Col. Nicholas Melin, the incoming commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District, hugs his daughter, Rose, during the district’s change of command ceremony at the Senator John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, Aug. 4, 2023. The change of command ceremony symbolizes the continuation of leadership and unit identity. It represents the transfer of responsibility and authority from one individual to another while continuing the mission. The Pittsburgh District’s 26,000 square miles include portions of western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, northern West Virginia, southwestern New York and western Maryland. It supports commercial navigation on the Ohio, Allegheny, and Monongahela rivers, operating and maintaining 23 locks and dams across 328 miles of navigable waterways. In addition to navigation, Pittsburgh’s flood-damage reduction mission encompasses 16 multi-purpose reservoirs that have prevented an estimated $866 million in flood damages in 2022. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)