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Greetings to all. I think it’s appropriate to begin my
first entry to the RiverWatch with a special thanks to
Charlie and Maureen Smithers for their leadership the
past three years as well as their gracious support to
our transition. Their efforts mirror the support Kelly,
my family, and I have received throughout the District
in our initial few weeks in the Memphis area. Without
exception the people of the District and region have
gone out of their way to make our transition successful,
embodied by the total effort for the Change of Command
event. Thank you to all.
My experience in the first two weeks of command
validates the reputation of the District … a valued
engineering partner in the region, keeping our promises,
and focused on delivering projects and services for the
public good. Clearly the foundation and focus of the
District are sound. In the weeks preceding command I had
the opportunity to meet with much of USACE senior
military and civilian leadership, including our recently
confirmed Chief of Engineers, Lt. Gen. Robert Van
Antwerp. He made it clear the Districts are the
center of gravity to all the Corps does and our
obligation is to deliver projects and
services on time … consistent with promises made to our
teammates. This fits well with our District Focus
statement … the region’s premier public engineering
organization, customer driven and focused on performance
and continual improvement. It is gratifying to know I am
part of a team representing the “tip of the spear” for
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. I am proud to be part
of this legacy.
In a meeting with the senior leadership of the
District shortly after taking command I shared some of
my personal background (including 23 years military
service in 11 different homes and countless operational
environments). The one constant to mission success has
been the ability of people to accomplish the mission,
regardless of the challenge. If Districts are the center
of gravity of USACE, people are the center of gravity of
the District. I look forward to meeting all
of you in the days, weeks, and months ahead. You are
part of the Team and part of our success. My hope is to
empower you with the authority and resources to get the
job done in a manner that reflects the dignity of every
individual in the organization.
Finally, as I also told the leadership team, I am a
proud Army officer, very aware of the service of our
Soldiers, Civilians, and other teammates who work the
mission daily. I am always mindful of their sacrifices
and the sacrifices of their families. Army Strong!
Essayons!
Tom Smith
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Memphis
District
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Public Affairs Office
167 North Main St.
Memphis, TN 38103
(901) 544-3360
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