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It i with great pleasure that we introduce A Portrait of the Tribal Liaison Progran1. 1987- 2005 for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Northwestern Division. The program has evolved slowly while enduring many set-backs, changes of policy, and shifting political climates. Throughout the history of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the Northwestern Division, there have been individuals who supported and championed the development and maintenance of good relationships with the sovereign Indian nations. In the mid-1990s, the climate was right for a long-overdue change to an emphasis on executing management decisions that could be concurrently legally, morally, and ethically correct. The movement toward this atmosphere has been a slow and difficult one. The oral interviews presented here reflect many facets of the liaison program. During the period of time for these interviews, it was the Native American Program. The interviews are decidedly personal glimpses, reminiscences of people, places, and events and may contain differences of memory and interpretation, but the reader will be able to understand the program through the stories and experiences of the individual tribal liaisons. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the district and division commanders as well as the tribal leaders who provided support and direction for the program. The Northwestern Division has come a long way, and much remains to be accomplished towards the final goals. Interaction and communication with sovereign nations needs to become an ingrained habit, needing no regulations, rules, policy, guidelines, or reminders for proper and effective consultation. In the final analysis, a successful program is one that inculcates honesty, respect, and provides comprehensive education for all it touches, encouraging both Corps officials and tribal members to walk in both worlds. |
