Special Skills: "Dirty Dozen Provides Expertise and Muscle
By Dave Harris, Public Affairs, Louisiana Recovery Field Office

The “Dirty Dozens” masterfully excavated a borrow pit to harvest material destined for crucial levee work in adjacent parishes.

Crews plied their relentless undertaking through long hours, seven days a week, continuous work without a break at the Bonnet Carré Spillway in St. Charles Parish. Now this morning it was the middle of the last week before the 12 days of Christmas break – the first in a year.

The earthmoving machine operators, away from their home in Memphis District, climbed down from their giant, muscular equipment to huddle up with Col. Charlie Smithers, commander of the Louisiana Recovery Field Office and Memphis District.

“I’ll bet he’s gonna make us do pushups,” one of the men said, out of earshot of the colonel, and the others laughed. It was a welcome relief to the men of Memphis District’s Revetment Team home based at Ensley Engineer Yard and Marine Maintenance Center as they at first seemed uneasy when they approached the clean-cut symbol of authority.

The colonel had come as painter – of the big picture – and Advocate-in-Chief.

His canvas depicted much more than acres of dirt. He blended the Dirty Dozens’ landscape-changing etchings and carvings into a portrayal of historic bursts of firsts created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

• Splashing the Louisiana countryside with more than 81,000 blue roofs.

• Removing multiple Superdome-sized quantities of debris, including Operation Dirty Bird’s 36 million pounds of rotten meat.

• And the first intentional cutting of a levee to drain water under Task Force Unwatering.

Then the colonel commended these men for their earth-mining prowess and fit that piece of the mosaic into the strategic picture – the essential ingredient they were providing for rebuilding the levees in Orleans and Plaquemines parishes.

Smithers described the Dirty Dozens as an “incredible asset,” working here making the job of hurricane protection “so much easier” as they have moved dirt and provided a flexible response first to the needs of Task Force Guardian and now to the Hurricane Protection Office and New Orleans District.

“I hear nothing but praise,” he told the huddle, and pointed out how the group can adapt quickly to changing needs without going through the typical requirements of the contracting process. “Your district Teammates are proud of what you’re doing.”

Construction representative and assistant project engineer Jim Faulkner echoed the colonel’s observation. “We can respond instantly,” he said.

Smithers recognized several of the crew members, including Sylvester Smith, who had been on the jobsite longer than the others.

Kevin Williams heads up the Memphis District contingent at the spillway. At home he’s the chief of the Revetment Section, where crews protect the banks of the Mississippi River from erosion and make sure the banks are aligned for navigation purposes.

Williams pointed out the various pieces of equipment used by the crews at Bonnet Carré Spillway and said the work is a great training opportunity on heavy equipment. “It is not finish-grading work,” he said. “Our crewmembers train with an experienced driver and they don’t drive until they’re comfortable with the equipment and can drive safely.” Besides excavating the barrow pit, crews maintain the access road with a road grader and add gravel.

Williams said the safety priority gets particular emphasis in light of the work conditions here – long hours on the job, an hour each way to sleeping quarters and “the challenges of Mother Nature” – working in the cold, heat or rain. Conditions were rugged enough during the good weather enjoyed on the day the colonel visited. “Think how bad it can be when it rains.”

Williams also paid tribute to one of the crew, Carl Hammite, who assisted the local sheriff in recovering the body of a community man who died nearby.

“He did what he had to do,” Williams said. “Carl takes ownership of the entire pit operation and other crews he’s worked with in New Orleans,” Williams added. “He’s been here since Katrina hit.”

With enthusiasm for the gathered men and their mission, the colonel pieced together how their roles make a difference in the overall effort. Then he paused as if to reflect on the enormity of the historic enterprise – again, the big picture – and searched for words to communicate the pivotal nature of their contributions as he presented district coins to two of the men who were retiring at the end of that very day, Mack Shorter and Frank Williams.

“What an incredible way to end your career,” he said. “It’s something you can relate to your kids and grandkids – for decades to come.”