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Early discussions lead Guam and National Silver Jackets to milestone event

Honolulu District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Published March 12, 2019
Guam Silver Jackets team members gather for its initial meeting, officially creating the first Territorial Silver Jackets team in the Nation.

Guam Silver Jackets team members gather for its initial meeting, officially creating the first Territorial Silver Jackets team in the Nation.

During a landmark occasion Feb. 5, the Honolulu District Silver Jackets Coordinator held the first formal meeting of the Guam Silver Jackets team. Building resilience across our Nation, beyond the 50 states, the historical event marked a first for the Guam Silver Jackets as well as the National Silver Jackets program. 

The Guam Silver Jackets team charter was recently signed and adopted by six agencies within the government of Guam, marking the establishment of the first territorial Silver Jackets team.  The charter is now being routed to federal partners for signature.

Honolulu District initiated discussions with the government of Guam's Coastal Management Office and the Office of Civil Defense in August 2018. Despite the challenge of being 19 hours ahead of the Honolulu District coupled with being 15 hours ahead of the east coast, the Silver Jackets serves to be the catalyst for interagency collaboration across all the agencies and territory.

“What we have done these past few months is an exemplary demonstration of leveraging resources,” Edwin Reyes, administrator of the Guam Coastal Management program said.  “The technical studies that USACE provides, along with the local and federal partnerships, truly empowers the planning process by providing us with an understanding of our threats as well as a portfolio of options and pathway forward to help those who experience chronic flooding and erosion threats."

During their remarks to the Assembly of Planners Feb. 6, Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero and Lt. Governor Josh Tenorio both expressed the Guam administration's commitment to working with the Corps of Engineers and local and National groups as well as emphasized the risks Guam battles like riverine flooding, coastal flooding, coastal erosion, tsunamis, typhoons, and intrusion into the Guam's fresh water aquifer.

“We find ourselves in this cost culture environment at all levels of government,” said Jeff Herzog, Honolulu District Silver Jackets coordinator for the Pacific Islands region who attended the meeting of both local and federal partners in Guam. “The ability to align visions and priorities, working together addressing hazards assists leaders in making informed decisions.” 

Herzog stressed it’s not about creating more work, but maximizing outputs with limited inputs aligning the already identified work.

Ellen Berggren from the National Silver Jacket’s Team and Herzog attended the meeting of both local and federal partners in Guam.

The Guam Silver Jackets team will meet again in March to develop an interagency proposal for the upcoming federal fiscal year 2020 proposal cycle.

(Jeff Herzog contributed to this article)


Contact
Bryanna R. Poulin
808-835-4004
bryanna.r.poulin@usace.army.mil

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