Next San Juan Chapter Meeting: Aug 18th 2023

Posted by Brian Murphy on Aug. 15, 2023  /  San Juan Chapter  /  Subscribe 0

When: 18 AUG 2023 at 12:00- 13:30

Where: Colegio de Ingenieros y Agrimensores de Puerto Rico, Room  Ing. Carlos Salgado

Cost: $15  lunch and the STEM Summer Camp Scholarship

Attire: Civilian Business Casual/Military BDU

RSVP: [email protected] (important)

Speaker: COL Charles “Chuck” Decker

Topic:  USACE Task Force VIPR

Introduction of USACE Task Force US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico (USACE VIPR)

Background:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continues to take new approaches to engineering solutions for our nations toughest challenges and introduced the new task force that aims to speed up construction of the ongoing civilian works in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. On April 2023, the Chief of Engineers approved the South Atlantic Division’s (SAD) proposal to establish Task Force Virgin Islands Puerto Rico (VIPR) to provide leadership, oversight, and support for USACE Civil Works and public infrastructure projects in U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, and to provide construction management of all construction activities.  Task Force U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico (Task Force VIPR) was created to organize and prioritize the demand of construction projects throughout the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.  These works are the product of more than $3 billions in federal funds, the largest sum of allocations USACE has received in its history for projects on the island, and which were supported by the Congresswoman, most of them under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), South Atlantic Division (SAD) welcomed Colonel Charles L. Decker as the first Task Force Virgin Island Puerto Rico (TF VIPR) commander at an assumption of command ceremony held at Fort Buchanan, PR. The ceremony was officiated by Brig. Gen. Daniel Hibner, commanding general, SAD. "It is an honor and privilege to serve as the very first Commander of Task Force VIPR. There is no other team, no other mission, and no other place that I would rather be serving,” said COL Decker. “We are all looking to the future with excitement as we continue building a foundation of trust with our communities, growing a Task Force full of talented professionals, and finding creative ways to solve our complex problems.”

COL Decker brings more than 26 years of military leadership to the position. In his previous two assignments, he was the Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) Plans Officer for the 1st Mission Support Command in Fort Buchanan, PR, and Commander of the 841st Engineer Battalion in Miami, FL. Decker is no stranger to USACE and served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel and Sustainment to an Area Command and as a Program Liaison Officer for the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center in Huntsville, AL. In April 2023, the Chief of Engineers approved SAD’s proposal to stand up TF VIPR, a crucial role in providing leadership, oversight, and support of USACE Civil Works and public infrastructure projects in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, and to provide construction management of all construction activities while improving workload balance across the region. TF VIPR will have a dedicated and focused team that will sustain and build relationships with all stakeholders through effective, proactive, synchronized communications while efficiently executing their programs.

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