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  • July

    Middle East District Engineering Division Branch Chief Tom Stephenson shares his inspiration for establishing a scholarship for students interested in pursuing STEM careers during the presentation to the first recipient, Zachary Harner.

    Scholarship STEMS from love of engineering

    When it comes to supporting the future of science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers, the Middle East District’s Tom Stephenson puts his money where his mouth is by establishing a scholarship for students interested in STEM careers.

  • June

    Naval Support Activity Bahrain along with personnel from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Navy Medicine held a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new medical and dental clinic on Naval Support Activity Bahrain. The new 56,000 square foot facility, will substantially increase medical capacities and capabilities for sailors and their families stationed in Bahrain. Construction was overseen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and completed in December of 2019.

    NSA Bahrain Cuts Ribbon on new USACE Built Medical Facility

    The Naval Medical Readiness and Training Unit (NMRTU) Bahrain held a ribbon cutting ceremony marking the successful completion of the USACE-built multi-faceted medical clinic on June 16. The ceremony was led by Navy Capt. Greg Smith, the commander of the Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain.
  • Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite, the 54th Chief of Engineers, holds a virtual town hall meeting for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees to encourage them to deploy in support of USACE operations around the U.S. and the world.

    Chief of Engineers Highlights Deployment Opportunities

    The 54th Chief of Engineers, Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite, addressed U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civilians in a virtual town hall meeting Tuesday to encourage them to consider deployment opportunities available within the Corps. The meeting was hosted by the Transatlantic Middle East District’s USACE Contingency Deployment Center (UCDC) and discussed the critical need for volunteers to meet USACE’s ever-expanding missions throughout the United States and the world and benefits, both tangible and intangible, for employees who step up to answer the call.

  • May

    JOC is a contract vehicle that provides an alternative method to fulfill requirements for sustainment, restoration, and modernization projects at the installation, post, camp or station level. TAM has used JOC task orders for work in Kuwait for more than 20 years. (Photo credit Erickson Barnes)

    Old contracting tool leads to new successes in Kuwait

    The Transatlantic Middle East District has a long successful history with Job Order Contracts in Kuwait and just recently, April 30, awarded another Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity Job Order Contracting (JOC) Single Award Task Order Contract (SATOC) for the District’s Kuwait program.
  • 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron maintainers prepare a U-2 Dragon Lady pilot for a mission in support of Operation Inherent Resolve from Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, Mar. 15, 2019. Commonly referred to as the most difficult aircraft to fly in the world, the U-2 Dragon Lady has been host to less than fifteen-hundred pilots since the first flight in 1955. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Gracie I. Lee)

    Middle East District Sets New Standards in Value Engineering

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Transatlantic Middle East District was recently recognized with a Value Engineering Achievement Award for their value engineering efforts as part of a 1.4 billion dollar program to build new facilities and infrastructure at Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates.

  • April

    Captain Colin Sexton, a program manager with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Transatlantic Middle East District coordinates U.S. Army Corps of Engineers COVID response information with other officers deployed to New York to assist with USACE response efforts.

    Middle East District Officers Support COVID-19 Response

    Two captains from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Transatlantic Middle East District (TAM) recently returned from New York City where they had deployed to assist with USACE efforts to build alternate care facilities both in the city and throughout the region.
  • Mechanical Engineer Ryan Alaman rocks his reversible face cover, thanks to Emma Wanamaker, wife of CPT Grant Wanamaker, who made face covers for everyone in the Bahrain Resident Office.

    TAM team demonstrates BUILDING STRONG throughout COVID-19 pandemic

    USACE, including the Transatlantic Middle East District (TAM) has continued their on-going mission while also assisting the nation and numerous federal agencies in this time of crisis, BUILDING STRONG through deeds, not words.
  • Sally Sydnor, a graduating senior at Handley High School in Winchester, Va., works on her U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Internship project from her home in Winchester. Sydnor has been collaborating remotely with mentors from USACE's Transatlantic Middle East District to complete the project due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Despite pandemic, high school intern works with USACE to complete project

    Although COVID-19 virus has led to the cancellation of many of the traditional high school rites of passage around the country, a passion for engineering and an assist from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Transatlantic Middle East District (TAM) helped high school senior Sally Sydnor maintain some sense of normalcy during a final year of high school that has been anything but. Sydnor was in the middle of an engineering internship with the district when schools closed for the year. With her senior year unexpectedly coming to an end, Sydnor decided to see if there was a way she could continue her engineering project.
  • Tina Byrd, Afghanistan District Supply Specialist, guides the Safety Officer as the Big Lift removes an empty container from the USACE Afghanistan District supply yard in an effort to downsize excess storage units.

    Focus on TAM’s Logistics: Large staff element with varied, vital missions

    Logistics mission at the Transatlantic Middle East District (TAM), with offices throughout the Middle East including contingency locations, takes on a whole new level of complexity moving needed people, supplies, and facilities, into position to meet mission requirements both at the TAM headquarters in Winchester and throughout the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
  • A team for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk and Transatlantic Middle East Districts conduct an assessment of a facility in Northern Virginia to determine its suitability for COVID-19 response. A facility assessment does not mean that a facility will be used.

    Middle East District Assists with Coronavirus Assessments

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Transatlantic Middle East District (TAM) mission is primarily outside the continental U.S but USACE’s Norfolk District asked for assistance in conducting assessments of Northern Virginia facilities that could potentially be adapted as alternate care facilities (ACF) and Team TAM members were happy to assist.

