District Digest News Stories

Corps of Engineers waives day use fees for vets on Veterans Day

Published Nov. 7, 2014
Three anglers fish for "the big one" on Old Hickory Lake.

Three anglers fish for "the big one" on Old Hickory Lake.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is waiving day use fees for veterans, active and reserve component service members, and their families at more than 2,200 USACE-operated recreation areas nationwide on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.  This includes areas the Nashville District operates within the Cumberland River Basin.

“The Nashville District appreciates the hard work and sacrifices all veterans have made and we hope they will make visiting our recreation areas part of the upcoming holiday,” said Mark Klimaszewski, acting chief of the Natural Resources Section.  “Our many parks and recreation areas are located in close proximity to residents of Middle Tennessee and Kentucky and we encourage everyone to visit not just on Veterans Day, but throughout the year.”

The fee waiver requires only verbal confirmation of service. The waiver covers fees for boat launch ramps and swimming beaches. The waiver does not apply to camping and camping-related services, or fees for specialized facilities such as group picnic shelters. USACE does not charge an entrance fee to access its parks. Other agencies that manage recreation areas on USACE lands are encouraged, but not required, to offer the waiver in the areas that they manage.

“We first began the Veterans Day fee waiver in 2006 as a way to honor the men and women who have served our nation and the armed forces,” said James R. Hannon, USACE Chief of Operations in Washington, D.C.  "We invite veterans, active and reserve service members, and their families this Veterans Day to launch a boat, swim at one of our beaches, or just spend some time together enjoying the outdoors free of charge.”

The Nashville District has 10 lakes, which include Lake Barkley, Lake Cumberland, Laurel River Lake and Martins Fork Lake in Kentucky, and Cheatham Lake, Old Hickory Lake, J. Percy Priest Lake, Cordell Hull Lake, Center Hill Lake, Dale Hollow Lake in Tennessee.

USACE is the nation’s largest federal provider of outdoor and water-based recreation hosting more than 370 million visits annually to its 404 lakes and river projects. It’s estimated that 90 percent of the USACE-operated recreation areas are within 50 miles of metropolitan areas offering diverse outdoor activities for all ages close to home. To discover a USACE recreation site nearest you, please visit http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/visitors.cfm.

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.