COMMANDER’S MESSAGE
Dear District Teammates: As I sit at my desk overlooking the bustling 110 freeway with Dodger Stadium and the “Hollywood” sign on the horizon, I am simply amazed that I have been with the Los Angeles District for nearly three years. Because you see, a three year assignment in the Army is a very long time. In fact, the longer that I have served in the Army, my Family and I have been more accustomed to picking up and moving in two year increments. Three years has been wonderful! I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to serve as your Commander. During my tenure, I have traveled across the entire District area of responsibility: from San Diego along 420 miles of coastline to Morro Bay, east to Las Vegas, south through Phoenix and Tucson, and so many wonderful places in between. The projects that the Los Angeles District has built have changed lives for the better. Since 1898, you and your predecessors have been providing world class engineering solutions responding to the needs of the Nation, the environment and the public ~ and you have done this extremely well. And while the massive flood control structures and acres of restored habitat are sights to behold, these engineering marvels are not the things that I will remember most about my time in command. Without question, my thoughts, memories and reflections will be of the wonderful PEOPLE in the Los Angeles District. For three years, we have been BUILDING STRONG and Taking Care of People! As an organization, I am so proud to have made PEOPLE the foundation for everything we do. Your leadership team created seven “PEOPLE initiatives” (In/ Out Processing & Sponsorship, Mentorship, Performance Management, Awards & Recognition, Training, Project Management Processes, and Facilities) and have spent three years developing innovative programs in three focus areas (PEOPLE, TRAINING, and FACILITIES) devoted to taking care of people. The results are outstanding and I hope you have seen a difference in how we now show appreciation for our fellow teammates. On July 11th, I will relinquish command and hand the guidon to my successor. Three years ago, I thought that my posting to the Los Angeles District would be my last assignment in the Army. Since I grew up in Huntington Beach, I felt like I had come full circle so that retirement would be an easy and logical choice. But, serving with all of you has inspired me to continue my service to the Nation. On August 1st, I will report to Headquarters and assume my new duties as Chief of Staff for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Thank you for making my assignment in the Los Angeles District a highlight in my 26 year Army career. I depart with a profound sense of satisfaction and a deep appreciation of the talent and dedication of the PEOPLE in the Los Angeles District. Please continue to appreciate one another and hold our motto close to your heart: BUILDING STRONG and Taking Care of People! Warm Regards, Col. Toy
