Division commander tours military construction projects in Southern Arizona

PHOENIX - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers South Pacific Division and Los Angeles District senior leaders toured several military construction project sites Oct. 1 in Southern Arizona.

Brig. Gen. Joseph Goetz II, SPD commander, joined LA District leaders Col. Joshua Bost, commander, and David Silvertooth, Tucson resident engineer, to meet with several military leaders and tour several projects at Fort Huachuca and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

“My number one priority is preparing this base for the future of warfare,” said Fort Huachuca Garrison Commander Col. Margaret "Dervan" Hughes. “The Corps of Engineers can help us ensure our infrastructure is ready for future growth.”

According to Fort Huachuca’s official homepage, the post's unique environment encompasses 946 square miles of restricted airspace and 2,500 square miles of protected electronic ranges, which are key components to the national defense mission. The website also said the installation is the largest employer in Cochise County and the largest single economic contributor in Arizona.

“We are also working with the City of Sierra Vista regarding transferring 203 acres of conveyance on the civilian side of our Army airfield,” said Hughes. “We want to make sure that USACE is on the same glide path with the administrative steps to make sure this transfer happens.”

The Arizona Commerce Authority website said Fort Huachuca accounts for an annual economic impact of more than $2.4 billion for the State of Arizona.

“USACE and Fort Huachuca also have a strong, collaborative partnership,” added Silvertooth, the USACE resident engineer overseeing Los Angeles District projects on the installation.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ military construction mission supports demands created by growth within in the military, global restationing, and base realignment and closures.

“We have multiple planned Sustainment, Rehabilitation and Maintenance Program and military construction projects in the coming fiscal years that will be utilizing ‘progressive design build’ so our team is eager to use innovative acquisition tools to continue to support warfighter readiness,” said Silvertooth, who has been with USACE for 17 years.

According to the South Pacific Division official website, the military missions provide premier engineering, construction, real estate, stability operations, and environmental management products and services for the Army, Air Force, other assigned U.S. government agencies and foreign governments.

“USACE is partnering well with Davis-Monthan AFB,” said Silvertooth, a University of Arizona Alum with a bachelor’s in civil engineering. “We recently completed the South Wilmot Gate, are near completion of a new water production well, and have multiple projects on-going, including two recently awarded MILCON (military construction) projects worth a combined value of approximately $150 million.”

According to the USACE Tucson Resident Office, which is based at Davis-Monthan, the $12-million Combat Rescue Helicopter Simulator project is one example of a successful design-build project, bringing together USACE, the base’s Civil Engineer Squadron, the general contractor and the designer of record.

“The team is performing at a high level to successfully deliver critical installation construction projects to our Air Force partners,” said Silvertooth, who also possesses a Master of Building Construction from Auburn University.

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