CINCINNATI – Col. Steven J. Roemhildt assumed command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Great Lakes and Ohio River Division from outgoing commander Brig. Gen. Margaret W. Burcham during a ceremony here today.
USACE Deputy Chief of Engineers Maj. Gen. Todd T. Semonite presided over the transfer of leadership while the USACE Command Sgt. Maj. Karl J. Groninger oversaw the exchange of colors.
Semonite welcomed Roemhildt to the team noting, "He is just the right person to tackle the challenges that LRD brings."
As commander of the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division, Roemhildt is responsible for directing federal water resource development in the Great Lakes and Ohio River basins, which consists of seven engineer districts that operate in a seventeen state area.
The division’s missions include planning, construction and operations of navigation structures and flood damage reduction, hydropower, environmental restoration, water conservation, recreation and disaster assistance. The division also executes military construction in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan with design and construction of barracks, hospitals, airfields and family housing on military installations.
Col. Roemhildt, a native of Minnesota, previously served as the Chief, Operations, Plans and Training for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Washington D.C. where he led enterprise level operational and decision-making processes in support of the Department of Defense, the Federal Emergency Management Agency/Department of Homeland Security, and other directed congressional missions.
Col. Roemhildt is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering and was commissioned as an engineer officer 1987. He earned a Master of Science degree in Engineering Management from the University of Alaska – Anchorage and is a licensed professional engineer in the
State of Alaska. He is also a graduate of the Engineer Officer Basic Course, the Infantry Officer Advanced Course and the U.S. Army Command and Staff College.
Col. Roemhildt has served in a variety of assignments to include company commander 14th Engineer Battalion at Fort Lewis, Washington, Deputy Resident Engineer of USACE’s Alaska District, NATO Project Engineer for USACE in Bosnia, Engineer Plans Officer for 8th U.S. Army in South Korea, Deputy District Engineer of USACE’s Pittsburgh District, Directorate of Public Works Task Force Sinai (Egypt), Directorate of Public Works Yongsan, South Korea, District Engineer of USACE’s Nashville District, Operations Officer Gulf Regions Division in Iraq, Deputy Division Commander of USACE’s Transatlantic Division and District Engineer Mobile District. He was deployed in support of Operation Desert Shield/Storm, Operation Joint Endeavor, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Col. Roemhildt’s military awards consists of the Combat Action Badge, the Parachute Badge, the Ranger Tab, Sapper Tab, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, nine awards of the Meritorious Service Medal, eight awards of the Overseas Service Ribbon and the Bronze and Silver Order of the DeFleury Medal.