocking area, administrative office space, a dedicated communications closet, and covered exterior entrance and break areas.

    New AAFES Exchanging opening in Iraq on July 4th

    The coalition members assigned to Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve will soon have a new AAFES Exchange at Erbil Air Base in Iraq, thanks in part, to the hard work and dedication of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Task Force Essayons (TFE). The new Exchange, which will officially open July 4, 2019, in line with the Independence Day celebrations on Erbil, will serve a significant base population of U.S. and coalition soldiers and civilians.

  • June

    Lt. Gen. Todd T. Semonite, the 54th Chief of Engineers and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Commanding General, passes the Transatlantic Division flag to incoming commander Col. Christopher G. Beck during a Change of Command ceremony held June 26, 2019 in Winchester, Va. The change of command is a military tradition that represents a formal transfer of authority from one commanding officer to another.

    Beck takes command of Transatlantic Division

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Transatlantic Division held a Change of Command ceremony June 26, 2019, at the Winchester National Guard Armory, as the division’s outgoing commander, Col. Mark C. Quander, relinquished his command to Col. Christopher G. Beck. The change of command – a military tradition that represents a formal transfer of authority from one commanding officer to another – was hosted by Lt. Gen. Todd T. Semonite, the 54th Chief of Engineers and USACE Commanding General.
  • The men and women of the Mosul Dam Task Force stand on the top of the Mosul Dam spillway. The Mosul Dam Project was a 3-year partnership started in 2016 as a joint venture among the Iraq Ministry of Water Resources, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Italian Company Trevi S.p.A. in an effort to stabilize and repair the dam, and update the infrastructure of the dam.The dam sits in a valley along the Tigris River approximately 30 miles outside Mosul City in Iraq. It is the largest dam in Iraq, and the fourth largest in the Middle East, and supplies water, hydropower, irrigation and flood control to the region.

    Mosul Dam Task Force celebrates mission completion

    When a heavy downpour the morning of June 15, 2019, dumped even more water into the 32 billion gallons already in the reservoir of Iraq’s Mosul Dam, it didn’t faze the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) staff, the Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) employees, or the Italian Contractors working inside and on top of the dam, because they knew that despite record rainfalls this past Winter, Mosul Dam was standing strong. In fact, the rain was a welcomed addition to the day because it cooled down the entire valley a few hours prior to the arrival of several dignitaries, including U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Matthew H. Tueller, Iraq Minister of Water Resources Jamal Abbas al-Adili, and Italian Ambassador to Iraq Bruno Pasquino, who were travelling to Mosul Dam to formally recognize the conclusion of the largest drilling and grouting project currently in the world, and to celebrate the full return of the drilling and grouting operations back to the Iraqis.
  • Capt. Laura Winn (left) is presented with an Army Commendation Medal by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mosul Dam Task Force Commander Col. Philip Secrist during a ceremony held in Mosul, Iraq on June 14, 2019. Winn served as a battle captain, requesting and monitoring air movements for the entire task force, maintaining accountability and force-protection procedures.Mosul Dam is a well-designed and well-constructed dam that is unique in that it requires continuous maintenance grouting operations due to the geology under the dam. USACE arrived at Mosul Dam in September 2016 to serve as “the Engineer” providing construction management, quality assurance, engineering and technical oversight and project management services in connection with a contract between Iraq and an Italian company for maintenance grouting and rehabilitation of the bottom outlet of the Mosul Dam.

    Mosul Dam Task Force members earn awards

    Seven members of the Mosul Dam Task Force (MDTF) in Northern Iraq received Army Commendation Medals for their work providing engineering excellence to the Government of Iraq’s Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) and the during a ceremony that took place June 14, 2019, at the Mosul Dam Project site in Iraq.
  • Operations and Maintenance work takes place throughout Afghanistan projects.

    Focusing on TAA's #1 Line of Effort

    The Transatlantic Afghanistan District works from three Lines of Effort and we'll focus on Line of Effort 1 as we work with our stakeholders and customers in theater.
  • The Kandahar Project Delivery Platform Engineering Team joins in to the Awards Ceremony in Bagram via Virtual Teleconferencing from Kandahar to be a part of the final presentation to Ms. Kolevski.

    Engineering excellence earns top award recognition

    The Transatlantic Afghanistan District bids farewell to its Chief Engineering and Technical Services civilian following a successful deployment delivering the program in theater.

  • May

    Middle East District Commander Col. Stephen Bales, Supervisor Carlos Ramos, Contract Specialist Andrea Greene, Program Manager Pete DeMattei, Supervisor Annie Cain and Transatlantic Division Commander Col. Mark C. Quander, pose for a group photo following the presentation of Civilian Service Commendation Medals to Greene and DeMattei, during a ceremony held at the TAD headquarters in Winchester, Va., on April 25, 2019.

    TAM employees receive 'impact awards' for work in Bahrain

    Transatlantic Middle East District employees Andrea Greene and Peter DeMattei were presented with the Army Civilian Service Commendation Medal during a surprise ceremony held at the TAD headquarters in Winchester, Va., on April 25, 2019. The Civilian Service Commendation Medal is the civilian equivalent of the Army Commendation Medal and is awarded for very specific levels of achievement by civilian employees.