On June 1^st, 31 National Guard military personnel arrived at the Across The Pond Veterans Park in Iron River, WI to excavate the settling pond, required before building the RV and camping sites so essential to the success of the Park.

Roger Johnson, Construction Manager for the Park since 2017, worked with Major Jeremy Bates, Brule, who was instrumental in getting the necessary paperwork done with the National Guard to authorize these troops to do this work, a savings of approximately $100,000 for the Park. Roger instigated gathering the necessary designs, engineering, and permit, with the DNR SWPPP (Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan) in anticipation of this extraordinary donation to our Park. 1st Lieutenant Erika Meulemans, and Sargeant Anthony Weber were included in the process, by answering any questions legal and environmental officers had prior to permission being given.

On site were 31 military personnel from the 829 EVCC, (Engineering Vertical Company Construction) out of Spooner, WI, the 950 EVCC out of Ashland, supported by HCC ()Headquarters and Headquarters Company), platoon leader, 1st Lt. Meulemans, commander Captain Aaron Bonnell. The troops primary task was to complete the excavation for the drainage pond required by the permit, and secondary to that, the survey crew would stake the 16 pull-through RV sites and 15 tent sites. The settling pond’s dimensions are 250’ x 100’; very deep with approximately 5,000 cubic yards of dirt being hauled out. Northern Clearing of Ashland arrived on July 1 to dig the north pond that is 200’ x 75’, a shallower pond. Next, the Park will obtain fresh water on-site by digging a well and finishing a pump system, getting that much closer to opening the Park to campers.

National Guard personnel July 2024

Troop tents during construction

Troops