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Archive: April, 2026
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    A groundbreaking ceremony was held on April 17, 2026, at Moore Air Base for the New World Screwworm Sterile Fly Production Facility. Once complete and fully operational, the facility will produce approximately 300 million sterile flies per week. Pictured from right to left in helmets are U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Fort Worth District Commander Col. Calvin Kroeger, USACE Southwestern Division Commander Brig. Gen. George Walter, Mortenston Vice President and General Manager Kelly McNamara, USACE Commander Lt. Gen. William “Butch” Graham Jr., Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment Dr. Jeff Waksman, U.S. Department of the Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Senator John Cornyn, Under Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Mr. Dudley Hoskins, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Acting Administrator Kelly Moore, and USDA Deputy Director for New World Screwworm Directorate Chris Needham. Others in the photo are members of the USDA’s Veterinary Services “Tick Riders”.

    Groundbreaking Ceremony Marks New Era in Agricultural Biosecurity at Moore Air Base

    On April 17, 2026, leaders from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Department of Agriculture gathered alongside federal, state, and local partners to break ground on a critical new facility aimed at safeguarding America’s livestock industry—the New World Screwworm Sterile Fly Production Facility.
  • U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers from the 401st Engineer Company conduct multi-role bridging training operations at Bardwell Lake in Texas. The exercise focuses on wet gap crossing techniques, including ribbon bridge and raft operations, enabling the transport of vehicles, equipment, and personnel across water obstacles. The training integrates new Soldiers fresh from Advanced Individual Training (AIT) alongside experienced Noncommissioned Officers, enhancing readiness, morale, and technical proficiency. Conducted in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the field training exercise highlights the importance of interagency collaboration and access to USACE-managed resources for realistic, mission-essential training environments.

    U.S. Army Engineers Conduct Bridging Exercise at Bardwell Lake

    Soldiers from the U.S. Army Reserve’s 401st Engineer Company spent the weekend of March 26-29 at Bardwell Lake conducting a multi‑day bridging exercise designed to train new troops and refresh skills that many in the unit had not practiced in years.
  • After a wildfire at Dana Peak Park crept dangerously close to homes in Harker Heights, local, state and federal agencies partnered to build a large-scale firebreak aimed at protecting neighborhoods bordering Stillhouse Hollow Lake.

    Agencies Join Forces to Build Mile-Long Firebreak After Near-Miss Blaze in Harker Heights

    After a wildfire at Dana Peak Park crept dangerously close to homes in Harker Heights, local, state and federal agencies partnered to build a large-scale firebreak aimed at protecting neighborhoods bordering Stillhouse Hollow Lake.
  • The key participants in the first bead-laying ceremony for the 3D-printed buildings on Fort Bliss are pictured left to right: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Southwestern Division Commander Brig. Gen. George Walter, ICON CEO Jason Ballard, Assistant Secretary of the Army (IE&E) the Honorable W. Jordan Gillis and 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss Commander Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor. Using a tablet, they initiated the construction-scale 3D printer to lay the next level of a future barracks. In total, 10 new barracks will be constructed over a six-month period. Each of the barracks will house up to 56 soldiers deployed to the West Texas Army base.

    Laying the Future of Barracks Construction

    In the high desert of West Texas, a milestone in military construction and innovation took shape under the dusty sky at Fort Bliss as leaders, engineers, soldiers, and contractors gathered for the first bead-laying ceremony of 10 new 3D-printed buildings. The event marked not just the start of construction, but a transformation in how the Army builds for the future.