Retiree Jamie James receives Distinguished Civilian Employee Recognition Award

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 28, 2026) – Jamie James, former deputy district engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District, has been honore… NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 28, 2026) – Jamie James, former deputy district engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District, has been honored with the Distinguished Civilian Employee Recognition Award in recognition of two decades of public service, technical excellence, and regional leadership. Lt. Col. Guillermo Guandique, Nashville District commander, formally presented the award to James, celebrating a distinguished 20-year federal career that shaped regional water resources, restored critical hydropower infrastructure, and guided high-stakes civil works projects across the Cumberland and Tennessee river basins. The commander noted how the plaque recognizing distinguished civilians indicates that the award is given to recognize “merit,” and so he looked up the definition.

Valerie McCormack, chief of the Planning Branch, served as master of ceremonies and lauded James as both a consummate technical professional and an inspiring trailblazer. James began his career with the Corps in June 1992 after earning a Bachelor of Science degree from Tennessee State University. Starting as a cost engineer, he soon transitioned to hydraulic engineering, later earning a Master of Science in Public Works Engineering and Management from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 1995. During this early tenure, his technical work provided foundational