Colonel Jeremiah J. Willis is the 39th Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Far East District. As Commander and District Engineer, he is responsible for the planning, engineering, design, and construction management services across the full spectrum of operations from armistice to contingency in support of the Department of Defense and U.S. Forces in the Republic of Korea, leading a workforce of more than 500 military, U.S., and Korean National employees executing an overall program in excess of $6.6 billion.
Formerly, Colonel Willis was the Command Engineer for the Joint Special Operations Command. His previous assignments include Vertical Construction Engineer Platoon Leader and Horizontal Engineer Platoon Leader, Bravo Company, 84th Engineer Battalion, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; Assistant Division Engineer, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; Commander Alpha Company 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion (Sapper), 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; Observer Controller, Sidewinder Team, National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California; Battalion S3, Warrior Transition Battalion; Deputy Division Engineer, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas; Brigade Engineer Battalion S3, 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas; Assistant Professor of Military Science, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; and commander of the 2nd Brigade Engineer Battalion (Sapper Steel), 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.
His military education includes the Engineer Officer Basic Course, Engineer Officer Captains Career Course, Airborne, the US Army Command and General Staff College, and most recently graduating from the United States Army War College with a Master of Strategic Studies degree.
Colonel Willis commissioned as an Engineer Officer in 2002 from Central Washington University. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, a Master of Science in Geological Engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla, and a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration from the University of Louisville.
His award and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and other awards and decorations. He has earned the Combat Action Badge and Parachutist Badge. He has also been awarded the Engineer Regiment’s Bronze Order of the de Fleury.