Engineer Memoirs
In addition to standard divisions and labs, what other Corps organizations reported to the
Chief?
There are three of them: the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, the Engineer Studies
A:
Center, and the educational facility at Huntsville. The Board of Engineers for Rivers and
Harbors was established by Congress with the idea of providing an independent review
capability at the highest level to look at projects for the Chief of Engineers before they were
recommended to the Congress.
That board, in my judgment, worked directly for the Chief of Engineers, not for the director
of Civil Works. In fact, the director of Civil Works is the one element that the Board of
Engineers for Rivers and Harbors should not have worked for, because the board's mission
was to review projects after they had passed through the staff system and were ready for the
Chief's final review.
The point is that the board was there to provide the Chief of Engineers an independent review
of these projects. I'm not talking only about the board, which is comprised of division
engineers. I'm talking about the staff as well. The permanent staff of the Board of Engineers
for Rivers and Harbors was composed of truly outstanding people-some of the best minds
we had. People came from our districts to serve. The board conducted a training program for
selected district personnel called the Planning Associates Program.
If a project cleared the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, the Chief then could sign
off and send it on its way with a high level of comfort that it was technically adequate, did not
violate policies or laws, and deserved whatever was recommended.
I sincerely believe that the Board of
Engineers for Rivers and Harbors was a
most valuable institution in protecting the
taxpayers. Why it was abolished is not
clear. I'm sure it was an economy move,
and somebody thought it was just a review
board and probably we could get along
without it. We're not going to get along
without it. We're going to pay a very
serious price for not having it, either in
poor projects getting through or in hiring
somebody else to do what they were doing
in the first place.
notice now we're turning to the National
Academy of Engineering to provide its
input on Corps projects. If the Board of
Engineers for Rivers and Harbors existed,
such might not have been needed.
I considered it a high honor to be chairman
of the Board of Engineers for Rivers and
Harbors. I tried always to reflect my high
regard for the board and staff and the
importance of their job.
Meg Sergeant, wife of Colonel Howard Sergeant,
painted this portrait of General Morris when he was
Chief of Engineers.
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