VICKSBURG, Miss.-- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District’s Plant Section is the logistical muscle behind numerous district operations, but few see its true reach. Headed by Plant Section Chief Paul Richards, the 20-person team is the logistical backbone of the district’s Navigation Branch. Team members support not only district headquarters in Vicksburg, but the Engineering Research and Development Center (ERDC) and other districts as needed. The team operates primarily from the district’s Harbor facility found along an arch in the Yazoo River, an area rife with oil refineries and trucking company outposts. This strategic placement provides easy access to the district’s vessel fleet via a steep boat ramp. Critical assets like the Motor Vessel Benyaurd recently received alarm system upgrades through Programmable Logical Controllers (PLCs) installations, which ensure the vessel’s bridge receives electronic alerts from the lower deck, as opposed to the earlier flashing button system. The Plant Section also propels the district into the future, handling upgrades such as carpentry and weather-proofing older vessel interiors as needed.