Terry joined the James Gores and Associates team in October 2019. Her engineering experience was gained through the US Army. Terry completed Engineer Officer Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. She completed two tours in Iraq.
Terry served as a strategic planner for the Wyoming Army National Guard. During her years serving, she obtained and utilized valuable training for the advancement of her military skills. These skills were utilized in the preparation of statewide Wyoming Office of Homeland Security mitigation plans for the Wyoming Army National Guard and in conjunction with local emergency management coordinators.
MAJ Oedekoven, RET., has proven success at conducting planning and project management in infrastructure development and maintenance. Her strong communication and interpersonal skills have assisted cross-functional teams with planning and implementing strategic plans. She has successfully and effectively collaborated with stakeholders to complete assignments and manage large scale emergency plans and environmental compliance operations.
To create plans in the military, MAJ Oedekoven did a Military Decision-Making Process (MDMP), a military master plan that includes finding the most likely solution to the issue by studying the most likely course of action, the least likely course of action, and the do nothing alternative. The MDMP is a seven-step process: Receipt of Mission, Mission Analysis, Course of Action Development, Course of Action Analysis, Course of Action Comparison, Course of Action Approval, Orders Production, Rehearsal, and Execution & Assessment.
Two years in a row at Camp Guernsey, the Wyoming Military Department (WMD) had 100-year floods. It was quickly determined that the previous modeling and planning didn’t account for 100-year floods. In both years, the WMD lost five 60-inch culverts due to the flooding. A hydraulic model of the terrain indicated that stacking five 72-inch RMP culverts would provide the needed drainage. This was accomplished, with slurry used to keep the culverts in place, rather than using CMP flared ends because the slurry and rock base held the roads in place better. The solution included a concrete pad on top, similar to a cattleguard, that allowed the armored vehicles to drive without the environmental consequences previously experienced. This solution was also applied to smaller diameter pipes. The concrete was topped with dirt to maintain the look of a natural terrain.
A majority of the units who utilized the training facility were offloading heavy equipment at the cantonment prior to going afield into the training areas. This heavy equipment was destroying the asphalt surfaces, and the grassy areas were unavailable for the heavy equipment because of historical sites. To alleviate the damage to the asphalt, MAJ. Oedekoven laid down a matted asphalt in cantonment at each of the intersections to protect the integrity of the asphalt surface within the camp. The matted asphalt is a roll out material designed to allow heavier equipment to turn. The pavement includes a geotextile fabric built into the asphalt that allows equipment to circle and not tear the asphalt.
When Terry joined Camp Guernsey, the Colonel gave direction that he wanted risk takers who were on the cutting edge to improve the facility. She was responsible for preparing an engineering and construction Troop with the skills to facilitate those improvements at the least cost with most benefit option.
In 2003-2004, Terry worked with the 555 Engineering Brigade to create fifty-six miles of dirt and gravel roads out of river rock and sand in Northern Iraq. These roads were placed directly adjacent to the asphalt roads to allow heavy equipment to mobilize. As well, MAJ Oedekoven was responsible for rebuilding the airfield and bridges around the Tikrit area.
MAJ Oedekoven was responsible for creating a method of moving heavy equipment without having equipment destroyed by IED’s. Using the MDMP process, Terry prepared plans for replacing and rehabilitating eleven airfields to air drop heavy equipment, alleviating the need for mass haul of heavy equipment across dangerous terrain.
During her second tour in Kuwait, 2009-2010, Terry’s job was to be the director of public works for all of the military bases in Kuwait. As such, her responsibilities included putting together 47 contracts to repair and rebuild all of the infrastructure for departing and entering military personnel. Using stackable Connex facilities, she prepared a plan for creating hard stands from tent cities. Each ten Connex, the equivalent of a city block, had their own shower facility and toilet facility separate from living quarters. To accomplish the change from soft side to Connex facilities, Terry created schematic designs of the blocks to delineate where facilities should be located. These schematic designs were created in multiple languages to alleviate language barriers.
Terry has evaluated strategic planning to assure they adequately and effectively addressed and measured key customer and operational requirements for continual process improvement. She engaged and worked with strategic planners and functional management teams to ensure proper planning and analysis for future force structure activities, including recommendations for promotions or reassignments.
Ms. Oedekoven has completed environmental reclamation activities across the western United States, including in Wyoming.
