Indianz.Com > News > DVIDS: Army Corps meets with tribes in southern California
Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District representatives attend a meet and greet with the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians Tribal Council on July 24, 2024 in Valley Center, California. Photo by Areca T. Wilson, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District Public Affairs
LA District meets with local tribes to strengthen lines of communication
Thursday, August 8, 2024
By Areca Wilson
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District
DOD DVIDS
dvidshub.net

TEMECULA, California — Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians Tribal Council and Pechanga Band of Indians Tribal Council members hosted meet and greets with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District representatives July 24 at their respective reservations.

The LA District’s delegation included commander Col. Andrew Baker; Deputy Engineer Justin Gay; Tribal Liaison Danielle Storey; and Regulatory Division’s South Coast Branch Chief Cori Farrar.

“I felt for a long time a lot of our interactions were reactive,” said Storey. “I would like to get on a new cycle that as any new commander comes in, that introductions are made.”

The Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians occupies approximately 4,600 acres in Valley Center, while the Pechanga Indian Reservation covers roughly 7,000 acres in Temecula Valley. Both tribes are two of six federally recognized tribes of Luiseño Indians.

Pechanga Band of Indians
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District representatives attend a meet and greet with the Pechanga Band of Indians Tribal Council on July 24, 2024, in Temecula, California. Photo by Areca T. Wilson, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District Public Affairs

The LA District visited with the tribes’ members to strengthen and demonstrate the Corps’ commitment to meeting their Federal Trust responsibilities. The Federal Trust Doctrine, which is based on treaties, laws, rules, executive orders, case law and agreements between the U.S. government and tribal governments, gives the Corps obligations to Tribal Nations.

“We’re delivering solutions to serve and strengthen all communities — it’s just been a very deliberate reset on how we communicate and not just taking such a rigid stance on all things,” Gay said. “There’s always more to the story, and we’re willing to hear that and work through it — we are looking at this culturally … how do we partner to achieve mutual success?”

During each meeting, discussions covered issues the tribes are currently facing, changes in policy and how to improve relationships. The LA District also provided information on its scope of responsibility and resources available to the tribes such as emergency management, ecosystem management, technical assistance and more.

DVIDS (Defense Video Imagery Distribution System) is a state-of-the-art, 24/7 operation that provides a timely, accurate and reliable connection between the media around the world and the military serving worldwide. This article is in the public domain.
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