Volunteer Program - Policy & Procedures

Engineer Pamphlets

• EP 1130-2-500, dated 27 December 1996 revised 1 June 2006
  Project Operations - Partners and Support (Work Management Guidance and Procedures)
  • Chapter 10, Superseded by Implementation Guidance for Section 1047 (d) Services of Volunteers, of the Water Resources and Reform Development Act (WRRDA) of 2014, Public Law 113-121.

Engineer Regulations

• ER 1130-2-500, dated 27 December 1996 revised 1 June 2006
  Project Operations - Partners and Support (Work Management Policies)
  This regulation establishes the policy for the management of operation and maintenance activities of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) personnel performing civil works functions related to flood control, navigation, dredging, hydroelectric power generation, environmental stewardship, and recreation services at water resource, waterway, and other USACE projects.
  • Chapter 10, Superseded by Implementation Guidance for Section 1047 (d) Services of Volunteers, of the Water Resources and Reform Development Act (WRRDA) of 2014, Public Law 113-121.
    
  • Volunteer Background Investigation Policy Update, March 2020

Policy Letter

• 04-01, dated 27 October 2004
  Volunteer Value of Service Hourly Rate
  This memorandum initiated the Corps using the Independent Sector's hourly rate to determine the value of volunteer service. Since 2005, the value of volunteer service is calculated automatically in OMBIL by entering the number of volunteer hours.

  For reference, the volunteer value of service hourly rates
  

  • FY 2024 - $33.49
  • FY 2023 - $31.80
  • FY 2022 - $29.95
  • FY 2021 - $28.54
  • FY 2020 - $27.20
  • FY 2019 - $25.43
  • FY 2018 - $24.69
  • FY 2017 - $24.14
  • FY 2016 - $23.56
  • FY 2015 - $23.07
  • FY 2014 - $22.55
  • FY 2013 - $22.14
  • FY 2012 - $21.79
  • FY 2011 - $21.36
  • FY 2010 - $20.85
  • FY 2009 - $20.25
  • FY 2008 - $19.51
  • FY 2007 - $18.77
  • FY 2006 - $18.04
  • FY 2005 - $17.55
  • FY 2004 - $17.19

• Implementation Guidance, dated 12 August 2016, dated 11/2/11
  
  This memorandum provides implementation guidance for Section 1047(d) of WRRDA 2014. Section 1047(d), "Services of Volunteers," amended Chapter IV of title I of Public Law 98-63 (33 U.S.C § 569c) to expand the definition of "incidental expenses" to include expenses relating to uniforms, transportation, lodging, and the subsistence of volunteers. In addition to the WRRDA amendments, other changes in policy were made to update the ER/EP. This memorandum supersedes and replaces the ER and EP 1130-2-500 Chapter 10. No other chapters of ER & EP 1130-2-500 are affected by this policy memorandum and all other chapters remain in effect. These policy changes to the Volunteer Program are effective immediately and will be incorporated in the referenced ER and EP when they are revised.

• Volunteer Background Investigation Policy Update, dated March 2020
  
  • Webinar on Procedures Update - 19 March 2020 Guidance for Section 1047(d) Services of Volunteers, of the Water Resources and Development Act of 2013, Public Law 113-121" for volunteer background investigations. The guidance is provided to meet the most current security standards for processing background investigations and to provide consistency in procedures across all MSCs. These procedural updates are effective immediately and will be incorporated in the appropriate ER/EP when they are revised.

• Volunteer Bonding Policy Letter, dated 07 September 2016
  

Public Law Regulation

• 33 USC 569c, Public Law 98-63, Chapter IV of Title, Services of Volunteers
  33 USC 569c, further amended by WRRDA 2014 authorized: The United States Army Chief of Engineers may accept the services of volunteers and provide for their incidental expenses, including expenses relating to uniforms, transportation, lodging, and the subsistence of those volunteers, to carry out any activity of the Army Corps of Engineers except policy-making or law or regulatory enforcement. Such volunteers shall not be employees of the United States Government except for the purposes of (1) chapter 171 of title 28, relating to tort claims, and (2) chapter 81 of title 5, relating to compensation for work injuries.

