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Hi, I'm Col. Rhett Blackmon and welcome to the Galveston District! We are part of the U.S. Army’s winning team as the world’s premier engineering organization. We are a full-spectrum engineer force of high quality, dedicated soldiers and civilians. We are also your neighbors, your friends, and your family, striving to make a positive impact on people's lives.
It's important to note that our progress would not be possible without our federal, state and local agencies, collaboration with tribal nations, as well as partnering with industry and academia, both old and new.
Just a few examples of our team's recent efforts include:
▪ USACE currently has around 450 people from across the United States (including from our team at Galveston) actively supporting wildfire recovery efforts with Los Angeles County, the state of California, and FEMA. It's a great feeling to see the real-time, positive impacts we're making for the people of Altadena.
▪ Our District recently supported the leadership development of junior officers and senior noncommissioned officers from the "Lumberjacks" of the 20th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, from Fort Cavazos, Texas, with an overview tour of the District's operations and civil works projects. Watch our report here.
▪ Corpus Christi Ship Channel Improvement Project ribbon cutting ceremony (story link)
Please don't hesitate to contact our staff on our Contact page if you have any questions, comments or concerns.
Building Strong, Army Strong, Essayons!
Col. Rhett Blackmon, Galveston District Commander
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is a federal agency in the Department of Defense that provides vital public engineering services across the United States and around the world.
Our missions include maintaining and improving the nation’s waterways for navigation, reducing risk from floods and natural disasters, building and managing military and civil infrastructure, restoring and protecting the environment, and supporting emergency response and recovery. Our work strengthens national security, supports economic growth through reliable infrastructure, and enhances community resilience — positively impacting millions of lives through sustainable engineering solutions.
We have approximately 37,000 dedicated civilians and Soldiers delivering engineering services to customers in more than 130 countries worldwide. Through deeds, not words, we are BUILDING STRONG.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District has a rich heritage in Texas history and plays a key role in America’s well-being. We serve the nation as part of the world’s largest public engineering, design and construction management agency, and we successfully execute our mission of providing vital public engineering services in peace and war to strengthen our nation’s security, energize the economy and reduce risks from disasters.
Our Area of Responsibility spans 50,000 square miles, encompassing the Texas coast from Louisiana to Mexico (an area that includes 48 counties, two parishes and 16 congressional districts.) Our AoR also contains more than 1,000 miles of channels (750 shallow-draft and 250 deep-draft) serving 28 ports and 700 miles of coastline.
We are one of four districts (Galveston, Forth Worth, Little Rock and Tulsa) in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Southwestern Division (headquartered in Dallas).
Mission: The USACE Galveston District is committed to providing vital public engineering services in peace and war to strengthen our nation's security, energize the economy and reduce risks from disasters.
Vision: A great engineering force of highly disciplined people working with our partners through disciplined thought and action to deliver innovative and sustainable solutions to the nation's engineering challenges.
From the natural beaches of Sabine Pass near Port Arthur, to the rich diversity of bird and marine wildlife along the Laguna Madre near Port Isabel, the sweep of the Texas coast contains varied and fragile ecosystems juxtaposed with highly industrialized areas that host a national economic powerhouse.
We are involved in virtually every mile of the 367-mile coastline, and play an integral role in both the preservation of nature’s treasures that are a living part of the Texas coastal region, as well as serving and preserving the industries that fuel commerce and power our nation. USACE has been an active player in the development of the Texas coast for many years, but a milestone was the establishment of the Galveston District in 1880 to oversee river and harbor improvements along the entire Texas coast. Nearly 20 years later, after the Great Storm of 1900, USACE helped Galveston recover from the deadliest hurricane in American history and build protection against future hurricanes. That protection, the iconic Galveston Seawall, helped protect Galveston during Hurricane Ike in 2008.
Over the years, our involvement with the Texas coast has seen the construction and maintenance of 1,000 miles of channel with 16 major deep draft ports along the Texas coast that generate over $9 billion in federal tax revenue through the handling of more than 500 million tons of cargo annually. Our projects and oversight includes:
Executive Office The executive office and subordinate offices directly support the Commander and Deputy Commander.
Counsel The Office of Counsel is primarily responsible for the delivery of USACE legal services to the Galveston District. This includes preventative law, alternate disputes resolution, and ensuring compliance with government regulations, policy and guidance.
Emergency Management Emergency Management's primary mission is emergency preparedness and coordinating response for natural disasters and/or national emergencies.
Equal Employment Opportunity The EEO Office provides leadership and direction in creating and sustaining a diverse workforce and an environment free of discrimination at USACE. The EEO Office and USACE work proactively to enhance the employment of women, minorities, veterans, and people with disabilities. This is achieved through policy development, oversight, complaints prevention, outreach, education and training programs.
Internal Review The Internal Review Office mission is to provide independent, objective, reliable and timely auditing service to improve programs and operations, as well as ensure compliance with laws, regulations and policies. One of their key roles is to monitor risks and ensure that controls in place to mitigate those risks. Internal review is available to the command to help identify efficiencies, strengthen management control systems and improve the effectiveness of risk management.
Public Affairs The Public Affairs Office is the principal point of contact for the Galveston District. The PAO is responsible for ensuring that the public is informed about the District's activities and about the priorities and policies of USACE.
Resource Management Office Resource Management mission responsibilities include: providing sound financial leadership, enhancing internal controls, and upholding fiscal accountability while providing timely, accurate, and reliable financial information.
Safety and Occupational Health Safety and Occupational Health provides the commander and staff with advice and assistance in planning, organizing, directing, and evaluation of safety and health programs. They ensure that required safety features are incorporated into all plans, designs, specifications, operating and maintenance procedures and training programs.
