Photo By Brianna Clay | Mary Edling is a program manager for the Military Integration Division of the U.S....... read more read more
FORT HAMILTON, N.Y. — In college, Mary Edling was a social sciences major considering a career as a diplomat and writing a thesis on slavery in Sudan. At the time, a career in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was far from her mind, yet she now serves as a program manager in the North Atlantic Division’s Military Integration Division.
An Intro to Army
“When I graduated, I thought ‘what am I going to do?,’” said Edling. “I even taught second grade for a semester, but it wasn’t for me. I put in applications for all these Department of Army intern jobs—everything and anything.”
That’s how Edling became a logistics management specialist through the Army’s intern program.
She started out the program training at Fort Lee in New Jersey and then worked in Germany for the 200th Theater Army Material Management Center, a component of the 21st Theater Support Command. Both places had a familiar tie to Edling; her father served in the Army and worked for the that command in Kaiserslautern, Germany, before retiring at Fort Lee.
“It was like I was going backwards in my dad’s career,” Edling said. “Some people remembered me from when I was a teenager and my dad worked there, and they would ask how my dad is.”
Throughout her life, Edling has been surrounded by the military. Like many children across the globe, she grew up as a military brat. Edling was born on Fort Campbell, Kentucky, a military base, and experienced living in multiple different towns, attending 12 different schools by the time she graduated high school.
Although the introduction back into the military wasn’t completely new to her, Edling still dealt with a learning curve. In her new role in Germany, she learned how to manage five-ton trucks, Humvees and Bradley tanks. She helped oversee the part repairs, purchasing and storage of these vehicles for the 1st Armored Division and 1st Infantry Division during the Iraq War.
After this role, she moved stateside to Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, to work with electrical cables, and in coordination with Tobyhanna Army Depot in Pennsylvania.
While working at Fort Monmouth, she obtained her Master of Science in management, as well as found a new opportunity.
“At Fort Monmouth, I was asked if I wanted to help work on this new system called the Logistics Modernization Program,” said Edling. “I wasn’t sure what I was doing at first, but I figured it out. I got good enough at it that I started teaching classes and became a team leader.”
She also trained more than 200 interns and seasoned employees on this new system. Edling says that it was one of the most fun experiences she’s had in her career.
When the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process began, Fort Monmouth announced its closure, and Edling had to look for a new job.
A Resilient Engineer
While looking for a job, Edling applied for a program analyst position at the North Atlantic Division and landed an interview.
“It’s a bit of a funny story. I did the interview, but I didn’t think I had gotten it. I didn’t know anything about USACE, but they ended up picking me,” said Edling.
She started working at the division in January of 2009, and although she has mostly supported military construction projects abroad in Europe as a program analyst, she also has seen the effects of USACE projects at home.
The North Atlantic Division was one of several agencies that mobilized resources to respond to Hurricane Sandy, and Edling was one of the many U.S. citizens who was affected by this disaster. Her house was flooded with nine feet of water, forcing her family to move out.
Edling then took time off to focus on repairing her house and spending time with her children. After a break, she returned to work for the North Atlantic Division. A few years later, she was promoted to program manager, becoming one of the youngest at her grade level in command.
Two years after her promotion, Edling started to get sick, while also struggling to balance work with her health and raising a family, which was compounded during the COVID shutdown.
“At first, doctors thought I had multiple sclerosis (MS) or lupus,” she said. “I went through so many tests. It turned out I had a tumor that was infected. Thankfully, it was benign.”
It took a year and a half for doctors to figure out the cause before Edling was able to have surgery to remove the tumor. Following her surgery, Edling came back more determined in her career.
“I had been promoted, but I still wasn’t an engineer. Even though it wasn’t essential to the job, I wanted to prove it to myself, so I finally got an engineering degree,” said Edling.
In December 2023, Edling graduated with a Master of Science in construction engineering.
On the Job
Today, Edling continues to work as a program manager, providing oversight for several military construction programs across the North Atlantic Division’s area of responsibility, including Europe District and projects with the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) and Army Family Housing.
For Edling, her role hits especially close to home. Not only is she a former military brat, she also is a former military spouse with two kids. With a family of her own, she now plays a part in shaping other military families’ experiences.
“I like giving back with the housing projects and new schools,” Edling said. “It feels good to be able to give to other military children and families what I wished we had back in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s.”
Edling also supports Europe District’s military programs and defense initiatives. One of the programs she manages is the European Deterrence Initiative, which was established to enhance the defense capabilities of U.S. forces, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies and regional partners in Europe.
Overall, Edling plays a part in military construction projects across the North Atlantic Division’s region, from partner installations in Romania and Poland to military bases on the U.S. northeastern seaboard.
“The complexity of these projects—dealing with congressional appropriations and approvals—is different from the private sector, and everything revolves around what the Warfighter needs,” said Edling. “We’re also dealing with NATO standards, U.S. standards, and host nation standards.”
Work-Life Balance
Even with these challenges, Edling says loves what she does, especially the people she works with in her job.
One of the key influences in her experience at the division was having a great mentor, so for those new to the Army or USACE, Edling suggests finding a mentor.
“That was the biggest help for me when I started. Look for opportunities out there, like those offered by the Army’s Civilian Education System. When work is slow, don’t be afraid to offer help, and if you don’t know what you should be doing or need help, don’t be afraid to ask,” said Edling.
Another thing that Edling tries to live by is work-life balance. Outside of work, Edling dedicates time to several hobbies. She volunteers in the community and raises 22 chickens along with her two kids and a basset hound. Her family also makes it a point to travel.
“My new rule now is to see one new country every year,” said Edling. “Now I’m trying to do better with work-life balance, so I don’t look back with regrets. I want others to know—try not to think you must do it all at once.”
When it comes to managing balance and finding inspiration in life, Edling likes to refer to a quote from Winnie the Pooh she keeps by her desk: “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”
| Date Taken: | 05.02.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 05.02.2024 15:03 |
| Story ID: | 470154 |
| Location: | BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 561 |
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