Engineering and Support Center gets new chief

By Jo Anita MileyApril 8, 2015

Engineering and Support Center gets new chief
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Florida native VinCene McClain was welcomed as the new chief of Security and Law Enforcement for the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, March 30. She replaces Lori Byrd, who retired last December.

McClain comes to Huntsville Center from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Washington Aqueduct Division in Washington, District of Columbia, where she served as the chief of Security and Law Enforcement since 2011. Before that, McClain worked as an anti-terrorism fire protection officer at the Corps' Middle East District for two years. She also served 26 years in the U.S. Army Military Police Corps, retiring as a chief warrant officer 4 special agent at the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command.

McClain has a bachelor's degree in psychology from California State University in Sacramento, California and a master's degree in Counseling and Guidance from Bowie State University in Bowie, Maryland; and is currently pursuing a doctorate in Public Service Leadership and Criminal Justice from Capella University.

McClain said she has a positive attitude about her new position, and she is confident about being at the helm of the Security and Law Enforcement Office at Huntsville Center. She explained that her focus is on ensuring her staff is trained on current security standards, and implementing best practices, as appropriate for the Center, are adopted and carried out by her office.

McClain said she also wants make sure her office is an intricate part of the Huntsville Center team. It is extremely important the Huntsville Center workforce know her goal is to keep them safe and up to date on changes in security.

"I'm proud to have been given an opportunity to be a part of this organization and a chance to continue supporting the USACE mission. This is also a chance to help build the culture of a growing organization and to continue building upon the safety and security initiatives that help keep Defense Department employees safe worldwide," McClain said. "I will be updating and implementing unique innovations to help meet Huntsville Center's unique security requirements. We have to be able to raise the level of assurance so that we can actually prevent security issues instead of just always responding or reacting to them. This will require a team effort."