Scout Newsletter - November 2025

November 19, 2025

San Diego Bay Remediation History

San Diego Bay (Photo Credit: Barry Snyder)

Barry Snyder, Senior Aquatic Scientist

On October 23, 2025, I was honored to deliver a presentation titled “San Diego Bay Sediment Remediation: A Historical Overview” at the annual Western Dredging Association (WEDA) Pacific Chapter conference in Waikiki, Hawaii. The presentation was co-authored by Camille Sytko, Environmental Scientist/Planner with Scout. The goal of the presentation was to highlight the significant progress that has been made in the clean-up of sediment contamination “hot spots” in San Diego Bay as well as to present continuing efforts to sustain these ongoing successes. The following is a brief overview of what was presented during my talk.

  Scout Cybersecurity Accomplishment: CMMC Level 2 Certification!

·  Scout is proud to announce a major cybersecurity milestone serving the federal government – our achievement of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Level 2.

·  This certification will soon be required in defense contracts and positions Scout as a ready partner supporting our federal and military clients.

·  Huge credit to Scouts Roxanne Beasley, Jason Strayer, and Jason Halloran of Affinitas Technology Solutions for leading us through this independent audit certification.

·  OVER a year in the making and over 100 security practices! Glad to join the early (and few) group of companies that have completed the full CMMC Level 2 independent audit.

📸Roxanne ringing the Scout cowbell in our San Diego headquarters office to celebrate!

Site Visit Highlight: Visit to University of Washington Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) Seismic Lab

  • New Win: Scout was recently awarded a prime NEPA contract supporting the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) and their earthquake early warning network.

  • Ongoing Partnership: We’re proud to continue helping PNSN advance its environmental planning and compliance efforts.

  • Behind the Scenes: Ryan Pingree visited PNSN’s lab at the University of Washington, where he toured their equipment, met with scientists, and even saw memorabilia from the famous “Beast Quake.”

  • Field Highlights: The PNSN team recently installed a seismic monitor—station “UW.RIZZS”—at the Seattle Mariners’ stadium, capturing real-time ground shaking during playoff cheers. When the Mariners’ playoff crowd literally shook the ground at T-Mobile Park, scientists from PNSN recorded every cheer.

  • Why It Matters: The same technology that tracks fan energy also powers earthquake early warnings that help keep communities safe.

  • Explore More: Check out the PNSN team and station UW.RIZZS in action on Instagram → @pnsn1

Environmental Compliance Highlight: Scout Delivers 5th Year of SPCC Compliance Support to VA Nebraska-Western Iowa

Scout recently completed its fifth consecutive year of Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plan support for the Veterans Affairs (VA) Nebraska–Western Iowa Health Care System, reinforcing our role as a trusted partner in federal environmental compliance and mission assurance.

Led by Jason Strayer, the Scout team conducted annual site visits to the Omaha and Grand Island VA Medical Center campuses, where they:

Terraced landscaping adds visual appeal - and drainage considerations.

·  Delivered required SPCC training (40 CFR Part 112) to VA personnel responsible for managing fuel

·   Reviewed and documented mechanical and infrastructure changes across both campuses

·   Collected updated storage system data and inspected new fuel and chemical handling assets

·   Revised SPCC facility diagrams and documentation to maintain EPA compliance and audit readiness

This mission advances core priorities shared by Scout and our federal partners, including spill prevention readiness, operational continuity, and the protection of federal infrastructure.

Interested in SPCC compliance readiness or environmental support for federal facilities?

Contact our team to discuss tailored solutions that safeguard mission operations and maintain regulatory compliance.

Scout Contributor Spotlight: Honoring Service and Storytelling

We’re proud to recognize United States Air Force Veteran and Scout Senior Biologist, Tom Lillie, for his service to our country and for sharing his reflections in a Letter to the Editor soon to be featured in his local North Carolina newspaper (The Pilot of Southern Pines, NC.)

In his piece, “Your Next Missile Is Free,” Tom reflects on the artistic traditions and humor that boosted morale among military service members-from World War II aircraft nose art to the painted blast doors of Cold War missile silos.

Blast door at Minuteman Missile National Historic Site in South Dakota (Photo credit: Rebecca Latson, National Parks Traveler).

