SOUTH ATLANTIC DIVISION Archives

The attendees of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, South Atlantic Division fourth quarter FY 2023 Regional Governance Meeting pose for a group photo outside the Huntsville Engineering Support Center in Huntsville, Alabama, July 27, 2023. The four-day meeting provided the attendees the opportunity to present topics for decision to the SAD commander and offered site visits to the various projects around Redstone Arsenal. (U.S. Army photo by Chuck Walker)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District hosted the 4th Quarter FY 2023 USACE South Atlantic Division Regional Governance meeting at the USACE Huntsville Engineering and Support Center in Alabama.

The four-day meeting provided an opportunity for district commanders, deputy for programs and project management and other staff to present topics requiring decisions from the SAD commanding general.

Brigadier Gen. Daniel Hibner, USACE South Atlantic Division commander, said the RGM is the place where decisions impact the division and the region are made to ensure the success of projects and the districts.

“Our regional governance provides the venue for regional decisions to be made, particularly decisions impacting balancing our workload to workforce,” Hibner said. “In terms of workload and workforce, what we have to do is align what we currently do, with what must do; and where we want to be, in order to achieve our goals in our program. We also need to meet our goals delivering quality projects, on time, within budget, safely and that is why we come together quarterly. It is to ensure we are winning.”

Brigadier Gen. Daniel Hibner, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, South Atlantic Division commander, center, listens to a presentation by a of the district commander during the fourth quarter FY 2023 SAD Regional Governance Meeting at the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, Alabama, July 25, 2023. (U.S. Army photo by Chuck Walker)

During the week, participants not only met to make decisions, but toured various project sites at the Redstone Arsenal.

Col. Jeremy Chapman, Mobile District commander, said the RGM and the site visits helped senior leaders see how important Redstone Arsenal is and helped them in prioritizing projects.

“I want to thank our partners across Redstone Arsenal that supported our site visits and educated our senior leaders on the strategic importance of Rocket City and the many commands that call the arsenal home,” Chapman said. “Our regional meeting assisted the division in prioritizing our heavy workload and cross-leveling projects to work as a team.

One of the visits on the tour was to the new USACE Huntsville Engineering and Support Center which is still under construction.

A construction contractor leads a tour of the new U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville Engineering and Support Center building under construction at Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama, July 27, 2023. The new building is utilizing the Enhanced Use Lease Program, an innovative way for USACE leaders to complete projects. (U.S. Army photo by Chuck Walker)

It is being built as an Enhanced Use Lease facility, one of the many innovative ways USACE can utilize in completing projects.

Col. Sebastian P. Joly, USACE Huntsville Engineering and Support Center commander, said he was glad senior leaders got the chance to tour their new facility and was also proud that they were able to showcase what Huntsville does by hosting the RGM.

“The tour of the new Enhanced Use Lease facility on Redstone Arsenal allowed SAD leaders to visualize the benefits of using an innovative approach in meeting an organization’s facility requirement, all under existing USACE real estate authorities,” Joly said. “The U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, was honored to host leaders from across the South Atlantic Division. It afforded us the opportunity to highlight the valuable work that HNC performs in support our stakeholders across the nation, as well as the importance of maintaining rock solid partnerships with the geographic districts in delivering quality products.”

Col. Sebastian P. Joly, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hunstville Engineering and Support Center commander, right, discusses his new building project with Brigadier Gen. Daniel Hibner, South Atlantic Division commander, on the site of the new Engineering and Support Center’ building on Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Ala., July 27, 2023. The new headquarters is being built utilizing the Enhanced Use Lease Program, an innovative way for USACE leaders to get projects completed. (U.S. Army photo by Chuck Walker)

Hibner said he and the leaders from SAD were thankful to HNC for hosting the RGM.

“We are grateful to the Huntsville Engineering and Support Center for hosting us and giving us a tour to show us the specialized technical expertise, global engineering solutions, and cutting-edge innovations that support our national interests,” Hibner said.

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.