PHILADELPHIA – Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Commanding General and the Chief of Engineers, toured the Philadelphia District and met with leadership, staff, student interns, and the crew of the Dredge McFarland during an April 23 visit.
Bostick discussed challenges and opportunities in a town hall meeting at the District Headquarters in the Wanamaker Building. He spoke about the value USACE provides to the nation and thanked employees for their dedication.
“Each and every one of you is an ambassador for USACE in all aspects of your life,” said Bostick. “People around the world recognize our organization and the services we provide to the public.”
Bostick commended employees for their efforts during the Hurricane Sandy response and emphasized the importance of the District’s capabilities.
“Your expertise – with worldwide power, bridge inspection and maintenance, and environmental remediation to name a few – will position the Philadelphia District for the future,” said Bostick.
The tour included a stop aboard the Dredge McFarland, one of four USACE owned and operated ocean-going hopper dredges. The mighty ‘Mac’ conducts emergency and national defense dredging as well as planned projects in the Delaware River and Bay.
Four USACE student interns from George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science in Philadelphia also had the opportunity to discuss their experiences and aspirations with the Chief. The interns are seniors at Carver and have spent three months rotating through different sections of the Philadelphia District. The curriculum at Carver includes heavy doses of science and math while the workplace rotations help expose students to the team aspect of accomplishing a mission, said Sterling Johnson, a Project Manager with the Philadelphia District. All four of the students will continue their studies next year at universities in the region.
“Having the opportunity to interact with professionals in the workplace has inspired these students as they move forward with their education,” said Bostick.
Bostick recognized several employees during the town hall meeting and met with participants from the District’s Leadership Development Program. He encouraged the emerging leaders to seek opportunities to broaden their skills and to develop relationships.
“I was honored to have the opportunity to ask General Bostick questions and interact in a group setting,” said Gavin Kaiser, Project Engineer and participant in the Leadership Development Program.
Bostick became the 53rd U.S. Army Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on May 22, 2012. He serves as the senior military officer overseeing most of the Nation’s civil works infrastructure and military construction.