Unsubscribe
to monthly newsletter

Subscribe
to HTML newsletter

RSVP for the Next Meeting

Quick Links to News Articles:

» Highlights of the Previous Meeting

» Scholarship Application Time

» Wanted - Students for SAME Engineering and Construction Camps

» SAME 2008 National Conference Update

Quick Link to Printer-Friendly Version of Meeting Announcement

Upcoming Meetings:

» Thursday, Apr 19th
Stormwater Management

» Wednesday, May 23rd <Date Change>
Joint Meeting with Minnesota Floodplain Managers

» Thursday, Jun 21st
Field Trip to St. Anthony Falls Power Plant
 

Quick Links to Post Leaders

Quick Link to our Sustaining Members

Please direct comments, questions, or advice to Newsletter Editor:
james.b.mosner
@usace.army.mil

We're at:
www.same-msp.org

Next Meeting Presentation

Thursday, March 15
 

Combat Construction Engineering in Iraq:
A Seabee's First-hand Experience

Andrew Ditter
URS Corporation

Presentation Synopsis:

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Two-Five was deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in March of 2006.  The 500-person unit spent 6 months in the Al Anbar province providing contingency construction support to the 1^st Marine Expeditionary Force.

Andrew Ditter, a Project Engineer with URS, along with the 7 members of the Operations staff served in the Seabees to ensure mission accomplishment by planning, monitoring, and also leading from the front.  This presentation will show how a Civil Engineer in the military can help to rebuild a nation.

Over the course of the deployment the battalion provided two convoy security teams that moved construction equipment and supplies around Iraq to support allied forces.  Meanwhile, two separate 20-person Seabee teams were also repairing two airfields 200 miles apart from each other.  A 20-person road repair team deployed with a 40-person Marine security element to repair the roads of western Iraq.  The Seabees supported 10 different bases with maintenance, construction, and engineering.  Eighteen large missions, valued in excess of $50M construction cost, were executed by the 500-person Seabee battalion in a 6 month time frame.  During these missions, Andrew's Seabees completed their work in sand storms, 120 degree F temperatures and workdays that often continued into night.

Andrew is back stateside now and is currently with URS in Tampa, Florida, working on a major airport reconstruction project.

Meeting Location:

February 2007 Meeting
 

The annual joint meeting with the Minnesota Chapter of ASCE was an overwhelming success; the topic obviously struck a chord of interest with many people.  We had an overflow crowd of over 100 people attend, which was a few more than we anticipated, so we greatly appreciated the patience that everyone displayed with us.

Steve Olson (r), a bridge engineer with HNTB and the chair of the ASCE-Minnesota History and Heritage Committee, gave a very interesting and informative talk, along with many beautiful photographs, that told the story of history and highlights of many noteworthy bridges in Minnesota.  Many of the bridges that Steve talked about are included on a 2007 Calendar that ASCE-Minnesota History and Heritage Committee prepared and have made available free of charge at the following website:                                http://www.ascemn.org/calehist.htm

On February 22nd, Rick Femrite and Chris Afdahl staffed a display booth on behalf of the Post at a Engineer's Week activity that the St. Paul District COE held in the Great Hall of the First Trust Center.  Representatives from about twelve technical and professional organizations participated in the event.  Hopefully the MSP Post will get a few new members as a result of this event.

If you know someone who may be deserving of a scholarship, please urge the young person to apply for one the Post’s $1100 scholarships.  Applicants are rated in a number of areas including academics, school activities, and community activities.  There are two categories of scholarships described as follows:

• Category I - High school seniors and college students who are children, grandchildren, or siblings of members of the Minneapolis-St. Paul Post and who will be registered as full time college students in the fall of the year of selection.
   

• Category II – SAME Student Members who belong to a Post or a SAME Student Chapter.

Typically three scholarships are awarded annually.  If there are worthy applicants in both categories, two scholarships will be awarded in Category I and one scholarship will be awarded in Category II.  Under Category I, students pursuing any college discipline are welcome to apply.  Under Category II, a student must be an undergraduate student who is pursuing engineering or science related courses or a student who is duly enrolled as a member of the ROTC program in secondary schools, colleges, and universities; and must be either a student member of our Post or a member of a duly sponsored SAME Student Chapter.  Applicants who do not receive a scholarship may reapply the following year.

A committee of Post members evaluate the applications.  All applications are kept confidential, and only the winners are announced.  For additional information, please contact Ben Tustison at 763-205-2651.  Scholarship Application Packages can be downloaded from the Post’s website at:

http://www.same-msp.org/PDF/Scholarship_App&Inst_2007.doc or
http://www.same-msp.org/PDF/Scholarship_App&Inst_2007.pdf

Application packages should be mailed to Paul at the following address:

Tustison Engineering
ATTN: Ben Tustison, P.E.
Chairperson, SAME Scholarship Committee
16610 26th Ave. N.
 Plymouth, MN 55447
 

SAME offers high school freshman, sophomores, and juniors the opportunity to attend a one week camp.  They learn leadership, engineering and construction skills, and have fun with students from all over the world.

The Minneapolis-Saint Paul Post would like to sponsor a high school student to attend either one of the following summer camp opportunities.  The Post will pay the Registration Fee and and ¹/₂ of the Airfare; the student's family is responsible for the remainder of the airfare..

High school students that are interested in this opportunity should:

1) review the camp website(s) and the links to eligibility requirements and application forms so that all requirements are clearly understood, and

2) contact Ben Tustison at 763-205-2651 or ben@tustisonengineering.com to submit your name as being interested in this opportunity.

The MSP Post deadline for responding to Ben Tustison regarding your interest in being considered for this opportunity is 15 March 2007. 

From the qualified respondees, the Post will select one attendee and one alternate; the alternate may be able to attendee if the primary selectee is unable to attend or if additional space becomes available at the camps.  Once the Post has selected an attendee and an alternate, the selectees will be given additional instructions for submitting the required applications.  Selections will be made by 30 March 2007, which will the selectees adequate time to complete the required applications.

Click on the names of the camps below to hyperlink to the National SAME web pages that have additional details about the camps along with detailed registration information. 

SAME / US Air Force Academy Camp
US Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO
July 5-11, 2007

SAME / US Navy Seabees Camp
Port Heuneme, California
July 29-Aug 4, 2007

SAME / US Army Camp
Vicksburg, Mississippi
June 10-16, 2006

Sustaining Members firms in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Post and the Rock Island Post can now make reservations for Exhibit Booths and for Sponsorship Opportunities.  SM firms of the two host Post's have first opportunity before reservations are opened up to everyone at the Philadelphia Conference in May.  Registration flyers are available for downloading at the 2008 Conference Website:

http://www.same-2008.org/Exhibitor_Sponsor_Info.htm