• 42 USC 139, Public Law 105-19, Volunteer Protection Act of 1997
  The purpose of this act is to promote the interests of social service program beneficiaries and taxpayers and to sustain the availability of programs, nonprofit organizations, and governmental entities that depend on volunteer contributions by reforming the laws to provide certain protections from liability abuses related to volunteers serving nonprofit organizations and governmental entities.

Memos

• 02/05/25 2024 Volunteer Award Recipients
  Pleased to share the attached memos, signed by Mr. Stephen Hill, Director of Operations and Regulatory Programs, announcing the selection of the awardees for the 2024 Excellence in Partnership Award and the National Volunteer of the Year Award. These awards will be presented to each of the recipients later this year.

  National Volunteer Award: This year's USACE national volunteer of the year award recipient is Stanley J. Frerich of Lake Georgetown in the Fort Worth District. Mr. Frerich has supported USACE and the recreating public by serving as a park host and maintenance volunteer at Lake Georgetown since 2021 with more than 2,300 hours of service. Mr. Frerich's background in general maintenance and experience as an equipment operator has been invaluable in addressing various problems and challenges encountered in the parks.

• 01/22/25 Partnerships and Volunteers 2025-26 Photo Contest
  The Partnership Advisory Committee is pleased to announce a new photo contest for 2025 focused on partnerships and volunteer programs. The goal is to develop a collection of great photos that capture a sense of partnership, collaboration, and accomplishment which can be used in various publications, presentations, websites, social media, etc.

  There are 4 categories of photos for the contest:

  • Environmental Stewardship Partnerships
  • Recreation Partnerships
  • Volunteers in Action
  • Special Events with Partners

  Entries will be rated and ranked based on the following criteria:

  • Composition/Quality: The arrangement of elements within the frame, including balance, framing, and use of negative space, quality of exposure, focus, and lighting.
  • Creativity: The originality and inventiveness of the photograph. Unique perspectives or concepts can stand out.
  • Emotional impact: The ability of the photograph to evoke feelings or convey a message.
  • Storytelling: How well the image tells a story or captures a moment.

  Prizes: (all are being donated by the Corps Foundation)

  • Grand prize winner will receive a large, heavy duty metal print of your photo for your project office.
  • Winners of each category will receive a framed enlargement of your photo for your project office.
  • Top 3 winners in each category will receive a Corps Foundation challenge coin and a one-year membership to the Corps Foundation.

  The contest is open to all USACE employees and volunteers. Photographers may submit up to five entries per category – each photo with a descriptive caption. Each entry must be submitted with ENG Form 5067-R

  Deadline for Submissions: January 30, 2026
  Submit by email, Teams, or DoD SAFE to: Keith Hyde, NWD Partnerships Advisory Committee keith.b.hyde@usace.army.mil. No need to wait until next January! You can submit photos anytime between now and the deadline.

  There will be a webinar invitation sent out soon to learn more about the contest and to answer any questions.

  Thanks,
  Heather Burke
  US Army Corps of Engineers

Other Guidance/Policy

• Instructions for filling out the OF 301, 301a, and 301b forms

• List of Inappropriate/Illegal Volunteer Interview Questions

• Partner-Funded Personnel Policy Memo, January 31, 2017

• Vaccination Policy
  • Webinar 14 February 2022: USACE Volunteer COVID-19 Vaccination/Attestation Guidance for Civil Works Activities
  • ref 1.l. - FHP 23.3 - DoD Guidance for COVID-19 Vaccination Attestation, Screening Testing, and Vaccination Verification
  • FRAGORD 14 to OPORD 2021-31 (USACE COVID Steady State Operations)
  • Appendix 3 to Annex Y of OPORD 2021-38 provides COVID Public Health Protection Measure levels
  • ANNEX Y to OPORD 2021-38 (General Instructions for all Screening Tests of Unvaccinated Personnel)
  • ref 3.q. Updated Guidance for Mask and Screening Testing for all Department of Defense Installations and Other Facilities
  • USACE Volunteer COVID Vaccination Attestation Guidance, 17 March 2022
  • DD 3150

• Volunteer Booklets (out of print)
  • Volunteering for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
  • Techniques of Supervising Volunteers
  • A Volunteer's Guide to Working Safely