This is the bio of the Chief of Engineers during the critical period of time...
Lieutenant General Joe N. Ballard
Commanding General, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Lieutenant General Joe N. Ballard became the 49th Chief of Engineers and Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Oct. 1, 1996. He is the Army's senior engineer and top engineering advisor. He is responsible for an annual budget of over $12 billion, and leadership of a workforce of more than 37,000 civilian and military personnel worldwide.
General Ballard manages Army Corps of Engineers missions, including the nation's vast civil works program, environmental restoration, and construction on military installations. His leadership guides the Corps in assisting with recovery from natural disasters, regulating work in the nation's waterways and wetlands, conducting research and development, serving as the Army and Air Force real estate agent, and providing engineering services to 60 other federal agencies and more than 80 other nations.
General Ballard graduated from Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA, in 1965 with a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and was commissioned into the Corps of Engineers. He later earned his master's degree in Engineering Management from the University of Missouri. He is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College and the Army War College. He is a registered professional engineer in civil engineering. Lieutenant General Ballard holds a number of honorary degrees, including an Honorary Doctorate of Law from Lincoln University, Jefferson City, MO; an Honorary Professional Degree from the University of Missouri in Rolla, MO; and an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering from Southern University, Baton Rouge, LA. Prior to his selection as Chief of Engineers, General Ballard served as the Chief of Staff of the Army's Training and Doctrine Command, Fort Monroe, Va. He served in a wide variety of command and staff positions in the U.S. and overseas, including Commanding General of the U.S. Army Engineer Center and Fort Leonard Wood. General Ballard served two combat tours in Vietnam.
General Ballard's military awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit (three awards), Bronze Star Medal (two awards), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and the Meritorious Service Medal (four awards).
In addition to his military honors, the Council of Deans of Historically Black Colleges and Universities and the Career Communications Group recognized General Ballard as the 1998 Black Engineer of the Year. He is also the 1998-1999 president of the Society of American Military Engineers and a member of the National Engineering Honor Society, Tau Beta Pi.
General Ballard is a native of Oakdale, LA. He is married to the former Tessie LaRose of New Orleans, LA., and they are parents of three daughters: Mrs. Dawn Stewart, Mrs. Taras Copeland, and Mrs. Makyba Frazer.
Check out post #15... Life sure has some strange twists.