(From left) John Keever, Muhammad Bari, Command Sgt. Maj. Dale Perez, Col. Mark Toy, Peter Tunnicliffe, Brig. Gen. Ted Martin and Col. Kurt Pinkerton break ground during a ceremony June 28 commemorating the start of construction of the new water treatment plant at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District is overseeing the construction of the design-build eff ?'B'?4D?6?F?6??7G'V7F???F?&?f?FR6???????v????2?bvFW"W"F?F?F?R???&?F?G2?bF?R?D2????F?'?'&???2???V&&&B?b???6?'2'&V?2w&?V?Bf?"C?????vFW"G&VF?V?B??BBf?'B?'v???v??6?FG2WF?fW'?6?v??f?6?B??V?B?bvFW"6??7V?VB?BW6VBf?"F??F??F??W&F???2?F?R?V?F????b????7B???&?F?G2?2?F?6?FVBF???7&V6RF??RW&6V?B?'WB6??7G'V7F????bF?Rf????6R?bF?R?7Bf????W6??r6?( ?B&RF??RV?F??F?RvFW"G&VF?V?B??B?26???WFVBF?&?f?FRvFW"F?F?RFF?F??????W6??r?F?RF?&VR?V"6??7G'V7F???&??V7Bv???&W?6RF?R7W'&V?B?V?F??G&VF?V?B7?7FV?2vV??2W6R?WrFV6?????v?W2F?&?6W72F?RvFW"F??VWB7FFR?BfVFW&?7F?F&G2?F?R?Wr??Bv???W6RF?&VR??'&???2???V&&&B?`?d?%B?%t???6?b???F?RR?2?&?6?'2?bV?v??VW'2?BF?R?F????G&????r6V?FW"Bf?'B?'v????7FVBw&?V?F'&V???r6W&V????f?"C?????vFW"G&VF?V?B??Bf?"f?'B?'v???BF?R?F????G&????r6V?FW"?V?R#??F?Rf6??G??2FW6?v??'V??BVff?'B'?4D?6?F?6??7G'V7F???F?&?f?FR6???????v????2?bvFW"W"F?F?F?R???&?F?G2?bF?R?D2?( ???R?bF?RF???w2F?B?( ????7B&?VB?b?2F?R'F?W'6??vR7&VFVB&WGvVV?F?R6?'2?bV?v??VW'2?BF?Rf?'B?'v??v'&?6???( ?6?B6????&?F???6????FW"?bF?R??2?vV?W2F?7G&?7B?( ????rF?Rf?'B?'v????7F??F????26???6R?bv??F?W?v?BF?v?&?v?F???BvR&RfW'?w&FVgV?F?B??R6??6RF?R&?6?'2?bV?v??VW'2F?F???W"&??V7B??vV?V?B?B6??7G'V7F???V?v??VW&??r??vV?V?B?( ?f?'B?'v??v'&?6??6????FW"6????W'B???W'F??vV?6??VBF?RGFV?F??rwVW7G2?B7??R&?WBF?R?VVBf?"F?R?Wrf6??G??66?&F??rF????W'F???S?6??F?W'2G&??BF?R?D2??V???B?RW&6V?B?bF?R?7N( ?2W&??V?F?76?v?VB6???V??G??fR??F?R?7B???7FvR?V?V7G&??F??6?2&WfW'6?vFW"G&VF?V?B??BF?BG&VG2??6??F???G2f?V?B??f?'B?'v??( ?2w&?V?BvFW"??66?&F?6Rv?F?fVFW&??B7FFR&WV?&V?V?G2?F?R??Bv?????6?VFS??TE"&??'?G&VF?V?B???R6?gFV???r6?&?f?W'2???R6??G2F??6?V?W'2???R6?VFvR?v???2?&WfW'6R?6??6?2f??FW'2?'&??RG&VF?V?Bf6??G??6??6V?G&FRWV??F???&6??2?B?V6???6?Wf?&F?"F?vW"?BfVVBF????BF?&VRWf?&F?????G2F?6??WfRF?R?7N( ?2??W&6V?BvFW"&V6?fW'?&FR?F?R&??V7B?6???6?VFW2vFW"7?7FV???&?fV?V?B?B7W?'F??rWF??F?W2?B??g&7G'V7GW&RWw&FW2?F?7G&?7B6????FW#?6???"??&?F??V&?2ff?'2?ff?6W#???f?V?BVF?F?#?Ff?B?6??"7Ffc?F??V???6?FW,;6??w&VrgVFW&W"?'&???2???V&&&B?b?&WfW&?GFW'6????&?7FV?6??V6??B?&???WVFFVâ?#2?CS"?3?#"?"f???#2?CS"?C#??F?R?Ww467F?R?2V&?6?VB???F??V?FW"F?R&?f?6???2?b"3cf?"F?RV????VW2?BW?FV?FVBV?v??VW"f???bF?R??2?vV?W2F?7G&?7B?U44R?f?Ww2?B??????2W?&W76VB?W&V??&R??B?V6W76&??F??6R?bF?RF?7G&?7B?"?bF?RFW'F?V?B?bFVfV?6R?FG&W72???F?F?R??2?vV?W2F?7G&?7BV&?2ff?'2?ff?6R?ED???Ww467F?RVF?F?"???&??S3#s???2?vV?W2?4?r?#3#RR????F?RV&?2ff?'27FfbC?V&?6ff?'2?5?W66R?&???????'F?7N( ?2&V?FW&??r?bF?RvFW"G&VF?V?B??B6??w2v?BF?Rf6??G?v?????????RW??6???WF????????W7G&F???6?W'FW7??b4D?6?F???&6?#0??"?Ww467F?P??0??