Working with the US Military’s IRT
- Patricia Denise Concepcion
- May 2
- 4 min read
Updated: May 6
A construction project that took place in 2024 in a remote Alaska environment presented unique human resources, or HR, challenges and opportunities. The challenges were further complicated by the integration of the US military’s Innovative Readiness Training, or IRT program.
The project, the construction of a 4.3-mile road through challenging terrain, highlights the critical role of HR in ensuring safety, efficiency, and successful collaboration among diverse stakeholders.
Project Background and Terrain
Fremontii, LLC spent the 2024 work season from April through September working on the Shepard Point Marine Tribal Transportation Oil Spill and Marine Casualty Response Facility Project outside of Cordova.
The project consists of building a 4.3-mile road from where the current paved road ends on New England Cannery Road in Cordova to the response facility. From its juncture with the existing paved road, the project proceeds immediately into a mountain rock face and an existing resort and then out through dense forest and across numerous streams, as well as through a hydroelectric power plant. The route then progresses through an extremely steep and precarious avalanche slide area to the other side, where the deep-water oil spill emergency response port will be built at Shepard Point in the third year of the project.
This road travels next to the ocean and along treacherous, steep mountain terrain, and clearing the path required blasting through precipitous solid rock for the main roadbed while carefully avoiding disturbance of the pristine environmental aspects of the project. This includes many species of wild birds and animals; the forest, streams, and ocean; and the adjacent eelgrasses, which play a vital role in the coastal ecosystem.
The IRT Program
This project is partnering with the US military’s IRT program, which is one of the Department of Defense, or DoD, military training systems. US military personnel in the IRT training program work all over the world partnering and learning skills in the medical field, civil engineering, transportation, healthcare, construction, and cybersecurity, as well as myriad other skills.
This summer we worked directly with the US Army, Air Force, Marines, and Navy active-duty or National Guard personnel, facilitating training in the remote mountainous setting. The IRT personnel worked with us and trained in project management, marine logistics, clearance logging, heavy-equipment operating, grade checking, mechanical equipment repair work, and hand labor jobs ranging from rock-blasting explosive drill-hole preparation all the way to building large retaining walls and culverts.
Coordination Was Key
HR coordination was critical not only from a safety perspective but also for congruency between IRT and the owner, design engineers, owners’ representative project manager, joint venture general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and federal and state entities.
The daily logistics of transporting every worker and piece of equipment, material, and tool to the job site by barge or landing craft, in conjunction with the ever-changing weather, is excellent training for our military in Alaska and worldwide.
The 327 IRT personnel were housed in Cordova school cafeterias or in tents on sleeping cots. They dined on Meals Ready to Eat, or MREs, much of the time. Contractors had to train a new group of military personnel every four to six weeks which was difficult at times, depending on experience.
A Unique HR Landscape
Working seven days a week, twelve hours per day to build a 4.3-mile road through mountainous terrain while respecting the pristine ecosystem required a blend of technical expertise, logistical planning, and human resource management. The project’s partnership with the IRT program added another layer of complexity, highlighting the critical role of HR in ensuring safety, efficiency, and effective collaboration among diverse stakeholders.
The project’s remote location and demanding conditions created a unique set of HR challenges:
Recruitment and retention: Attracting and retaining skilled workers in a remote location with a tough schedule and harsh weather requires competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and potentially subsidized housing or transportation.
Safety and well-being: Prioritizing worker safety in a high-risk environment with potential wildlife encounters necessitates rigorous safety training, emergency preparedness, and access to mental health support.
Logistical complexity: Managing the daily transportation of workers, equipment, and materials by barge or landing craft required intense HR planning.
Integrating Military Personnel
Partnering with the IRT program introduced a new set of HR considerations:
Training and development: HR plays a vital role in coordinating training programs, facilitating knowledge transfer between civilian tradespeople and military personnel and ensuring both groups gain valuable experience. Not everyone can or will train others.
Communication and collaboration: Clear communication channels and training are essential for fostering effective collaboration between military and civilian personnel with diverse backgrounds and work styles.
Performance management: Adapting performance management systems to accommodate the unique challenges of the project and the integration of military personnel requires flexibility and clear communication of expectations.
It was an honor and a privilege to not only work with the owner, engineers, and contracting team but also with our US military personnel this summer. This project provides a compelling case study in the complexities of managing human resources in a demanding and unique environment. By proactively addressing challenges and leveraging opportunities presented by the IRT program, HR played a pivotal role in ensuring project success, fostering collaboration, and promoting the well-being of a diverse workforce.
The lessons learned from this project offer valuable insights for HR professionals across industries, emphasizing the importance of adaptability, strategic planning, and a commitment to worker well-being in navigating the complexities of today’s dynamic work environments.
