Work improves Chief Joseph Dam turbine efficiency U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fall 2014 BUILDING STRONG Page 2 Fall 2014 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers inside Volume XXX No. 3 3 commentary 4-5 Faces From the Front: Maj. Tobin Flinn 6-7 Under Construction 8-9 Opportunities in Okinawa Cover: Turbine runner 10-11 Regional Leadership Development Program replacement project is in full swing at Chief Joseph Dam 12-13 Waste Water Treatment Plant Alstom Hydro workers set the wicket gate linkage on Unit 7 at Chief Joseph Dam in Bridgeport, Wash. The work is part of an effort to refurbish 16 14 Carbon Monoxide Dangers units and improve turbine efficiency to greater than 95 percent, increasing power production by nearly 450,000 mega-watt hours. Chief Joseph Dam is the nation’s second largest producer 15 Around the District of hydropower. The value of the elec- tricity produced at Chief Joseph Dam is about $450 million annually. (Corps 16 Signing Ceremony photo by Jeff Katz) Flagship Col. John G. Buck, Commander Patricia Graesser, Chief, Alisa Ralph: This Flagship is for you Public Affairs Tanya King, Editor Alisa Ralph is the Regulatory Branch’s Elizabeth Townsell, Editorial Special Programs Section chief. She is Assistant retiring in December after 32 years of Bill Dowell, Contributor outstanding service to a number of govern- Scott Lawrence, Contributor ment agencies in several countries. During Flagship is an unofficial publication the past seven years, Alisa managed a long authorized under AR 360-l, list of regulatory program challenges with published by the Public Affairs great professionalism, grace and unshake- Office, Seattle District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, P. O. Box 3755, able fortitude. Her calm, caring, can-do Seattle, WA 98124-3755. The views presence was a model of public service; she and opinions expressed are not will be greatly missed. necessarily those of the Department this Flagship is for you. of the Army. Questions may be sent Alisa Ralph, to the above address. Fall 2014 Page 3 Back to the future commentary great to be back in the Pacific North- I look to you west and to join the Seattle District to show respect It’steam again. I am honored to assume for each other, command of the Seattle District and appreciate your help keep a positive with my transition. attitude, be team In my 23 years in the Army, I’ve had varied assign- players, show ments and numerous deployments around the world. I pride of own- previously served in Seattle District as a project manager ership, honor from 2001-2003, with a deployment to Afghanistan in the commitments, middle. communicate I know first-hand from serving in your ranks previ- promptly and ously that the Seattle District is made up of a group of openly and look extraordinary professionals focused on public service to for smart ways to the Pacific Northwest and nation in peace and war. As I’ve gain efficiencies. made my first trips out across the district to see you in ac- What you can tion my initial impressions are of your tremendous profes- expect from me is sionalism and dedication. to lead the team Seattle District Commander Since my return here I’ve had the pleasure of visit- – set priorities Col. John G. Buck ing some sites that highlight our successes. I enjoyed the and conditions ribbon cutting for Burien’s Seahurst Park beach restora- - and allocate resources appropriately. I want the tion project, toured the Joint Base Lewis- district to serve a regional role and to cultivate McChord cross-base highway and waste- external relationships and partnerships. I will water treatment plant sites and the spillway ask questions to learn, and I will seek different gate replacement project at the Chittenden perspectives before making decisions. I look Locks. I’ve also visited places we face to establish a command climate of trust and challenges, including the fish trap facility respect. My intent is to offer you an open at Buckley and Brewster, Wash., near Chief door and be approachable. Joseph Dam, where several of our folks are On a personal note, my background is working to rebuild after losing their homes that I’m originally from Deposit, New York, to wildfires. just north of the Pennsylvania border. I’m a My initial priorities since arriving here have civil engineer and attended the U.S. Military Acad- been civil works milestone execution, military construc- emy and later Penn State for graduate school. I’ve been tion project awards, budgeting for FY15, carrying out married to my wife, Kim, for 19 years, and our children, construction projects, taking care of people, setting up the Owen and Abby, attend Ballard High School. district with strong workload for the future, and as always Our family is pleased to get