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A NEW CHAPTER: Transatlantic Division transfers mission to Southwestern Division For continued updates on our mission, please visit The Southwestern Division's official website at 🔗 https://www.swd.usace.army.mil/

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Transatlantic Division serves as USACE’s tip of the spear in one of the most dynamic construction environments in the world, STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS, BUILDING CAPACITY, and ENHANCING SECURITY for our nation, allies, and partners. 

We SAFELY deliver agile, responsive, and innovative, design, construction, engineering and contingency solutions in support of U.S. Central Command, U.S. Special Operations Command and other global partners to advance national security interests.

Announcements

LAPSE IN DoW APPROPRIATIONS - Friday, October 3, 2025

The most recent appropriations for the Department of War expired at 11:59 p.m. EST on September 30, 2025. Military personnel will continue in a normal duty status without pay until such time as a continuing resolution or appropriations are passed by Congress and signed into law. Civilian personnel not engaged in excepted activities will be placed in a non-work, non-pay status.

 

A NEW CHAPTER: - Tuesday, August 5, 2025

On August 5, 2025, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officially realigned mission oversight of USACE operations in support of U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command from the Transatlantic Division to the Southwestern Division. This transition ensures continued, focused support to U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command across the Middle East, Central and South Asia, and the Levant. Both the Middle East District and the Transatlantic Expeditionary District remain fully operational and continue delivering engineering solutions that support regional stability and operational readiness. This is a new chapter, not a new identity. The mission – and the USACE legacy – continues.

 

 

  • September

    Upon completion of a Three-phased Inspection Training in Kabul, Afghanistan Local National Quality Assurance Engineers receive their Certificates of completion and are joined by members from the New Kabul Compound in acknowledging their accomplishments. (Photo Courtesy of USACE)

    LNQA engineers complete Three-Phase Inspection Process Training

    Local National Quality Assurance (LNQA) Engineers from around Afghanistan complete the Three-Phase Inspection process at the New Kabul Compound, Afghanistan.
  • Securing the gear and items before movement to Camp Black are from left; Emilija Kolevski, Chief of Engineering and Technical Services Division; Nathan Alford, Operations and Maintenance O&M) COR); Patrick Grey, Civil Engineer; Tyler Crumbley, Quality Assurance Manager; Julie Meyer, Contracting Specialist; and Penny Coulon, Lead O&M COR.

    Protecting the Force by holding quarterly drills

    A contingency environment means being well aware of your surroundings and the Afghanistan District knows this better than most.

  • August

    USACE Afghanistan District holds Change of Responsibility Ceremony

    Afghanistan- U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Afghanistan District held its change of responsibility ceremony August 13, 2018. Command Sgt. Maj. Nathaniel Atkinson, Jr. assumed responsibility from Sgt. Maj. Jorge A. Rivera, who held the senior advisor position for more than seven months.
  • Peter DeMattei, Elaine Lawson, Margaret Jones, Daryl Puffinburger, and Daniel Rivera spent time on Capitol Hill to learn about Congressional operations. DeMattei and Puffinburger, program managers with the Middle East District, are enrolled in the leadership development program, and Jones and Lawson manage the Tier III program for the Transatlantic Division. Rivera is a TAD program manager.

    Leadership development brings an opportunity to visit Capitol Hill

    Leaders in the Transatlantic Division’s leadership development program recently broadened their exposure to Congressional affairs and the operations of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers headquarters. Daryl Puffinburger and Peter DeMattei, both program managers with the Middle East District, spent three days on Capitol Hill and another day with senior military and civilian leaders at USACE headquarters in Washington, D.C. The Government Affairs Institute sponsored the USACE Congressional briefing.

  • July

    Col. Mark Quander, Transatlantic Division Commander, charges Col. Philip Secrist with command of the Mosul Dam Task Force through the passing of the USACE flag. Col. Mike Farrell, left, and Creg Hucks, right, observe the ceremonial event.

    Secrist assumes command of Mosul Dam Task Force

    Col. Philip Secrist III now commands the Mosul Dam Task Force, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers unit providing the Government of Iraq with engineering expertise for its grouting contract to stabilize Mosul Dam.
  • Col. Mark C. Quander, commander, USACE Transatlantic Division, charges Col. Jason E. Kelly with command of the Afghanistan Engineer District in a ceremony on Bagram Airfield June 28.

    Kelly assumes command of USACE Afghanistan District

    Col. Jason E. Kelly assumed command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Afghanistan Engineer District from Col. Kimberly M. Colloton in late June.

  • June

    Col. Colloton and staff visit the site where the Camp Commando School of Excellence is being built.

    School of Excellence under Construction

    Afghanistan District leaders checked the progress of construction at the Camp Commando School of Excellence in the Kabul province in early June.
  • Capt. Scott Pancotto with members of the Bahrain Resident Office during a visit from the Middle East District Commander, Colonel Stephen Bales.

    Captain experiences new perspective on Middle East through USACE

    Capt. Scott Pancotto spent the past year with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Middle East District as a project engineer and program manager forward in Bahrain.
  • A new substation and transmission lines were inaugurated in ceremonies in May.

    Northern Electrical Power System provides power in Logar Province

    BAGRAM, Afghanistan – The Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is expanding electrical grid power for military bases, businesses, and residents across the country. Most recently in Logar Province in eastern Afghanistan, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani inaugurated the 220kV substation during an inauguration and ribbon-cutting ceremony, held in May shortly after its completion.
  • Mentor MAJ Chelsey O’Nan, MED program manager forward and mentee Cadet Samantha Lowdermilk in Kuwait during Lowdermilk's assigned summer cadet leadership training opportunity with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Middle East District (MED) through the Army ROTC program at the University of Virginia.

    Cadet Lowdermilk training in Kuwait

    Cadet Samantha Lowdermilk was assigned a summer cadet leadership training opportunity with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Middle East District through the Army ROTC program at the University of Virginia.