When men and women are interested in joining the Armed Forces, generally the first step in the process is visiting a local military career center or recruitment office. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ joint Recruiting Facilities Program, through its Real Estate Division, facilitates this process and provides effective and safe facilities through global lease agreements servicing the United States Army, Navy, Airforce, Marine Corps, Air Force Reserve, Army National Guard, and Air National Guard.
USACE, Omaha District currently services 204 leases for 441 military career centers for all branches of the Armed Forces throughout its area of operation which includes: Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin; providing the region a doorway to serve the nation.
“Our primary goal is to provide timely mission support to all branches of the armed forces, managing requirements and expectations throughout our eight-state region,” said Amanda Simpson, Acting Chief, Real Estate Division, Omaha District.
The Omaha District Real Estate Division supervises and coordinates all phases of real estate activities involving the planning, acquisition, management and disposal of all real property interests within the boundaries of the district in support of military installations and recruiting offices. One team manages the National Recruiting Facilities Program by providing office space in support of military recruiting activities for the Department of Defense.
George Hern, senior realty specialist, Omaha District, describes the program as, “providing the doorway to serve” for the U.S. Armed Forces.
Once a delineated area is identified by the services, USACE Real Estate Division competitively advertises for available lease space, analyzes all bids, awards the lease, coordinates buildout and security requirements, develops floorplan designs, and negotiates all other aspects of the lease contract. In addition, the program relocates and expands current office space as needed, maintains leased properties on a consistent basis throughout the life of the lease agreement and upgrades the facilities through security and maintenance upgrades or tenant improvements, routine and emergency actions.
The District’s Recruiting Facilities Program has a diverse support staff working diligently in Omaha, South Dakota, Minnesota and Colorado every day to maintain the lease, tracking and obligating funds, payment of contracts, along with personnel that manage the janitorial contracts and utility payment needs per facility. These areas of responsibility are essential to the program to ensure all rent, utilities and contract obligations are met.
“I enjoy working alongside the military services with their recruiting missions and seeing the end results,” Brandi Lamb, senior realty specialist, Omaha District, said. “We inspect our facilities along with the services once an action is completed and get to see the fruits of our labor.”
The District’s current lease agreements and partnerships include: U.S. Army 137; U.S. Air Force 89; U.S. Air Force Reserve 5; Air National Guard 3; U.S. Marine Corps 123, and U.S. Navy 84.
For additional information about the District’s Real Estate programs visit: https://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/Business-With-Us/Real-Estate/