Army Corps of Engineers: Difference between revisions

|OrganizationType=Executive Departments

|Mission=The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provides vital public engineering services in peace and war to strengthen national security, energize the economy, and reduce risks from disasters. Its activities include military construction, civil works projects, and environmental engineering.

|Employees=37000

|Budget=$7.5 billion (fiscal year 2023)

|Services=Military construction; Civil works; Environmental restoration; Navigation; Flood risk management

|Regulations=Clean Water Act; Rivers and Harbors Act

|HeadquartersAddress=441 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20314

}}

The '''United States Army Corps of Engineers''' ('''USACE''') is the [[military engineering]] branch of the [[United States Army]]. A direct reporting unit (DRU), it has three primary mission areas: [[#The Engineer Regiment|Engineer Regiment]], [[military construction]], and [[civil works]]. USACE has 37,000 civilian and military personnel,<ref name="About the US Army Corps of Engineers">{{cite web| url=http://www.usace.army.mil/About.aspx |title=About -- Headquarters U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |publisher=usace.army.mil |access-date=2015-01-12}}</ref> making it one of the world's largest [[public services|public]] engineering, design, and [[construction management]] agencies. The USACE workforce is approximately 97% civilian, 3% active duty military.  The civilian workforce is primarily located in the United States, Europe and in select Middle East office locations.  Civilians do not function as active duty military and are not required to be in active war and combat zones; however, volunteer (with pay) opportunities do exist for civilians to do so.

The day-to-day activities of the three mission areas are administered by a [[Lieutenant general (United States)|lieutenant general]] known as the [[List of United States Army Corps of Engineers Chiefs of Engineers|chief of engineers]]/commanding general. The chief of engineers commands the Engineer Regiment, comprising [[combat engineer]], rescue, construction, dive, and other specialty units, and answers directly to the [[Chief of Staff of the United States Army|Chief of Staff of the Army]]. Combat engineers, sometimes called [[sappers]], form an integral part of the Army's [[combined arms|combined arms team]] and are found in all Army service components: Regular Army, [[United States National Guard|National Guard]], and [[United States Army Reserve|Army Reserve]]. Their duties are to breach obstacles; construct fighting positions, fixed/floating bridges, and obstacles and defensive positions; place and detonate explosives; conduct route clearance operations; emplace and detect landmines; and fight as provisional infantry when required. For the military construction mission, the chief of engineers is directed and supervised by the Assistant Secretary of the Army for installations, environment, and energy, whom the President appoints and the Senate confirms. Military construction relates to construction on military bases and worldwide installations.

Civil works are managed and supervised by the [[Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works)|Assistant Secretary of the Army]]. Army civil works include three [[United States Congress|U.S. Congress]]-authorized business lines: navigation, flood and storm damage protection, and aquatic ecosystem restoration. Civil works is also tasked with administering the [[Clean Water Act]] Section 404 program, including recreation, hydropower, and water supply at USACE flood control reservoirs, and environmental infrastructure. The civil works staff oversee construction, operation, and maintenance of dams, [[canals]] and [[flood protection]] in the U.S., as well as a wide range of [[public works]] throughout the world.<ref name=org>{{cite web| url=http://www.usace.army.mil|title=Headquarters U.S. Army Corps of Engineers|work=army.mil}}</ref> Some of its dams, reservoirs, and flood control projects also serve as public outdoor recreation facilities. Its hydroelectric projects provide 24% of U.S.&nbsp;[[hydropower]] capacity.  

* [[Great Lakes and Ohio River Division]] (LRD), located in [[Cincinnati]]. Reaches from the [[St Lawrence Seaway]], across the [[Great Lakes]], down the [[Ohio River Valley]] to the [[Tennessee River|Tennessee]] and [[Cumberland River|Cumberland]] rivers. Covers {{convert|355300|sqmi|km2}}, parts of 17 states. Serves 56 million people. Its seven districts are located in [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]], Chicago, [[Detroit]], [[Louisville, Kentucky|Louisville]], [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]], [[Pittsburgh]], and [[Huntington, West Virginia]]. The division commander serves on two national and international decision-making bodies: co-chair of the Lake Superior, Niagara, and Ontario/St Lawrence Seaway boards of control; and the [[Mississippi River Commission]].

* [[Mississippi Valley Division]] (MVD), located in [[Vicksburg, Mississippi]].<ref name=serving/> Reaches from Canada to the [[Gulf of Mexico]]. Covers {{convert|370000|sqmi|km2}}, and portions of 12 states bordering the [[Mississippi River]]. Serves 28 million people. Its six districts are located in [[Saint Paul, Minnesota|St. Paul, Minnesota]], [[Rock Island, Illinois]], [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]], [[Vicksburg, Mississippi|Vicksburg]], and [[New Orleans]]. MVD serves as headquarters for the Mississippi River Commission.

* [[Northwestern Division]] (NWD), located in [[Portland, Oregon]].<ref name=serving/> Reaches from Canada to California, and from the Pacific Ocean to [[Missouri]]. Covers nearly {{convert|1000000|sqmi|km2}} in all or parts of 14 states. Its five districts are located in [[Omaha, Nebraska|Omaha]], [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], Seattle, [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]], and [[Walla Walla, Washington|Walla Walla]]. NWD has 35% of the total Corps of Engineers' water storage capacity and 75% of the total hydroelectric capacity.

* [[Pacific Ocean Division]] (POD), located at [[Fort Shafter]], Hawaii.<ref name=serving/> Reaches across 12 million square miles of the Pacific Ocean from the [[Arctic Circle]] to [[American Samoa]] below the equator and across the [[International Date Line]], and into Asia. Includes the territories of [[Guam]], [[American Samoa]] and the [[Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands]] as well as the Freely Associated States including the [[Palau|Republic of Palau]], [[Federated States of Micronesia]] and the [[Marshall Islands|Republic of the Marshall Islands]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.poh.usace.army.mil |title=Honolulu District Corps of Engineers |publisher=Poh.usace.army.mil |access-date=2012-10-09}}</ref> Its four districts are located in [[Japan]]; [[Seoul]], [[South Korea]]; [[Anchorage, Alaska]]; and [[Honolulu]]. Unlike other military work, POD designs and builds for all of the military services&nbsp;— Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines&nbsp;— in Japan, Korea, and [[Kwajalein Atoll]].