Col. Bryan Green relieved Col. Donald E. Degidio, Jr., as commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Far East District, July 11 on U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan, Republic of Korea.
The ceremony was presided over by Brig. Gen. Richard L. Stevens, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pacific Ocean Division.
Stevens spoke of the challenges and rewards of command, both to the incoming and outgoing commanders.
“Command remains perhaps the most significant achievement of an officer’s career,” said Stevens during his remarks. “It is the ultimate vote of confidence by one’s superior officers. It is a job of immense personal satisfaction, and at times unrelenting pressure.”
Stevens also spoke about the district’s history, and how the district is writing a new chapter. “The on-going construction in Pyeongtaek will result in the largest U.S. Army garrison in Asia, and will serve to powerfully shape the [Republic of Korea]-U.S. alliance of the future.
“Although concrete and rebar as the visible signs of this district’s hard work, it is the people who get the job done,” he explained. “All of this critical capability has been enabled by the expertise, the management skills, and passion of a highly skilled workforce of engineers, scientists and support staff who are the very heart and soul of the Far East District.”
Degidio, in his farewell remarks, also recognized the district’s personnel. “Our civilian corps, both American and Korean, and military personnel and contractors, are the backbone of this district, and keep both of our countries’ military forces in Korea standing tall and straight,” he said. “It was truly an honor to command this great organization.”
Degidio departs the district for New York City, where he will become deputy commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division.
Green arrived in Korea after commanding the 4th Engineer Battalion at Ft. Carson, Colo. During his remarks, he said the district’s work is another manifestation of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ role in building for both the U.S. military and the United States as a whole. “The history of the Corps of Engineers is the history of our nation,” he said. “This is an amazing legacy and we have an amazing crew to do it.”
The Far East District is one of four districts within the Pacific Ocean Division and one of 45 districts in the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
With a multi-disciplined workforce of more than 750 Department of the Soldiers, Army Civilians, and Korean employees, the Far East District is the Department of Defense’s design and construction agent for the U.S. military in Korea.
The district is responsible for both U.S. and Republic of Korea funded projects on U.S. military installations throughout the peninsula, including an ongoing $10.7 billion program at U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys in Pyeongtaek. The district’s entire program budget is worth about $15 billion.