Maj. Gen. Jeffrey L. Milhorn assumed command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ North Atlantic Division from out-going commander Maj. Gen. William H. Graham during a ceremony at Fort Hamilton today.
The U.S. Army’s 54th Chief of Engineers Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite, officiated and performed the symbolic transfer of the division colors from Graham to Milhorn representing the latter’s assumption of command authority. Semonite also promoted Graham to major general in front of family, friends and employees shortly before the change-of-command.
“This is one of the largest, most complicated divisions in the Corps of Engineers,” Semonite said, describing the organization Graham led for 40 months. “This is one of our absolute best. Continue to watch this general officer; he’s done a great job here with the North Atlantic Division.
The division, headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, is one of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ nine regional commands. It is responsible the Corps’ projects in the northeastern United States east of the Appalachian Mountains, Europe, and Africa, with offices in Concord, Massachusetts, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Norfolk and Wiesbaden, Germany.
In recent years, the division, an organization of about 3,500 military and civilian employees, led Corps of Engineers Hurricane Sandy recovery work in the mid-Atlantic states. It has been overseeing a large number of projects designed to reduce the region's vulnerability to future coastal storms. Sandy coastal storm risk management projects completed during Graham’s tenure include: Seagate in Brooklyn, New York; Absecon Inlet seawall in Atlantic City, New Jersey; and Willoughby Spit in Norfolk, Virginia.
Other major projects completed during Graham’s command include:
• Baltimore District’s oyster restoration projects in tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay and a lab for U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense at Fort Detrick, Maryland
• New York District’s decades-long New York-New Jersey harbor 50-foot deepening and Davis Barracks for United States Military Academy cadets
• Philadelphia District’s restoration of marshes and dunes at the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware and several emergency deployments of medium hopper dredge McFarland to address shoaling in the mouth of the Mississippi River, Gulf Coast and North Carolina
• New England District’s first phase of the Muddy River flood control enhancement project in Boston and a new middle school for Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts
• Norfolk District’s coastal storm risk management study for their host city and Cape Cod Canal repairs following Hurricane Matthew in 2016
• Europe District’s Aegis Ashore missile site in Romania, deterrence initiative projects in Poland, the Baltic countries and elsewhere, and two high schools for Germany-based family members.
“I started here three and a half years ago as a colonel and I am leaving as a two-star general and the only reason is because of the work you did,” Graham told district commanders and the division staff during his award ceremony. “It’s been absolutely amazing.”
Graham’s next assignment will be to the U.S. Army’s I Corps (First Corps) at Joint Base Lewis McChord to serve as the deputy commanding general.
Prior to assuming command of the North Atlantic Division, Milhorn was I Corps deputy commanding general. He has also commanded at the Corps of Engineers division level before, having led the Pacific Ocean Division responsible for projects in Hawaii, Alaska, Japan, South Korea and across the Asia-Pacific region.
“It is an absolute honor and privilege for me to take command of the North Atlantic Division today,” he said. “I am here to serve with and for all of you.”
Milhorn is a Distinguished Military Graduate from the University of Florida, earning a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 1990. He holds a master’s degree in Construction Engineering & Project Management from the University of Texas at Austin, and is a National Security Fellow of Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Missouri.
For more news and information, visit www.nad.usace.army.mil. Find us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/NorthAtlanticDivision or follow us on Twitter, www/twitter.com/ArmyCorpsNAD.
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Media notes:
• Maj. Gen. Milhorn’s full bio is available at this link: https://go.usa.gov/xU5ej
• Maj. Gen. Graham’s full bio is available at this link: https://go.usa.gov/xU5eP
Release no. 18-055