  • March

    Hear remarks by Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy and Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite, USACE Commanding General and 54th U.S. Army Chief of Engineers, specific to support by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to the national Coronavirus response. These clips are excerpts from today's press conference in the Pentagon. The full event, including remarks by Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy; Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. James McConville; Army Corps of Engineers Commander Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite; and Army Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Scott Dingle can also be viewed here: https://facebook.com/DeptofDefense/videos/2643688735757461/

    USACE Support to COVID-19 Response

    Hear remarks by Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy and Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite, USACE Commanding General and 54th U.S. Army Chief of Engineers, specific to support by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to the national Coronavirus response. These clips are excerpts from the March 20, 2020 press conference in the Pentagon. https://www.facebook.com/USACEHQ/videos/215875549492744/ The full event, including remarks by Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy; Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. James McConville; Army Corps of Engineers Commander Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite; and Army Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Scott Dingle can also be viewed here: https://facebook.com/DeptofDefense/videos/2643688735757461/

  • Memo from the Director of Contracting re: COVID-19

    For USACE Contractors, As the Director of Contracting for the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, I wanted to personally reach out to all of you and let you know that we are actively monitoring the situation in regards to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Attached is the guidance we received on planning for potential Novel Coronavirus Contract Impacts.

  • February

    Capt. Greg Smith, commanding officer of Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain, cuts a ribbon with senior American and Bahraini leaders to celebrate the opening of the renovated Mina Salman Pier. NSA Bahrain enables the forward operations and responsiveness of U.S. and allied forces in support of Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central’s mission to provide services to the fleet, warfighter and family

    District Completes Critical Project 6 Months Ahead of Original Schedule

    A ribbon cutting ceremony held on February 20th marked the completion of a new $49.6 million steel and concrete pier project at the U.S. Navy base in Bahrain. The pier, built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Middle East District, will enhance the Navy’s operational readiness in the region. Previously, the Navy had been using barges for much of the work on ships that can now be done while docked at the pier.

  • January

    TAM Commander COL Philip Secrist shows an example of another bridge built my the daughter of a past commander. The bridge is used routinely as an example of the bridge spanning a 12-inch gap.

    Middle East District Commander motivates young students through STEM

    Middle East District Commander Col. Philip Secrist facilitated STEM-generated smiles, grins and gasps of excitement during his visit to STARBASE Academy in Winchester, Va., on 10 JAN.
  • Members of the Kuwaiti Military Engineering Projects Office and program managers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Middle East District pose for a photo outside the historic courthouse in Winchester, VA where the District headquarters is located.

    Building relationships and infrastructure facilities with Kuwait

    USACE’s Middle East District recently began a design review with the Kuwaiti Air Force on $140 million worth of construction on a Kuwait FMS case to support Kuwait’s newly purchased F/A-18E/F Super Hornets. The design program is the continuance of a survey of existing facilities at Al Jaber air base that identified new hangars, parking aprons, maintenance facilities and other needed infrastructure to operate and maintenance the arriving F-18 fighter jets.

  • October

    The Egyptian government has purchased F-16s through Peace Vector program during the past two decades. This photo, from the Middle East District's Mt. Weather Bulletin in October 1982, during the District's involvement with Peace Vector II.

    Middle East District involvement with Peace Vector Program

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, through its Middle East District, has been involved with the Peace Vector Program in Egypt since November 1980, supporting the United States’ sale of F-16 aircraft to the Egyptian Government.
  • Team members from the U.S. Air Force Security Assistance and Cooperation Directorate, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the contractor, AICI. All worked closely with the Egyptian Air Force Armament Department to bring Peace Vector VII to the ribbon cutting.

    Peace Vector VII Ribbon Cutting held

    A celebration marking the completion of the Peace Vector VII Program was held at Cairo West Air Base in Egypt on Sept. 11, 2019.

  • September

    Saudi Arabia, King Khalid Military City Centrum - Program from the late 70s to mid-1980s.

    Celebrating 10 years as USACE Middle East District

    October 1, 2019 marks ten years of providing engineering design and construction services to support U.S. policy and defense objectives as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Middle East District. The District has a rich history of support to the nation and its military forces in vital overseas regions with roots stretching directly back to the first USACE organizations in the region during the 1950s. The organization has been reorganized, molded, upsized and downsized to fit the mission partners’ needs and requirements.
  • COL Philip Secrist, TAM Commander, hands Mike Graham his certificate of retirement while Mike's wife Shannon looks on. Mike completed 41 years of federal service including 10 as an Army engineer, 28 Sep. 2019.

    41-year federal career thoughtfully ends at fiscal year-end

    Mike Graham is retiring from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Middle East District and ending his 41-year federal service career. Following 10 years as an Army engineer officer, Graham joined the federal civilian work force and spent time with both the Kansas City and Savannah Districts before joining the Middle East District (TAM) in 2006.
  • Photo of 8 construction workers in a group shot. One is being given the rabbit ears gesture used in photos.

    USACE Dive Safety Experts Support Overseas Construction Projects

    That ability to reach out and utilize expertise from another district is known as reach back and it’s a resource USACE’s Transatlantic Middle East District (TAM) used when it was in need of dive safety support. While many USACE districts maintain dams, levees and other water related infrastructure with a need for dive safety expertise, TAM’s primary mission is supporting USCENTCOM and allied partners in the Middle East. Recently however, the district found itself working a pier refurbishment project for the U.S. Navy in Bahrain that included the need for safety dive plans and observation support for several dives by the contractor.