Lt. Gen. Todd T. Semonite assumed his position as Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) on May 19, 2016. As the Chief of Engineers, an Army Staff Principal, he advises the Secretary of the Army and other Principal Officials on matters related to general, combat and geospatial engineering; construction, real property, public infrastructure and natural resources science and management. As the USACE Commanding General, he is responsible for more than 32,000 civilian employees and 700 military personnel who provide project management, construction support and science and engineering expertise in more than 110 countries.
Prior to this assignment, Semonite established the Army Talent Management Task Force and served as its first director. In this role, he was responsible for reforming the way the Army acquires, develops, employs, and retains a talented workforce. Prior to these duties, Semonite was the commanding general for Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, responsible for the building of the Afghan Army and Police through management of a $13 billion budget to support a 352,000 individual force. During his tenure, the mission focused on sustainment of the force and training, advising and assisting the Security Ministries towards establishing an enduring culture of fiscal discipline, transparency and accountability, while continuing to fight and win against a significant enemy threat.
Previous to that command, Semonite served as the Deputy Chief of Engineers and the Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Semonite has also served as Commanding General, South Atlantic Division, responsible for the oversight of planning, design and construction projects to support the U.S. Military, protect America’s water resources, and provide USACE support to U.S. Southern Command. The South Atlantic Division provides engineering and construction services from Alabama to North Carolina, the Caribbean and Central and South America.
Prior to assuming Command of the South Atlantic Division, Semonite was the Commander of the USACE’s North Atlantic Division in New York City serving the states from Virginia to Maine as well as the U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command Areas of Responsibility. Additionally, he served in a wide variety of command and staff positions including: Director, Office of the Chief of Engineers, Headquarters, Department of the Army at the Pentagon; Deputy Commander, Task Force Restore Iraqi Electricity and Executive Officer to the Commanding General, U.S. Army Europe (USAEUR) and 7th Army.
Semonite served as Commander of the 130th Engineer Brigade and the V Corps Engineer, Hanau, Germany; Chief of Military Operations and Topography and Chief of International Operations, both with USAEUR; Battalion Commander, 23rd Engineer Battalion, 1st Armored Division, Friedberg, Germany (with a one-year deployment to Bosnia); Construction and Design Supervisor, 416th Engineer Command, Chicago, Illinois; Staff Officer for Logistics (S4), 937th Engineer Group and Staff Officer for Operations (S3) and Executive Officer, 1st Engineer Battalion, both at Fort Riley, Kansas; and Operations Officer, U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers Office, Fort Drum, NY.
Semonite, a native of Bellows Falls, Vermont is a registered professional engineer in Vermont and Virginia. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and was commissioned into the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1979. Semonite also holds a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Vermont and a Masters of Military Arts and Sciences from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. He is also a graduate of the Engineer Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Combined Arms Services Staff School, and the Army War College. Semonite’s awards include the Distinguished Service Medal (2 Awards), Defense Superior Service Award, Legion of Merit (5 Awards), Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal (7 Awards), Army Commendation Medal (3 Awards), Army Achievement Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Citation, Army Superior Unit Award (2 Awards), NATO award, Ranger tab and Parachutist Badge.
