NASVHVILLE, Tenn. (March 5, 2012) – A former commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District recently received a professional achievement award in the government category at the 26th Annual Black Engineer of the Year Awards Gala at the Philadelphia Marriott.
Lt. Col. Anthony P. Mitchell, now serving as the officer in charge of the Iraq Area Office for the Middle East District, accepted the award Feb. 18 and thanked the members of the Nashville District for their part in his success and recognition.
Mitchell said that he represented Nashville District during the flood with pride and a sense of purpose. “I wanted the district team to know that I was there with them, weathering the storm and handling adversity. I wanted to exemplify what Martin Luther King Jr. said – that ‘the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.’”
Mitchell served as Nashville District commander from July 2009 to June 2011 and managed water resources development and operations in the Cumberland and Tennessee River basins, which cover 59,000 square miles across a seven state area.
During his tenure, he had many accomplishments that were recognized by this award.
He executed projects supporting the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that provided needed jobs for people in the region while improving dams and locks. He also worked issues associated with the Wolf Creek Dam Foundation Remediation Project at Lake Cumberland and made sure local communities understood the impacts of a lower pool level as the Corps of Engineers reduced the risks of possible failure during construction.
During the May 2010 flood in Nashville, Mitchell’s leadership proved crucial to the management of the Cumberland River and lower Ohio River, saving millions of dollars in property. During the crisis, he managed emergency actions, coordinated with local, state and federal officials, and kept the public informed.
As part of his commitment to the district’s hydropower partners, including the Tennessee Valley Authority and South Eastern Power Administration, Mitchell focused local, state and federal attention on capital improvement. Through his initiative, $1 billion will be made available over the next decade to support the rehabilitation of hydropower projects.
Mitchell’s water safety program also encouraged the workforce and more than 35 million visitors to district lakes, recreation areas and campgrounds to think about safety. His commitment to water safety reached out to Corps park rangers as they worked to promote public and on-the-job safety.
Carol Haynes, Nashville District’s Equal Employment and Opportunity officer, attended the award ceremony and said that Mitchell really praised district employees who supported his initiatives.
“He was so pleased and humbled by the honor, closing his remarks with a special thanks to all the Nashville District employees,” Haynes said. “He talked to me after the ceremony and wanted to be sure that the district employees knew that his mission accomplishments cited during the ceremony were the accomplishments of the district. He said he appreciates the work of everyone during his tenure.”
She added that Mitchell also endeavored to be a role model, mentor and community supporter in his off-duty time. He revitalized recruitment teams and developed university partnerships to promote both the district’s Building Great Engineers and Advancing Minorities Interests in Engineering programs. The district’s long partnership with Tennessee State University grew to include support for pre-college programs. Another enduring legacy was the doubling of the number of employees volunteering to support overseas contingency operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Several other Nashville District employees were at the ceremony, including Kellen Cole, Daphne Jackson, Mario Beddingfield and Tennese Henderson.
While Mitchell said he was humbled to be nominated and recognized before his peers, he said that the greatest pleasure comes from seeing his sons’ reaction to this recognition.
“My boys are so excited that I received this award, and they want to follow in my footsteps,” Mitchell said.
In his acceptance remarks, Mitchell thanked BEYA for its efforts in influencing young people to pursue engineering, science and technology careers.
“One of the most important things we can do as leaders is to be role models for our children and for young adults, especially for African-Americans. When we are role models, our young people see results. They see something they can believe in. They see that hard work pays off.”
Mitchell encourages people to be uncommon – ideals that are espoused by acclaimed football coach Tony Dungy. “That’s where greatness comes from. I want to encourage young people to be different, to have a dream, to make a difference. And I want my actions to reflect those ideals.”
“On the more serious side, it was gratifying to be recognized, and I must admit that I was surprised that my leadership (at Great Lakes and Ohio River Division) believed I was deserving of this award. As I watched engineers from private sector companies and the Armed Forces receiving their awards, I realized we – the Corps of Engineers – have project engineers and quality assurance representatives who are at that same caliber as the award recipients. We need to do a better job of taking the time to recognize them.”
Mitchell holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Prairie View A&M University and a master’s in engineering from the University of Texas. His year-long tour in Iraq ends in July, and his next assignment is at USACE headquarters.
Reacting to receiving the Professional Achievement award, Mitchell said, “My wife and I had a blast (at the conference). We felt like celebrities for a short time.
The public can obtain news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District on the district’s website at www.lrn.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps.