USACE

• Origins in the Revolutionary War: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) was formally established in 1802, but its roots trace back to 1775, when the Continental Congress authorized a chief engineer for the Continental Army. • Builder of West Point: USACE designed and constructed the United States Military Academy at West Point, which remains the oldest continuously occupied military post in America. • Shaping America’s Rivers: USACE is responsible for maintaining over 12,000 miles of inland waterways and operates more than 700 dams across the U.S., playing a major role in flood control and navigation. • Role in the Panama Canal: USACE engineers were crucial in the construction of the Panama Canal, providing expertise and leadership during its completion in the early 20th century. • Disaster Response: USACE is a lead federal agency for public works and engineering in natural disaster response, including Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy recovery efforts. • Environmental Stewardship: The Corps is the largest provider of outdoor recreation in the U.S., managing over 400 lake and river projects and overseeing millions of acres of habitat. • Innovations in Engineering: USACE pioneered the use of concrete caissons, floating dredges, and modern lock and dam systems, revolutionizing civil engineering practices. • Supporting the Space Program: USACE managed construction of significant NASA facilities, including the Kennedy Space Center and infrastructure at Cape Canaveral. • Global Humanitarian Missions: The Corps supports infrastructure projects and humanitarian missions worldwide, including post-conflict reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan. • Symbolic "Essayons" Motto: The French word “Essayons,” meaning “Let us try,” is the Corps’ motto, reflecting their can-do spirit and origin with French military engineers during the American Revolution.