55th Chief of Engineers takes Command, outlines priorities

WASHINGTON, DC –Lt. Gen. Todd T. Semonite, Commander of the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), relinquished command to Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon in a short virtual ceremony September 10.

In brief remarks, and a letter to the workforce following the ceremony, Spellmon outlined his four key areas of focus for USACE and the Regiment:

“People. People will always be our priority. Since 1775, the men and women of the Corps have been our greatest strength and asset, and we owe our people the best technology, leader development, safety, and education programs so they can each achieve their full potential.

“Readiness: The most important thing we can do for the Army and our Nation's readiness is deliver our program. We must empower leaders at all levels to be open to new ideas, explore new methods and apply every available resource to finish quality projects on time within budget.

“Partnerships: We accomplish very little on our own. Our relationships with commanders, industry, project sponsors and academia are as critical as ever given the historic levels of investment the Army and Nation are making in its infrastructure. Achieving our vision requires the best partnerships and partnering practices with our wide array of teammates.

“Revolutionize: Over the past few years, we have fundamentally changed many aspects of program & project delivery across the Corps. We must now expand, deepen and accelerate these efforts.”

Lt. Gen. Spellmon most recently served as Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations at HQ USACE. Previous to that he was Commander for the Northwestern Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where he oversaw an annual program of more than $3 billion in civil works, environmental restoration and military construction in more than a dozen states, primarily within the Columbia and Missouri river basins.

Spellmon received his commission as a second lieutenant from the U.S. Military Academy (USMA) at West Point in 1986. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from USMA, a Master of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois, and a Master of Science Degree in National Security Strategy from the U.S. Army War College. He is a certified Project Management Professional.

His prior command assignments include Commanding General, US Army Operational Test Command, Fort Hood, TX; Commander, 1st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Fort Polk, La.; Commander, 317th Engineer Battalion and 3-3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, both as part of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Benning, Ga.; and Commander, C Company, 82nd Engineer Battalion, Bamberg, Germany. His previous staff assignments include Executive Director, Office of the Chief of Engineers, Headquarters, Department of the Army; Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; Engineer Intelligence Officer, Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps, Rheindahlen, Germany; and Observer-Controller, Combat Maneuver Training Center, Hohenfels, Germany.

His operational deployments include Operation Desert Shield/ Desert Storm Kuwait, Iraq; Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq; and Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan.

His military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Purple Heart, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Commendation Medal (with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters), Joint Service Achievement Medal and the Combat Action Badge.