Alaska District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

06/18/2026

This week, the construction team completed the placement of armoring rock at Reaches Three and Four of the Phase Two project along the Mendenhall River and completed armoring work at the wastewater treatment plant and Industrial Boulevard. The team is also making steady progress raising the flood berm on Forest Service land. Work at Reach Two is 95 percent complete and the contractor is preparing to mobilize to finish their efforts at Reaches One, Three and Four.

City and Borough of Juneau U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Headquarters

06/18/2026

Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle discussing the most cutting edge ways to save lives from flood waters by using modern tunnel technology with tunnel industry experts and our great USACE engineers.

06/17/2026

The Alaska District’s Hero of the Month for June is Melanie DePuy, contract specialist in the Contracting Division.

DePuy is a valuable member of the Special Projects Branch of the Contracting Division, leading the acquisition for the PL 84-99 Advance Measures flood response construction contract in Juneau. Working closely with the contracting officer and project delivery team, she worked to award the contract with an acquisition lead time of only 106 days. DePuy is also managing several complex acquisitions for the Civil Works and Military Construction missions around the state. Her enthusiasm and commitment to excellence are evident in her work, and her reputation as a reliable team member is well deserved.

Great work!

06/16/2026

The Alaska District commemorated the birth of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with an engineer regimental muster on the front lawn of the district headquarters building on June 15. Attendees of the event signed a logbook and received a muster card that signified their registration in the official rolls of the engineer regiment. Representing the eldest and youngest members of the workforce, Mike Alvarado and Jack Perkins cut the ceremonial cake in celebration of the achievements accomplished by USACE around the world.

The event also provided an opportunity to recognize exemplary employees and their contributions to the district’s mission. Col. Jeffrey Palazzini, district commander, presented the Trail Breaker Award, Talley Award and de Fleury Medal to members of the workforce who have demonstrated outstanding commitment and professionalism.

Palazzini presented the Trail Breaker Award to Jeremy Allen, Mario Gonzalez, William Mangano, Mike Records and Curtis Lee. This award recognizes individuals who have shown a willingness to “lead from the front” and contribute high-quality mentorship to their teammates.

He also honored recipients of the Talley Award, which celebrates exceptional employees who have served with excellence at the Alaska District for more than fifteen years. Palazzini congratulated Beth Beardsley, Teresa Lee, Sean Benjamin, Nathan Machacek, Aaron Shewman, Richard Ragle and Binh Nguyen on their achievement.

Palazzini also awarded the de Fleury Medal to members of the Alaska District workforce. The de Fleury Medal represents the highest award for professional excellence in the engineer regiment and is granted in four orders – gold, silver, bronze and steel. Joel Spano, Amanda Kelleher, James Sauceda, Michael Callicott, John Rajek, Lisa Geist, Jathan Garrett and Robert Leitch each earned the Bronze Order of the de Fleury, while Andrew Marcus and Chuck Bobnick received the Steel Order.

Furthermore, Palazzini presented length of service awards to employees who have reached five-year milestones in their federal careers. Kaleigh Wotring, Tyler Teese, Curtis Lee, Rosie Duncan and Celia Chagnovich received the five-year length of service award. Tong Wen, Clayton Harrison, Katie Russell, Carly Lynch, Amie Schoelen, Brandee Ketchum, Brian Houska, Andi Beausang and Janessa Arvizu earned recognition for ten years of service. Rebecca Rosenquist, Michelle Rethage and Jeremy Craner received the 15-year award. John Rajek, Fred Land, Erica Nutter, Nathan Hale and Sean Benjamin were recognized for twenty years. Beth Beardsley, Matt Johnson, James Hood and Kristi Kekoni received the 25-year certificate. John Raso and Lynn Fibranz earned certificates in recognition of 30 years of federal service. James Sauceda, Tricia Ropka, Theresa Afrank, Robert Sullivan and David Westerman received the 35-year length of service award. Della Smith, Sharon Thomas and Jose Oquendo earned recognition for 40 years of federal service.

Outstanding work! Congratulations to all who received an award!

06/16/2026

Today we celebrate our 251st anniversary!

George Washington appointed the first engineer officers of the Army on June 16, 1775, during the American Revolution, and engineers have served in combat in all subsequent American wars. The Army established the Corps of Engineers as a separate, permanent branch on March 16, 1802, and gave the engineers responsibility for founding and operating the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Since then the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has responded to changing defense requirements and played an integral part in the development of the country. Happy birthday to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Army Engineer Regiment, and thank you to all who have contributed to our efforts for the Nation.

