News Stories

  • June

    USACE Marks 250 Years with Pivotal Support to the Army’s Birthday

    As the U.S. Army celebrated its 250th anniversary June 14 with a birthday festival and parade in the nation's capital, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was hard at work behind the scenes and on the logistical front lines. In a powerful intersection of history and engineering excellence, USACE’s contributions helped ensure parade success while also symbolizing its own 250th anniversary of building and defending the nation.
  • May

    USACE Navigation mission critical to Armed Forces’ strategic readiness

    When the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) needs to move over 1,000 trucks, trailers, and tons of equipment for a large training exercise, they rely on the cost-effectiveness and convenience of the nation’s waterways.
  • The Corps Environment – Spring 2025 edition now available

    The Spring 2025 edition of The Corps Environment is now available! This publication highlights how the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is turning environmental challenges into mission-ready solutions. Content in this issue includes ongoing projects and initiatives from across the Army environmental community that are leveraging environmental stewardship as a force multiplier — enhancing military readiness, strengthening strategic partnerships and supporting community well-being.
  • USACE Completes Two-Week Regional Power Mission Exercise, Prepares for Upcoming Hurricane Season

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) successfully concluded a two-week Regional Power Mission Exercise on May 16, enhancing its readiness to provide critical temporary emergency power in the wake of a major disaster.
  • U.S. Engineering Team Assesses Colón, Panama’s Infrastructure Challenges, Strengthening Bilateral Partnership

    A team from the U.S. Army’s 553rd Forward Engineer Support Team-Advance (FEST-A) drove around important parts of the city of Colón, Panama, surveying the stormwater and wastewater systems on May 13, 2025. The survey was designed to find ways to bolster the ongoing partnership between the United States and Panama while addressing one of Panama’s largest city’s long-standing infrastructure issues.
  • OPTIC: Transforming Mission Planning with Safety, Efficiency, and Innovation

    The proliferation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in civil works, emergency response, and military applications is the primary driver for development of the Operator’s Tool for Information Collection (OPTIC). Designed to meet operational needs, OPTIC leverages decades of experience to improve mission planning, operational tracking, and data-driven decisions for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).
  • April

    What is a Sapper? 250 Years of “Badass” Engineers

    In the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the term sapper carries weight. For 250 years, sappers have served as elite combat engineers, supporting frontline infantry in every war throughout American history.
  • March

    Double Duty: Chris Stewarts’ Service in and out of Uniform

    Chris "CJ" Stewart seamlessly balances his dual roles as a federal civilian logistics management specialist and an Army Reservist. Serving within the Resource Integration Division (RID) of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Logistics Activity (ULA), Stewart's civilian duties involve assessing logistics through the Command Logistics Review Program (CLRP). Simultaneously, as a Motor Transport Operator (88M) in the Army Reserves, his military focus is also squarely on logistics. Stewart recently completed a year-long activation based in Poland, where his mission involved deterring, defending against, and potentially defeating adversarial aggression. His logistical support stretched across multiple countries, including Poland, Croatia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Germany. During his deployment, Stewart held multiple critical command roles in addition to his regular duties, including SHARP Ambassador Program representative, Suicide Prevention Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC), Liaison Officer NCOIC, and Unit Movement Officer NCOIC.
  • USACE Aviation Program Office: Enhancing Efficiency and Compliance in UAS Operations

    The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Aviation Program Office (APO) plays a pivotal role in advancing crewed and uncrewed aviation missions across the organization. Established to meet the growing demands of Civil Works, Emergency Response, and Combatant Command operations, the APO serves as the central aviation authority for USACE, ensuring the safe, legal, and efficient operation of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS).
  • February

    The Corps Environment – Winter 2025 edition now available

    The Winter 2025 edition of The Corps Environment is now available! This edition features ongoing projects and initiatives that are proactively considering the environment and influencing partnerships in support of military readiness and community well-being.

