A Black & Veatch salute: 250 years of the U.S. Army

For 250 years, the U.S. Army has stood as a symbol of strength, service and adaptability. At Black & Veatch, we’re proud to have played a role in supporting that legacy, helping to deliver the infrastructure and innovation that help keep our nation strong and mission ready. As we mark this historic milestone, we sit down with our federal solutions integration leader, Jason Kirk, to reflect on the evolution of our partnership, the projects that have shaped our journey and how we’re helping the Army prepare for the challenges of tomorrow.

Today, Black & Veatch continues to provide the U.S. Army with advanced infrastructure, security and technology solutions that supports the Army’s evolving mission. Current projects include modernizing critical infrastructure like Army ammunition plants and installation energy systems.

Can you talk a bit about the legacy Black & Veatch has with the U.S. Army?

I'm a retired Army colonel. I had the honor of serving in our U.S. Army for 26 years. I retired about seven years ago and was privileged to join the Black & Veatch team two and a half years ago. I operated for 26 of those years under the Army’s motto, “This We’ll Defend.” We're all about the defense of the nation. I think about Black & Veatch, we’re not 250 years old, but we are 110 years old. That's a big number, and our motto is, “Building a World of Difference®,” which we do by helping federal agency clients such as the Department of Defense (DoD) and specifically, the Department of the Army. We design and support the construction of projects that help defend our nation all over the world. Today we're proudly serving the Army and our Department of Defense out in the Pacific islands in Eastern Europe, in the Middle East, in Alaska and in Army bases all over the United States.

If you were explaining our work with the Army to someone new, what is the first thing you would want them to understand?

We know and respect their mission and the clients we are privileged to serve. A number of us on the Black & Veatch team served in the U.S. Army in uniform or as civil servants. Veteran or not, our Black & Veatch team recognizes the importance of serving clients like the U.S. Army.

What is one thing Black & Veatch is proud of in the work we are doing?

The neat thing is we're able to bring many of our solutions to bear for the Army and the broader DoD. These solutions include design of command-and-control facilities, aviation facilities, missile defense infrastructure, master planning for bases, civil works infrastructure and cybersecurity. We've been delivering those sorts of solutions in one form or the other for 108 years.

How has Black & Veatch contributed to the Army’s modernization efforts, specifically in areas such as energy, resilience, infrastructure, sustainability, and mission?

We help bring the best technology, defense communication, physical security, and cybersecurity to our clients. Black & Veatch is there to bring those innovations into the Army facilities that we're privileged to design. For example, microgrids, through our mission assurance solution we create more resilient bases in terms of their power infrastructure. We are building a world of difference by designing projects that help support and defend the nation.

What does the Army's 250^th anniversary mean to you, both professionally and personally?

The Army is fundamental to the foundation of our nation because we're celebrating the Army's birthday one year before we celebrate 250 years of America. National defense and the Army enabled the creation of our nation—I am proud to be a part of that. Army retirees have a motto that says, “Soldier for Life.” Being part of the Black & Veatch federal team allows me to still support the Army's mission, all while I'm sitting here as a civilian.

Does being a retired colonel change how you view the work Black & Veatch does with the Army?

We still know people, both personally and professionally, that are in the Army, so these projects that enable their mission are personally relevant because we feel like we're still, as they say, part of the fight. Teddy Roosevelt has the quote, “The credit goes to the man who is actually in the arena.” This is sort of a way to stay in the arena supporting the big mission. We have projects in Baumholder, Germany, where I served. My grandfather is a veteran of World War II, on the island of Saipan. We are getting to support in that area now.

What's coming down the pipe that you're excited about?

The Army ammunition plants are an area we work in today. The Army is focused on recapitalizing these plants to make them as efficient and cost effective as possible. High quality, long-lasting facilities as our government invests in what's called the defense industrial base. The second thing I would mention is our long-standing support of the U.S. military’s ballistic missile defense program. In both of these priority areas, Black & Veatch is bringing innovative expertise to support the Army and the broader Department of Defense.

As we celebrate the U.S. Army’s 250^th Anniversary, we are proud to reflect on the progress we were able to help make, through the early design of camps to the continuation of advancement in areas critical for sustainability.