4 minute read
Reinforcing Regional Security Today and Into the Future
from America's Engineers: The People, Programs, and Projects of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers '24-'25
BY CHRIS GARDNER
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Europe District has been providing design and construction services in support of U.S. national interests and regional peace and security for decades across Europe and Africa, spanning, the past, present, and future of regional security and operational readiness.
Europe District personnel are playing a key role in the modernization of existing, longstanding U.S. Army and Air Force installations across Western Europe – most dating to the end of World War II. At the same time, the district’s mission has expanded into Eastern Europe with projects in several different countries meant to deter aggression and increase readiness.
advertisement
“Europe District is proud to support our stakeholders and Allies by delivering the facilities needed for success throughout the European theater and across Africa,” said Europe District Commander Col. Dan Kent.
Modernizing existing installations and services throughout Europe remains a key driver of the district’s efforts. One of the biggest examples of this is the new medical center being constructed at Rhine Ordnance Barracks in Germany. The center will replace the nearby aging Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and Ramstein 86th Medical Group Clinic and provide service members and their families with modern, world-class health care facilities well into the future.
Similarly, the district is overseeing more than $1 billion in construction in Baumholder, Germany. This will help enable U.S. special operations forces. Projects include operational facilities and upgrading ranges. Work on modernizing and building new facilities in the Baumholder military community, like a new Army lodge, family housing, and school is also underway.
In Poland, the team recently turned over a new Army Prepositioned Stock site in Powidz, Poland. This NATO-funded project is the first of its kind in Eastern Europe, and will play an important role in the collective security of the alliance’s eastern flank.
Positioning for the future, Europe District personnel are managing projects throughout U.S. European Command sites in Poland, as well as locations at MK Air Base in Romania and Novo Selo Training Area in Bulgaria. Additionally, European Deterrence Initiative (EDI) projects at U.S. and NATO ally bases are strengthening relationships, improving interoperability, and enhancing the capabilities of U.S. forces, NATO Allies, and partners. This effort is also helping Allies and partners to overcome evolving challenges and be able to rapidly respond to crisis.
These include air base improvements at installations in the Baltics, Romania, Hungary, and more. Supporting the growing design and construction missions at the newest U.S. Army installations, as well as additional EDI missions and projects throughout Eastern Europe, represents the future of Europe District’s dynamic growing mission.
Although not to the scale of Europe efforts, the district also provides high-quality engineering, construction, general services, and mission support in several countries throughout U.S. Africa Command’s (AFRICOM) area of responsibility.
AFRICOM, with partners, counters malign actors and transnational threats, responds to crisis, and strengthens security forces, helping advance U.S. national interests and promote regional security, stability and prosperity. Recent projects include an emergency operations center in Togo, school projects in South Africa, Benin, and Gabon, and overall air base improvements in Nigeria. AE
Visit www.Americas-Engineers.com to sign up for a free print edition of our annual publication and to join our weekly newsletter.