News Releases

Matthews named Nashville District Employee of the Month for September 2020

Nashville District public Affairs
Published Nov. 13, 2020
Tyler Matthews, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District, patrols Nov. 4, 2020 in the tailwater below Wolf Creek Dam in Jamestown, Kentucky. The district recently named Matthews the employee of the month for September 2020. (USACE photo by Codey Hensley)

Tyler Matthews, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District, patrols Nov. 4, 2020 in the tailwater below Wolf Creek Dam in Jamestown, Kentucky. The district recently named Matthews the employee of the month for September 2020. (USACE photo by Codey Hensley)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Nov. 13, 2020) – Park Ranger Tyler Matthews, natural resources specialist at Lake Cumberland, is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District Employee of the Month for September 2020.

Matthews is recognized for his work during the COVID-19 pandemic to assist visitors with reservations at Kendall Recreation Area and Campground and to make public safety a priority for those who recreate on the lake and at Corps facilities. 

“He personally attended to many instances of overbooking and dealt with challenges with the online reservation system being temporarily unavailable and the Recreation.gov call center being closed because of pandemic protocols,” said Jonathan Friedman, Lake Cumberland resource manager and Mathews’ supervisor.

During the pandemic, Matthews designed, constructed, and installed plexiglass shields over the fee booths to enhance the protection of booth attendants and patrons. And when the visitor center wasn’t open during the early period of the pandemic, he would meet visitors to provide America the Beautiful passes at locations they could obtain them but also practice physical distancing and wear masks.

As a natural resources specialist and park ranger, Matthews patrols 250 miles of shoreline and 157 miles of fee-owned boundary line. His responsibilities encompass Wolf Creek Dam and tailwater and he serves as a liaison to the fish hatchery, Lake Cumberland State Park, and three commercial marinas.

Matthews is being lauded in particular for his relationship working with the district’s partners at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery. He collaborated with James Gray, Regional Cold-Water Program supervisor, on the continued management of a cold-water trout stream that meanders through the Kendall Recreation Area and with a native fresh-water mussel rearing project.

Lt. Col. Sonny Avichal, Nashville District commander, congratulated Matthews and noted how he is responsible to a myriad of tasks including customer contact; explaining policies and regulations to visitors; meeting with adjacent property owners, civic groups, conservation associations and schools groups; and planning and execution of natural resources.

“He has done a tremendous job of working with the fish hatchery to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people,” Avichal said. “Tyler has really shined in his efforts to better the ecosystem of the Cumberland River waters.”

Matthews said he really loves his job because of his diverse duties. He said he also enjoys getting to patrol on the water and enjoy the outdoors while helping people who are recreating and enjoying Lake Cumberland.

“Rangers focus on visitor assistance, natural resources management and public safety,” Matthews said. “I’m also responsible for the boundary line management program, Kendall Campground, buoys, signs, and vessel management for the Lake Cumberland project.”

As for being selected employee of the month, he said he was shocked when he received texts congratulating him.

“It is a nice feeling to be recognized for the work that we do,” Matthews said.

Matthews said he considers his team at Lake Cumberland to be like family, and the relationships they have are the greatest contribution to the success within the team.

He is a native of Jamestown, Tennessee, and graduated from Tennessee Technological University in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in conservation biology. He joined the Corps of Engineers in 2008 and is married with two children.

“My family is very supportive of me and my job,” Matthews said. “They think I have the coolest job ever and my little boy loves wearing my ranger hats.”

Friedman said he couldn’t be happier with Matthews’ selection as employee of the month because the recognition speaks highly and lends credit to the entire staff at Lake Cumberland and Wolf Creek Dam.

“It doesn’t matter what project Tyler is working on, or who he is working with.  Everyone knows Tyler will execute the mission to the best of his abilities,” Friedman said.

(The public can obtain news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District on the district’s website at www.lrn.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps. The public can also follow Lake Cumberland on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/lakecumberland.)


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