North Atlantic region Army engineers receive new commander

Published July 15, 2020
Updated: July 15, 2020
Departure of official party

Newly installed commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division, Brig. Gen. Thomas J. Tickner, leads the departure of the official party following the change of command ceremony.

LTG Semonite provides remarks.

Lt. Gen. Todd T. Semonite, the chief of engineers and commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, provides remarks during the North Atlantic Division change of command ceremony.

Change of command arrival of official party

Lt. Gen. Todd T. Semonite leads Brig. Gen. Thomas J. Tickner during the arrival of the official party during the North Atlantic Division change of command ceremony.

Mrs. Milhorn award

Lt. Gen. Todd T. Semonite presents the Essayons Award to Debbie Milhorn in recognition of her support to the Engineer Regiment and her significant voluntary contributions to the morale, welfare, and spirit of engineer units and organizations.

LTG Semonite passes the division flag to BG Tickner.

Lt. Gen. Todd T. Semonite, chief of engineers and commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers passes command authority of the North Atlantic Division to Brig. Gen. Thomas J. Tickner (not pictured here to maintain social distancing).

BG Tickner assumes command of the North Atlantic Division.

Brig. Gen. Thomas J. Tickner assumes command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division during the change of command ceremony.

BG Tickner addresses NAD first time as division commander.

Brig. Gen. Thomas J. Tickner addresses the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division after taking command of the unit during the change of command ceremony.

Maj. Gen. Milhorn was honored for his inspirational leadership of the division from 2018-2020.

Lt. Gen. Todd T. Semonite (left), Chief of Engineers and commanding general of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, presents Maj. Gen. Jeffrey L. Milhorn the Legion of Merit prior to this morning's change of command ceremony. Also pictured is Debbie Milhorn.

MG Milhorn relinquished command of NAD

Maj. Gen. Jeffrey L. Milhorn relinquishes command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division.

Brig. Gen. Thomas J. Tickner became the 58th commanding general and division engineer of the North Atlantic Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, during a change of command ceremony today at the division’s Fort Hamilton, New York, headquarters. He assumed leadership from Maj. Gen. Jeffrey L. Milhorn, who commanded the unit since 2018.

“In many ways, this assignment feels like a homecoming,” Tickner said. “My ties to this area of the nation run deep.”

Tickner, a native of Wayne, Pennsylvania, has family in the area, and served as commander of the division’s Philadelphia District from 2008-2010. His most recent assignment was as the USACE Pacific Ocean Division commander at Fort Shafter, Hawaii.

“I’m also keenly aware of the unique mission of the division, from the critical work we do with our military and defense agencies in the U.S. and across the Atlantic … to shoring up the northeast from storms and supporting our nation with critical projects that spur our nation’s economic engine,” Tickner said.

As the North Atlantic Division commander, Tickner will oversee an annual program of more than $5 billion to plan, design and construct projects to support the military, protect America’s water resources, mitigate risk from disasters, and restore and enhance the environment throughout 14 states in the northeast as well as throughout Europe and Africa. He is also responsible for a variety of Division engineering and construction activities for international, federal, state and local governments and agencies in more than a dozen Northeastern states as well as overseas.

The North Atlantic Division is one of nine regions providing engineering and construction services to the nation. It is the Corps’ headquarters for the Northeastern United States, Europe, and Africa, with offices in Concord, Mass., New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Norfolk, Va., and Wiesbaden, Germany.

Milhorn has been reassigned to USACE headquarters in Washington as the deputy commanding general for military and international operations.


Release no. 20-031