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Geraldi assumes command of the Afghanistan District

Members of the Afghanistan District watch as Colonel Mark Geraldi bids farewell to Colonel Chris Becking as he completes his tour as the outgoing commander.
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Members of the Afghanistan District watch as Colonel Mark Geraldi bids farewell to Colonel Chris Becking as he completes his tour as the outgoing commander.

The Afghanistan District Leadership consists of, from left, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Sipe, Deputy Commanding Officer, Sergeant Major Master Sergeant Nathan Marshall, Senior Enlisted Leader, Colonel Mark Geraldi, Commander, and USACE Civilian Bryton Johnson, Deputy Program Manager.
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The Afghanistan District Leadership consists of, from left, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Sipe, Deputy Commanding Officer, Sergeant Major Master Sergeant Nathan Marshall, Senior Enlisted Leader, Colonel Mark Geraldi, Commander, and USACE Civilian Bryton Johnson, Deputy Program Manager.

Colonel Mark A. Geraldi assumes command of the Afghanistan District, Transatlantic Division during a Change of Command at Bagram Airfield on July 25.
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Colonel Mark A. Geraldi assumes command of the Afghanistan District, Transatlantic Division during a Change of Command at Bagram Airfield on July 25.

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Colonel Mark A. Geraldi was welcomed as the Commanding Officer of the Afghanistan District, Transatlantic Division July 25, 2020 at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.

Geraldi assumed the duties from outgoing Commander Colonel John C. (Chris) Becking who begins a new Army adventure at the War College in Pennsylvania.

 “These are difficult times and a bright moment for me daily, was witnessing the great work and enthusiasm from each of our district members,” said Becking.

In his final words to the team Becking said he was proud to serve as commander, being part of the making of a profound improvement in Afghanistan.

Colonel Geraldi just wrapped up a three-year tour as the USACE Seattle District Commander.

 “I am keenly aware that the center of gravity of any district, is its People,” said Geraldi. That is especially true here, where you make up a tremendous Team of Teams from across the depth and breadth of the Corps to deliver a complex program under the most challenging conditions.”

Geraldi has served in a variety of command and staff assignments to include serving as the U. S. Training and Doctrine Command Capabilities Manager-Maneuver Support (TCM-MS) for the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

Other noteworthy assignments were as Platoon Leader and Executive Officer in the 8th Engineer Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas; Brigade Engineer and Company Commander in the 326th Engineer Battalion (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Chief of Operations for Gulf Region Southern District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Iraq; Battalion Operations Officer (S-3) in the 37th Engineer Battalion (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Geraldi has had his boots on the ground in theater when he commanded the 8th Engineer Battalion and Task Force Trojan Horse, responsible for all route clearance, Afghan National Army engineer partnership, and vertical/horizontal construction throughout Logar, Wardak, Ghazni, Paktya, and Paktika Provinces, Afghanistan.

He was commissioned in the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers in May 1993 as an ROTC distinguished Military Graduate from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, and a Master of Science Degree in Engineering Management from the University of Missouri in Rolla, Missouri.

The Afghanistan District is poised to continue Delivering the Program, Strengthening the Foundation, and Achieving the Vision under the command of Colonel Mark Geraldi.


USACE
Afghanistan District
GERALDI
Becking
Army Commander

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.

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