another opportunity to doing it all safely. Now I’m focused on setting a fast pace live and work in the Northwest as part of the larger Seattle of execution in FY15 and capturing opportunities to build District family. a strong future, while taking time to celebrate successes You have continuously solved our nation’s hardest along the way. problems, from disaster response, environmental restora- What you should know about what is important to me tion, protecting people and property while powering our is maintaining a family/work life balance, seeing others nation’s economy through our water resources. I look for- grow and learn, providing and supporting mentorship, sup- ward to continuing to work alongside each of you in part- porting your personal success and recognizing and reward- nership with our local partners, stakeholders, governments ing achievements. and Tribal Nations to accomplish our diverse mission. Page 4 Fall 2014 Fall 2014 in person Faces from the front: Maj. Tobin Flinn Story and Photos By Transatlantic Afghanistan District `Maj. Tobin Flinn led an eight-person team to Flinn, these experiences have allowed him to whose mission was spread over southern and grow as an engineer and as a military officer. western Afghanistan. “I’m grateful for these experiences and the Supporting three regional commands across people who helped orchestrate them,” he said. 1,400 square miles kept him busy, but it wasn’t One of the people to whom he owed a debt of enough to keep him from missing his wife Melanie gratitude was former Seattle District Commander and their four children, Lucas, Sage, Roman and Col. Bruce Estok. Flinn’s team, the 34th Forward Evangeline. Engineering Support Team, falls under the Seattle “I miss my family with all my heart, yet they District when not deployed and he said Estok of- are with me every day,” said Flinn. “They are the fered an unassuming unique perspective to his world’s greatest gift.” most complex dilemmas. Estok began providing In Afghanistan, the one military member and six guidance when Flinn took command of the 34th U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civilians he led was FEST two years ago, although the FEST sported his deployed family. As a team, they laughed and an “-Afghanistan” identifier while they were de- wept together, and sometimes they even shook ployed. their fists at one another. However, according “While in theater, Brig. Gen. Michael Wehr was BUILDING STRONG Page 5 Fall 2014 Fall 2014 Page 5 Faces from the front: Maj. Tobin Flinn Corps photo by Bill Dowell Maj. Tobin Flinn, 34th FEST-A Commander, worked with Regional Command Southwest, the Middle East District, and local contractors to help design and construct an Afghan National Army Trauma Center in Helmand Province to support the 215th Corps. The Trauma Center is strategically located in the Taliban strongholds of the Southwest and, for the first time, gives the 215th the ability to effectively treat Afghan soldiers wounded in combat. Major Flinn is pictured with the local contractor’s superintendent during a quality control site visit. the FEST’s strongest advocate,” said Flinn. “He of- He also worked on learning Dari, a language ten provided me with insight and rudder steers that he was introduced to during a pre-deployment helped me become more effective.” Afghan language immersion program. While he The team’s deployment spanned nine months did use Dari while deployed, the head doctor of and returned about six months ago. When Flinn a hospital in remote Herat Province made fun of returned, he became the district’s operations of- his American accent while speaking Dari. ficer. Prior to returning he said he made the most “He had never heard an American speak of working with his small expeditionary team, who Dari,” Flinn said. “He said, in Dari, ‘If you spend he described as being highly adaptable, technically two weeks working in my hospital, we will fix competent and a joy to be around. your accent.’” BUILDING STRONG Page 6 Fall 2014 Page 6 Fall 2014 out in the field Construction of the new Joint Base Lewis-Mc- Chord connector road and overpass project that links both segments of the joint base entered the third phase of construction with the instal- lation of 12, 183-foot girders Oct. 15. Phase I of the project consisted of clearing trees from the projected construction path. Phase II consisted of the construction of overpass support pillars, which caused the closure of the South Gate Road and the McChord Field Commercial Ve- hicle Inspection Point. Phase IV, paving opera- tions to connect the new road to Barnes Blvd., will be in the late fall of 2014. The fifth and final phase of the project will occur during the winter months and consist of the finishing aspects of the project, such as curbing and lane striping.