Myles Lytle Leaves for Guam

WAITSBURG - Dayton High School graduate Miles Lytle won't get much of a summer break after graduating from WSU on May 10, but he's far from disappointed. Instead, he'll be leaving for Guam- all expenses paid -- on May 29, where he'll be working as a construction manager on the Tiyan Parkway project for IMCO Construction.

Lytle is the grandson of Betty and Terry Hofer of Waitsburg and son of Winton and Karen Lytle, of Texas. Betty graduated from Waitsburg High School and Terry was a Prescott Tiger. Betty's children - Lenny, Angela, Marne and Winton - graduated school from either Waitsburg or Prescott. Miles Lytle was born in Texas (where his parents have since returned), but the family moved to Dayton when he was 16 and he attended high school in Dayton.

After graduating DHS in 2009, Lytle attended WSU where he majored in construction management, working his way through school as equipment manager for the WSU football team - a position he helped cousin Dane Henderson secure in subsequent years. Lytle says the experience of working full time and traveling with the football team while going to school helped prepare him to handle a heavy work load and hectic schedule.

Lytle was also able intern with Granite Construction, of Pasco, last summer to gain hands-on heavy civil management experience. He helped with Waitsburg's 7th Street Project as well as some projects in Walla Walla, including a job at the Walla Walla airport.

Lytle responded to a flyer at school last March and emailed IMCO Construction, which has their main office in Ferndale, Wash., about the possibility of a position following graduation. He learned that the company was in need of workers at their satellite office in Guam - a Micronesian island that is 30 miles long and 4 to 12 miles wide. Lytle was hesitant at first, but then realized this was the right stage in his life to travel, gain new experiences and do something different.

IMCO is a heavy civil company working on bridges and roadways in Guam. After nearly 20 years of land acquisitions, displacement of local residents and intensive planning, the Tiyan Parkway, Phase 1 project -- the project Lytle is assigned to -- is finally ready for construction. IMCO broke ground on the high profile, politically charged project this spring. The project will build two new miles of roadway around the Guam International Airport, adding much needed access to the facility and allowing for growth and runway expansion in future years. Currently, over 14,000 people travel a very small two-lane roadway from Route 8 to the airport each day.

Lytle interviewed with Tiyan Parkway Project Manager Graham Johnston in Ellensburg this spring and has already done some work for IMCO. "They told me that if I could be there tomorrow, they could start using me," said Lytle. Instead he did a takeoff (determining material requirements) for a Guam storm drain piping project, while still attending WSU.

Lytle says he is nervous, but also excited, and feels that the WSU construction management program did an excellent job in preparing him for his current position. "They have a 100% placement record for graduates. I'm very impressed with the program and they have a good reputation among the industry. I feel indebted to them," said Lytle.

Lytle says IMCO is "bending over backwards" by paying to fly him to Guam and setting him up over there. He will live with Johnston for the first month, until he finds an apartment, and will receive a salary as well as a living allowance, vehicle, gas and expenses. Lytle says the company will also pay for him to fly off the island every six months. He said he can either fly home or to a location of equal distance, such as China or Thailand, and is hoping to take advantage of the travel opportunities.

For now, Lytle is hustling to fit in visits with family and friends in Waitsburg and Texas before he flies out. His grandparents from Louisiana drove up for his graduation and Lytle was pleased to be able to shoot a turkey with his grandfather --"a big time turkey hunter" -- before he left.