Military service members find creative ways to boost unit morale. One well-known practice that began during WWI and continued in WWII was decorating aircraft with colorful artwork. The unofficial graffiti was important for people who risked their lives in service to the Nation.

The Memphis Belle and Enola Gay are historical aircraft with artwork on the fuselage. The former was one of the first bombers to complete 25 combat missions in WWII and the latter dropped the first atomic bomb. Both were named by crew members to honor a sweetheart or family member.

As the military transitioned to missile programs during the Cold War, crew members adopted the use of artwork to build camaraderie. Rather than paint the actual missile that was out of sight in an underground silo, they drew unit mascots and other illustrations on the 8-ton, 3-foot-thick, blast door that protected missileers locked inside a launch control center. Few people are aware of such paintings and even fewer have seen the designs located deep below ground in the Great Plains.

One of the best-preserved samples of blast door art can be visited at the Minuteman Missile National Historical Site near Badlands National Park in South Dakota. The crew selected a clever design based on a marketing campaign for take-out pizza. The square blast door – normally battleship gray – became a perfect canvas for a red, white and blue Domino’s Pizza box with an image of a Minuteman II missile and the words “WORLD-WIDE DELIVERY IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS – OR YOUR NEXT ONE IS FREE.”

Service members have used these and other creative ways to boost morale in stressful times and places. This Veterans Day, everyone can help boost morale by thanking the men and women in uniform for their service to the Nation.

Tom Lillie

Pinehurst

Happy Veteran’s Day!

This Veterans Day, Scout proudly recognized and thanked our team members who have served in our nation’s armed forces: Tom Lillie, Kevin Vogelsang, Callie Hansen, Justin Riggs, Jack Kerns, and Ryan Pingree. Their commitment to duty, leadership, and service reflects the same values that guide our work in support of federal and military missions. We are honored to have these veterans on our team and deeply appreciate their continued contributions to Scout and to our nation!

Scout is at the 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 Society of American Military Engineers 𝗙𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 in Phoenix, Nov. 19–21, and we’re ready to keep the mission moving. We know many of our federal partners have been navigating a tough season. We’re in this together, and we’re grateful for the work you do every day to keep projects and communities running strong.

Visit 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗵 #𝟵𝟭𝟮 to connect with Ryan Pingree, Melanie Hernandez, Roxanne Beasley, Ray Arguello, Jane Penny and Phil Rosenberg to talk about our environmental planning/compliance, aquatic sciences and engineering services and growing trusted partnerships.

Tom Lillie, Senior Biologist & Program Manager - Exemplary Service in Uniform and Beyond

We proudly recognize Veteran and Scout Senior Biologist, Tom Lillie, for his total of 39 years of federal service, including a distinguished 26-year career in the U.S. Air Force. Throughout his service, Tom held a variety of leadership and technical roles including assignments at Brooks Air Force Base in Texas, the University of Florida, Los Angeles Air Force Base in California, and the Pentagon. Following his military career, Tom continued his public service as a Professional Staff Member for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Chief of Staff for the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement at the Department of the Interior, and Program Manager for Natural and Cultural Resources at Headquarters Air Force, The Pentagon. Today, Tom continues to serve our Nation through his work at Scout, where he supports the preparation of NEPA and related documentation and leads compliance with the Endangered Species Act.

Scout is Hiring

FACILITIES INSPECTOR

Scout is seeking Facility Condition Assessors/Inspectors. The work will likely require up to 70% of your time traveling to military installations to perform facility condition assessments across the nation for up to two weeks at a time, with breaks between trips. Candidates must have ~5 years’ experience in conducting facility condition assessments or equivalent formal trade school education/experience in plumbing, roofing, mechanical systems, exteriors, roofing, fire protection, and/or electrical systems. Familiarity with BUILDER software is desired, but not required, should candidates be willing and able to learn how to use the BUILDER software. A PE is also not required.

This is an hourly position with the potential to become full-time, depending on the candidate's wishes and Scout’s needs. Candidates can be located anywhere in the nation and can work out of their home. Scout offers competitive benefits and is an equal opportunity employer. Apply today via https://scoutenv.com/careers