St. Louis, July 2, 2008 – The ceremonial passing of the red U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Flag emblazoned with the white castle, into Col. Thomas E. O’Hara’s hands at 10:25 a.m., Wednesday, July 2, symbolized the transfer of command authority and responsibility to him for the next three years.
The flag was handed from his predecessor, Col. Lewis F. Setliff III, through Mr. Joseph P. Kellet, the District’s senior civilian employee, in the symbolic process that signifies civilian oversight of the agency.
The ceremony was presided over by Brig. Gen Michael J. Walsh, Commander of the Mississippi Valley Division and President-designee of the Mississippi River Commission who was the principal speaker fore the traditional ceremony.
The new District Commander was recently graduated from the Army War College in Carlyle, Pa. Prior to that he served in Afghanistan and also has served a prior tour as deputy commander of the St. Paul District, the northernmost district in the six-district Mississippi Valley Division, which stretches from the Canadian Border to the Gulf of Mexico.
Col. O’Hara is married to the former Beth Otterson. They have two college-age children, Sean and Matthew. |
