On This Day in History: 1996

On October 1, 1996, Lt. General Joe Ballard became the first black to head the US Army Corps of Engineers. He was responsible for 40,000 soldiers and civilians in the Corps. Two years later, Gen. Ballard was named Black Engineer of the Year. He said three reasons influenced his career selection: he wanted to be a problem solver and engineering is a profession of problem solvers; good mentors that helped him along the way; and the Corps was a great place to build an engineering career.

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