SAVANNAH, GA. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District hosted USACE Headquarters Command Sgt. Maj. Patrickson Toussaint and USACE South Atlantic Division Command Sgt. Maj. Chad Blansett during a week-long tour of the SAS area of responsibility Jan. 24-28. During their visit, the command sergeants major met with district leaders and employees to discuss USACE priorities for 2022 and toured several Savannah District projects.
"It's my job to advance USACE's priorities, communicate the commander's intent, and most importantly, take care of people," said Toussaint. "Command Sgt. Maj. Blansett and I were able to hear a lot of great feedback that we'll take back to our commanders and recognize the hard work and dedication of the Savannah team this week."
During the visit, Toussaint and Blansett traveled to the Savannah District Depot and the resident field offices at Hunter Army Airfield, Fort Stewart, Fort Gordon, and J. Strom Thurmond Lake and Dam.
"The Savannah District is incredibly versatile in its mission set and is setting a great example for other districts," said Toussaint. "From harbor deepening and military construction to water management and environmental stewardship, Savannah does it all."
For Toussaint and Blansett, the key to this success is people.
"People, along with readiness, are the top priorities for USACE, and you can't have one without the other," Toussaint said. "As servant leaders, we are constantly striving to clear roadblocks and issues our people are having in order enable readiness throughout the force and in the Army as a whole. With passion, empowerment, ownership, purpose, loyalty, and empathy, we can accomplish any mission that comes our way."
With over 37,000 employees in more than 130 countries across nine divisions and 44 districts, USACE only has four command sergeants major. Command Sgt. Maj. Blansett plays a vital role at the South Atlantic Division as one of these four.
"In the regular Army, we have senior enlisted leaders at every command that act as the go-between for the enlisted force and the commanding officer," Blansett said. "The Corps of Engineers is unique in that the organization is primarily composed of federal civilians, with its unique challenges and rewards."
While Blansett enjoys his role in Atlanta, his favorite part of the job is getting on-site with project teams to hear their stories and see their work in person.
"The engineers, contractors, and supporting staff that are completing projects for USACE today are paving the way for Army readiness in the future," said Blansett. "It's an honor to work with and for so many great professionals to accomplish these missions."
For more photos of the visit, visit our Flickr page.