St. Louis – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Louis District will host a change of command ceremony and open house June 27 at the National Great Rivers Museum in Alton, Ill.
Col. Christopher G. Hall will turn over duties as District Engineer to Col. Anthony P. Mitchell in a public ceremony at 10 a.m. Brig. Gen. Peter A. “Duke” DeLuca, commander of the Corps’ Mississippi Valley Division and President-designee of the Mississippi River Commission, will preside over the event.
Additionally, the open house will let visitors meet Corps experts and learn about the work going on throughout the St. Louis District to improve the safety, economy and quality of life of the region and nation. The open house will run from 9 a.m. to noon.
“The St. Louis Engineer District team does great work in support of the region and the nation,” Mitchell said. “I look forward to continuing our important mission and building upon the partnerships that are hallmarks of the United States Army Corps of Engineers’ long history in St. Louis.”
Mitchell assumes duties as the 51st Commander of the St. Louis District after serving as the Director, Operational Energy and Contingency Basing Task Force in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Army (Installations, Energy and Environment). He previously served as commander of the Corps of Engineers’ Nashville District and the Iraq Area Office, Middle East District in Baghdad, Iraq. Mitchell holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology, a Master of Science Degree in Engineering (Construction Engineering and Project Management) from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Masters of Arts in Strategic Security Studies from the National Defense University.
Hall took command of the St. Louis District July 8, 2011. During his command, he oversaw recovery efforts from the 2011 floods, critical rock removal and dredging during near-record low water in 2012-2013, and response and recovery from the floods of 2013. Hall will continue to serve the nation with the Army Capabilities Integration Center, part of the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command at Fort Eustis, Va.
“My time in St. Louis has been eventful and enriching,” Hall said. “St. Louis is blessed with diverse partners and strong communities that share a role in accomplishing the Corps’ missions.”
The St. Louis District is strategically located at the crossroads of three major river systems: the Illinois, Mississippi and Missouri. The mission of the District is to manage the 300 mile Mississippi River watershed above the Ohio River by applying engineering, scientific, and other resources while preserving, restoring and enhancing the environment; and maintaining core competencies needed to respond to local and national emergencies and technical requirements.
Release no. 14-043