Luis Deya, Author at America's Engineers

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), South Atlantic Division (SAD) welcomed Colonel Charles L. Decker as the first Task Force Virgin Island Puerto Rico (TF VIPR) commander at an assumption of command ceremony held at Fort Buchanan, PR. The ceremony was officiated by Brig. Gen. Daniel Hibner, commanding general, SAD.

Colonel Charles L. Decker, Commander, Task Force US Virgin Islands Puerto Rico (TF VIPR), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

"It is an honor and privilege to serve as the very first Commander of Task Force VIPR. There is no other team, no other mission, and no other place that I would rather be serving,” said COL Decker. “We are all looking to the future with excitement as we continue building a foundation of trust with our communities, growing a Task Force full of talented professionals, and finding creative ways to solve our complex problems.”

COL Decker brings more than 26 years of military leadership to the position. In his previous two assignments, he was the Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) Plans Officer for the 1st Mission Support Command in Fort Buchanan, PR, and Commander of the 841st Engineer Battalion in Miami, FL.
Decker is no stranger to USACE and served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel and Sustainment to an Area Command and as a Program Liaison Officer for the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center in Huntsville, AL.

In April 2023, the Chief of Engineers approved SAD’s proposal to stand up TF VIPR, a crucial role in providing leadership, oversight, and support of USACE Civil Works and public infrastructure projects in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, and to provide construction management of all construction activities while improving workload balance across the region.

TF VIPR will have a dedicated and focused team that will sustain and build relationships with all stakeholders through effective, proactive, synchronized communications while efficiently executing their programs.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), South Atlantic Division (SAD) program has grown exponentially in terms of the number of projects and funding since 2017. Congress passed supplemental funding bills (BBA 18, DRSAA, and BIL) between 2018 and 2022 that provided powers and appropriations throughout USACE and SAD. The increase was due to the impact of natural disasters on the island, as well as increased requirements in the civil works (CW), military construction (MILCON), inter-agency and international support (IIS), and environment programs. Due to these increases USACE took a new approach and created Task Force U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico (TF VIPR) to meet the demand and speed of projects.

On May 19, 2023, Congresswoman Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon made the announcement of TF VIPR establishment during a press conference alongside Brig. Gen. Daniel Hibner, commander U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, South Atlantic Division.

Wilmel Varela, right, the resident engineer for Army Corps of Engineers construction and military projects in Puerto Rico, surveys the levee construction underway in Yauco, Puerto Rico, Nov. 6, 2017. Varela, along with a team of engineers and support staff, worked long hours in order to expedite the levee project after the Yauco River burst over its banks into the Lucchetti community, destroying homes and forcing the evacuation of residents. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Evan Lane)

“USACE created an exclusive work group to attend reconstruction here in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands,” Gonzalez, said. “The volume of projects and budget is such that Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands needed a dedicated team to attend the workload, and therefore Task Force VIPR has been created. I welcome this Task Force and I vow to continue to work closely with them so that our people can be safe in the face of natural disasters.”

TF VIPR with its own command and leadership structure will focus on all current and future civil projects in their area of responsibility.

“The extraordinary size, complexity, and requirement to put these projects in place will take extraordinary measures,” Hibner, said. “I have directed the stand up of a new organization, Task Force VIPR, that will focus and sole responsibility for implementation of construction projects in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Lt. Gen. Scott A. Spellmon, USACE Chief of Engineers, Mr. Michael Connor, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works and all USACE is in full support of Task Force VIPR to deliver these critical programs for the islands.”

The new approach of establishing TF VIPR is unprecedented in two main areas: first time a commander with the rank of colonel will oversee a district-size task force here on the island and the program has more projects and more funding now than in the entire history of USACE engagement in Puerto Rico. Antilles Area Office reports to USACE Jacksonville District but TF VIPR will report directly to SAD as part of the new structure, which will also accelerate decision making.

This transition is so important that SAD has already identified the commander of TF VIPR, Col. Kelcey Shaw, who will report July 2023. The Task Force is currently identifying the right professionals with the right knowledge and skills within USACE to incorporate them into TF VIPR. This expertise with the addition of new and passionate leadership will be growing to fit the mission. There will be new positions advertised as well as the use of contractors to meet additional requirements.

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