Security The Security Program's mission includes physical security, personnel security, communications security, operations security and information systems security. This ensures USACE employees and visitors will have a safe and secure environment in which to operate.
Small Business and Disadvantaged Business Their mission is to develop small businesses and maximizes their opportunities for procurements within our footprint on a continual basis, thereby ensuring a broad base of capable small business firms to support our mission and strengthen our Nation’s economic development.
Contracting Division Contracting Division provides comprehensive acquisition solutions in times of peace, war and disaster for the Galveston District and our partners. We provide many business opportunities in the civilian community through our missions of navigation, flood risk management, ecosystem restoration, emergency management, beneficial use, regulatory, and support for others.
A/E and Construction Branch Responsible for administration and award of A/E design and professional services contracts; Coordinates all Engineering during Construction performed by A/E firms; Maintains liaison with A/E firms during life of design contract.
Business Oversight Branch The Business Operations Branch of Contracting Division is responsible for policy development and implementation, regulatory compliance, peer reviews, cost price analysis, systems analysis, procurement analysis, responding to information requests, budgeting and financial performance.
Mega Projects Branch Services and Supplies Branch Services and Support Contracts Branch prepares and issues solicitations and awards contracts for service and supply requirements.
Engineering and Construction Division Engineering and Construction Division provides management of quality engineering and construction products and services. We provide oversight on navigation and flood related projects, and oversee permit procedures and real estate functions. The Engineering and Construction Division has three main branches that, in turn, have subordinate sections and offices.
H&H Reservoir Control Branch
Geospatial Branch Geospatial Services is a team of geospatial specialists consisting of engineers, physical scientists, and geographers that provides geospatial consulting services and integrates geospatial technology into the project management business process. This includes:
Hurricane Flood Risk Reduction Design Branch
Construction Branch Construction Branch develops and implements District policy for construction management functions and advises designers and contracting officers on construction and contract management matters. Our goal is to provide quality products and services through state-of-the-art technology, ensuring uncompromised quality to our customers. Our purpose is to manage construction to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and customer satisfaction with attention to safety, the environment, quality, timeliness, and budget. The EC Division is also responsible for all construction program requirements, including contract administration, quality assurance, construction management, and technical services.
Mega Projects Division
Operations Division Operations Branch constructs, operates and maintains Galveston District's navigation and flood control projects.
Navigation Branch Navigation Branch provides safe, reliable, efficient, and environmentally sustainable waterborne transportation systems (channels, harbors, and waterways) for movement of commerce, national security needs, and recreation. Activities in the Civil Works Navigation Program include planning, designing, constructing, operating, maintaining, and further improving navigation channels, locks and dams.
Operations Branch The Operations Branch oversees water navigation, hydropower, geospatial data, recreation, coastal management, and emergency operations.
Programs and Project Management Division The programs and project management division is responsible for project management and general oversight for all district work, including water resources projects, project operation and maintenance, support to other agencies and military projects or programs. Program Management Branch oversees program analysis and development for the District. It administers the Planning, Programs and Project Management Division, or P3MD, operating budget, develops program budget guidance for use by each branch chief in preparing their annual budget submission in close coordination with the Resource Management Office. Project Management Branch is responsible for overall management of the District's civil works, military and environmental project workload. Serves as the principal advisor to the project manager on project schedule and fund management and other issues on assigned projects. Participates as a key member of the District's Congressional briefing team as well as in briefings to potential regional, state, and local project sponsors. Regulatory Division The Regulatory Office issues permits for proposed regulated activities. Areas that the Galveston District regulates include, but are not limited to, tidal marshes, seasonally saturated forested and non-forested wetlands, swamps, rivers, bays, and streams. Compliance Branch Evaluation Branch Policy Analysis Branch Admin Unit
Real Estate Division Acquires, manages and disposes of real estate; Executes DoD executive agent responsibilities; Executes specialized programs; Provides real estate services on an as-needed basis to our government partners; and Performs unique contingency capabilities. Management and Disposal Branch
Acquisition and Realty Services Branch
Appraisal Branch
Mega Projects Support Branch
Other
ACE-IT U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Information Technology is the enterprise IT service delivery team for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. ACE-IT supports the mission requirements of USACE customers by delivering mission-focused IT services using an enterprise service delivery model. ACE-IT designs, engineers and operates two major data centers and a worldwide data network, in addition to providing direct on-site command and control, coordination, planning and operations and maintenance support for routine and emergency information technology resources and services.
Human Resources At USACE, a Civilian Personnel Advisory Center (CPAC) is used interchangeably with Human Resources (HR). The CPAC is a regionalized personnel action center assigned to a specific command or installation. The CPAC manages recruits/hires, staffing actions, classification, in- and out-processing, employee relations, and labor relations.
Library Program The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Library Program offers many different resources to its customers, including reference, interlibrary borrowing, Internet and database searching, regulations and policy and maps for review and downloading.
Logistics Management The Office of Logistics Management provides infrastructure support and program management in the areas of maintenance management, transportation management, supply and facilities management; and travel, transportation, warehousing, property, office moves, building and grounds maintenance, locksmithing, and custodial services.
Planning and Environmental The Planning and Environmental Branch is responsible for initiating studies of various water resources related projects and developing recommendations to Congress on the appropriateness of funding these projects. These studies involve flood risk management, navigation, shore protection, environmental restoration and recreation. We provide expertise in plan formulation, environmental planning and economic analysis, and are responsible for the Continuing Authorities Program and Planning Assistance to States programs, which provide information and assistance on water resource concerns to the public.