People and Events
2004 Black Engineer Alum Leads Katrina Reconstruction Efforts
By Tyrone Taborn and Bruce Phillips
Sep 3, 2005, 16:20

Black Engineer of the Year Alum, Brig. Gen. Robert Crear

This weekend, while visiting the Gulf States and seeing all the destruction of Hurricane Katrina, President Bush commented, “We've got a lot of rebuilding to do. First, we're going to save lives and stabilize the situation. And then we're going to help these communities rebuild.”

Listening closely to President Bush during his tour was someone who will do some of that rebuilding.

Black Engineer of the Year Alumnus Brigadier General Robert Crear will be one of those Americans turning President Bush's words into action. As the Commanding General, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley Division, and President, Mississippi River Commission, Crear will be responsible for overseeing much of the Army Corps reconstruction efforts in the Gulf States.

If past history is a predictor of future performance, Crear is just the right American for the job.

The General had a major role in the 21-day sweep through Operation Iraqi Freedom and the army's steadfast performance in facing down suicide bombers and ambush attacks to bring order and restore services to the people afterward.

It is doubtful that would have been possible without great logistical and engineering support.

Brig. Gen. Robert Crear was the Corps of Engineers' main driver of support for Central Command, which ran the Iraq war and is running the occupation.

Crear, the second African American to be senior engineer for the Corps' Southwest Region, leads programs spending $1.5 billion a year on military and civil works engineering and construction in seven states and the Middle East. His 3,200-person division not only supports 29 U.S. Army and Air Force installations but also works with civilian municipalities and Kuwaiti and Iraqi leaders to improve water resources infrastructure such as harbors, commercial ports, shoreline protection, and flood-control projects. Then there are the oil-well and pipeline fires.

Retired Corps' commander, Lt. Gen. Robert B. Flowers said: "Brigadier General Crear is making a very strong and positive impact in an area of responsibility that today encompasses a large part of world oil production.

"In addition to his regular duties (in the U.S.), Bob is in-theater. In charge of implementing plans to extinguish oil well fires and assess the damage to oil facilities during Operation Iraqi Freedom, [his work] encompasses the full range of activities...necessary to restore or continue the operation of the Iraqi oil infrastructure, which is vital to the future health of Iraq's economy."

There's more: The Jackson State University grad was also the Corps' national account executive for the Army Medical Command, Army and Air Force Exchange Service, and Immigration and Nationalization Service.

At a time when most of the national media has focused on the small percentage of Blacks who have taken advantage of these difficult times, it is refreshing to see a modern day African American hero like Brig. General Robert Crear. A Black Engineer of the Year Alumnus who will be responsible for rebuilding an important part of our nation.

That's a big Hoo-ahh, Boss.