If you are near one of our recreation sites, today we are also waiving day use fees at more than 2,800 USACE-operated recreation areas nationwide: https://www.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Releases/News-Release-Article-View/Article/4512066/us-army-corps-of-engineers-waives-day-use-fees-at-recreation-areas-in-observanc/

Shown: File photo of a towboat navigating the Ohio River at sunrise in Pittsburgh. Navigation is the US Army Corps of Engineers’ earliest Civil Works mission, dating to Federal laws in 1824 authorizing and funding the USACE to improve safety on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers and several ports. (Photo by Michel Sauret)

06/15/2026

Recurring glacial outburst floods in southeast Alaska’s Mendenhall Valley present a challenging and complicated issue for homeowners and businesses in Juneau. Each year, summer temperatures at the upstream glacier cause a torrent of glacial water to inundate the Mendenhall River, threatening infrastructure and public safety. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is actively working with the City and Borough of Juneau and other stakeholders to construct effective flood risk mitigation solutions, assembling materials and experienced professionals from across the country to work toward an effective solution for Juneau.

Daryl Downing works as an emergency management specialist in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District. In 2025, Downing began to support the PL 84-99 mission in the Mendenhall Valley as a project manager. In this role, he serves as a key coordinator and planner for the construction effort, often traveling between Seattle and Juneau to engage with stakeholders, media, public and construction teams to execute the work and ensure information is shared efficiently with all parties.

“Experts like Daryl are a real testament to the commitment of the entire enterprise for the Mendenhall Valley flood mitigation effort,” said Col. Jeffrey Palazzini, district commander. “The Corps of Engineers is built to respond to challenges like this, and we are a proud partner of the Juneau community in pursuing a solution to this ongoing issue.”

Read more about Daryl's role in the Mendenhall Valley here: https://www.poa.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Stories/Article/4515960/seattle-based-emergency-management-specialist-provides-valuable-leadership-on-u/

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Headquarters

Recurring glacial outburst floods in southeast Alaska’s Mendenhall Valley present a challenging and complicated issue for homeowners and businesses in Juneau. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is

06/13/2026

This week, the construction team completed the placement of armoring rock at Reach Four of the Phase Two project along the Mendenhall River. In addition, they resumed armoring work at the southern portion of Reach Three. Flood berm clearing and grubbing work on Forest Service land is almost 50 percent complete, and armoring at the wastewater treatment plant is complete. Work at Reach Two is 95 percent complete as of June 11, and the contractor is preparing to mobilize to finish their efforts at Reach Four.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Headquarters City and Borough of Juneau

06/12/2026

Juneau citizens will see new infrastructure poised to mitigate the flood risk of the annual glacial lake outburst flooding event caused by Mendenhall Glacier near Back Loop Road. A new earthen berm is in the works due to the partnership between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and City and Borough of Juneau.

On June 5, a contract modification was awarded to Sealaska Corp. to construct an earthen berm extending about 1,100 feet east from the Back Loop Bridge. The berm will follow the general alignment of the existing high ground to provide flood protection for Back Loop Road and downstream portions of the community. Specifically, the new infrastructure is designed to prevent overtopping on the road and is located on Forest Service managed land. Construction will start immediately.

“This new berm is an example of what can be achieved in a short amount of time when federal agencies and stakeholders have different missions but share a common goal like bringing flood risk mitigation measures to Juneau,” said Col. Jeffrey Palazzini, commander of the Alaska District. “We all understand what is to come in August, and we thank our partners at the Forest Service, CBJ, and Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes for their continued urgency, coordination and partnership.”

Read more here: https://www.poa.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Releases/Article/4514148/joint-news-release-federal-local-collaboration-expedites-earthen-berm-construct/

06/10/2026

Lt. Col. Steve LaFave, deputy district commander (second from left), represented the Alaska District at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly constructed dormitory at Clear Space Force Station on June 1. The newly constructed modern living quarters will complement existing housing options and support the increased permanent manpower required to conduct security, engineering and logistics operations. This project is a critical quality-of-life advancement for servicemembers assigned to the installation.

06/09/2026

The Alaska District held the annual summer picnic at Fort Richardson on Jun. 4. The event also celebrated the induction of two former employees, Steve Geppert and Dave Frenier, into the Alaska District Hall of Fame by Col. Jeffrey Palazzini, district commander.

Dave Frenier served in roles including chief of the Alaska District’s Engineering Division, chief of the Design Branch and chief of Technical Services. A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1975, he served 24 years of active duty in a variety of engineer leadership, command and staff positions with engineer units from platoon through engineer brigade level. His active-duty service includes three years as a project engineer in the Alaska District’s Denali Area Office. Frenier’s exceptional leadership of the Engineering Division and mentorship to numerous team members left an enduring legacy and shaped the district mission.

Steve Geppert worked as chief of the Civil and Sanitary Section, serving in numerous engineering roles throughout his outstanding 41-year career. As a technical authority, he drove innovation and quality across the Pacific Ocean Division footprint, providing significant influence on projects at Fort Wainwright, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Kadena Air Force Base and Camp Humphreys. In addition to his high-quality technical expertise in Alaska, Geppert also completed two six-month deployments to the Afghanistan Engineering District and supported disaster recovery efforts during Hurricanes Ike, Sandy and Delta. Geppert’s family collected his posthumous award on his behalf at the event.

Congratulations and thank you for your service to the Alaska District and the Nation!