LOS ANGELES — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers South Pacific Division commander visited several key locations in the Los Angeles District’s area of operations Dec. 2–3 in Southern California to receive updates on projects and highlight partnerships and teamwork across the region.
Brig. Gen. John Lloyd met with project-delivery teams and nonfederal partners and toured projects, including Whittier Narrows Dam in South El Monte, the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, and the Jennifer Moreno Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center campus in San Diego. The visit provided an opportunity for Lloyd to gain situational awareness of district missions, while engaging directly with teams and partners responsible for delivering them.
During his Dec. 2 visit to the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles — the nation’s two busiest container ports — Lloyd met with nonfederal port partners to discuss shared priorities related to navigation and long-term coordination. The ports play a vital role in the regional and national economy, and USACE works closely with port partners to help maintain safe and efficient navigation, while supporting infrastructure that enables commerce to move reliably through Southern California. The discussions underscored the importance of sustained coordination between federal and nonfederal partners to support the long-term operational needs of the port complex.
“We’re on the same team,” Lloyd said. “USACE wants the port to succeed. Navigation is a priority. This may be hard work, but they’re easy wins.”
On Dec. 3, Lloyd toured Whittier Narrows Dam, one of the most urban and high-consequence dams in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ portfolio. The visit highlighted ongoing flood-risk-management and maintenance work conducted in coordination with local partner agencies. Whittier Narrows Dam spans multiple communities and plays a critical role in managing flood risk during major storm events, making collaboration and readiness essential to its mission.
Lloyd also met with Los Angeles District project-delivery team members and Department of Veterans Affairs partners at the Jennifer Moreno VA Medical Center campus in San Diego. There, he toured the nearly complete San Diego VA Healthcare System Spinal Cord Injury/Community Living Center, a six-story facility designed to support specialized care for veterans and active-duty service members with spinal cord injuries and disorders. USACE is overseeing construction of the facility on behalf of the VA. The project reflects the long-standing partnership between USACE and the VA to deliver complex medical facilities that support veterans’ health and recovery.
The visit allowed Lloyd to engage directly with teams involved in the final stages of the project and to underscore the importance of teamwork, quality and execution as the facility approaches completion.
Throughout the two-day visit, Lloyd emphasized the value of collaboration across the district’s diverse mission sets, from navigation and flood-risk management to facilities supporting veterans. He praised the remarkable military and civilian teammates, who continue to engineer solutions to the region’s toughest challenges with vision, determination and skill.