For the past 25 years, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Contingency Response Unit (CRU) has consistently delivered highly skilled personnel in support of military operations, disaster response, and Combatant Command missions across the globe.
The unit was officially activated on October 16, 2000, and is comprised of roughly 46 reserve Soldiers who rapidly respond to engineering needs during times of crisis.
“Though we are an Army Reserve organization, the CRU has consistently demonstrated our ability to respond and support the Corps during times of need,” said Col. Kari Haravitch, Contingency Response Unit commander. “Our Soldiers understand the unique nature of the CRU and the support we provide to USACE and their customers.”
The unit’s first major assignment came in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11th. Within hours, members were deployed to the USACE Operation Center and then were on the ground in New York assisting USACE’s North Atlantic Division (NAD) stand up and operate both the Emergency Operations Center and a military Tactical Operations Center. The CRU’s efforts enabled NAD personnel to focus on Ground Zero while the reserve Soldiers coordinated across five USACE districts, FEMA, and local emergency services.
Soldiers from the CRU also contributed actionable intelligence and terrorism analysis to inform national-level planning and served at USACE Headquarters where they manned the Emergency Operations Center, installed secure communications infrastructure, provided mission-critical continuity, and helped assess and upgrade infrastructure vulnerabilities in U.S. ports and waterways. They also coordinated Reserve mobilization and demobilization efforts during a period of rapid activation.
From that point on the CRU’s mission continued to evolve.
Shortly after 9/11, the CRU deployed to USACE’s Europe District in Germany to establish a Future Operations Center supporting Europe Command and Joint Forces Command. The team conducted anti-terrorism and force protection assessments across key facilities in Germany, Italy, and Turkey, supported Unexploded Ordnance removal in Nigeria, and assessed training ranges in Georgia and Estonia to strengthen NATO and US interoperability.
“As a unit tailored to perform specific support missions, we have the flexibility to meet the variety of USACE, and overarching Engineer Regiment needs,” said Haravitch “We pride ourselves on a strong interview process that allows us to select senior leaders with high quality staff and command experience, enabling us to provide a baseline, foundational set of engineer technical and operational skills and experiences as well as leadership skills that are needed regardless of the mission.
According to Haravitch this foundation of experience and training enables to rapidly integrate with and augment any Engineer element whether it’s a USACE MSC, District, or RFO or an ASCC or GCC Engineer cell.
Through the decades the unit’s members deployed in small agile teams, or individually, supporting domestic and international events, serving as liaisons, project engineers, planners and staff officers.
During this time CRU Soldiers, supported the federal responses to Hurricane Katrina and the tsunami that struck Southeast Asia, as well as deployed in support of operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom providing engineering leadership to the Afghanistan Engineer District and, at the time, the Gulf Region Division (GRD).
During the early days of the Global War on Terror, CRU Soldiers served as the operations centers, the hubs of the districts and GRD.
“These CRU green suiters enabled operational success for USACE in U.S. Central Command,” said Haravitch “Their technical skillsets, often gained via their civilian employers, coupled with their military experience and training allowed them to hit the ground running, each and every rotation.”
Beyond the efforts of the global war on terror the CRU has supported the nation during the COVID-19 pandemic providing essential engineer support for emergency medical infrastructure as well as supporting disaster response efforts in the wake of the Maui wildfires and Hurricane Idalia.
Most recently, the CRU responded to support recovery efforts from Hurricanes Helene and Milton and the Los Angeles wildfires.
“Having the ability to tap into reserve Soldiers who bring the best of both the military and civilian knowledge is a force multiplier for USACE,” said Maj. Gen. Jason Kelly, deputy commanding general for civil and emergency operations. “CRU Soldiers fill those critical needs with an unmatched professionalism and expertise that allows USACE to be successful no matter the challenge.”
Looking ahead the CRU looks to continue to build upon their past successes supporting the nation as it adapts to the global operating environment.
The Corps of Engineers has no shortage of missions, asks, and tasks. While the demand grows and resources ebb and flow, the CRU will continue to provide direct support to the Corps, providing educated, trained, and experienced teams and individuals to help USACE and the Engineer Regiment,” said Haravitch.