Lieutenant General Scott A. Spellmon

Lieutenant General Scott A. Spellmon
Name	Scott A. Spellmon
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Army
Serviceyears	1990s–present
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands	United States Army Corps of Engineers

Lieutenant General Scott A. Spellmon is a senior United States Army officer who serves as the Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. He has led major civil works, military construction, disaster response, and interagency engineering efforts that involved coordination with federal, state, and international partners. His career spans operational deployments, institutional leadership, and policy engagement with multiple defense and infrastructure organizations.

Early life and education

Born and raised in the United States, Spellmon completed undergraduate and graduate studies that prepared him for service in the United States Army and for engineering leadership. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, earned a Master of Science degree in civil engineering, and completed professional military education at the United States Army War College. His education connected him to institutions such as the United States Military Academy, Civil Engineer Corps, Engineer Officer Basic Course, Command and General Staff College, National Defense University, Harvard University programs, Massachusetts Institute of Technology short courses, and fellowships with organizations like the Brookings Institution and Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Military career

Spellmon was commissioned as an officer and served in a succession of engineer and staff assignments across the United States Army, including brigade and division-level engineer roles, joint assignments with the Department of Defense, and deployments supporting operations such as Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. He has been assigned to headquarters and tactical units associated with the Eighth United States Army, 1st Infantry Division, 3rd Infantry Division, 2nd Infantry Division, 101st Airborne Division, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division. His staff roles included service on the Joint Chiefs of Staff staff, assignments with Army Materiel Command, and positions at U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command.

Throughout his career Spellmon worked with civil and military partners including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security, Environmental Protection Agency, United States Geological Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Federal Highway Administration, and state agencies such as the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and California Department of Water Resources. He led engineer efforts supporting humanitarian assistance and disaster relief after events like Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Maria, Hurricane Harvey, Superstorm Sandy, and other natural disasters, collaborating with the Department of Transportation, American Red Cross, World Food Programme, and United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

His operational portfolio included work on major infrastructure programs, base realignment and closure projects related to the Base Realignment and Closure Commission, and contingency construction supporting Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm logistics. Spellmon’s joint and coalition experience involved coordination with NATO commands, the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence, the Australian Defence Force, the Canadian Armed Forces, and other partner nations through forums like the NATO Science and Technology Organization and the Quadrilateral Defense Coordination Group.

Command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

As Chief of Engineers and Commanding General, Spellmon led the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), overseeing civil works, military construction, and regulatory programs affecting navigation, flood risk management, and ecosystem restoration. His tenure intersected with national infrastructure policy debates involving the United States Congress, the White House, the Office of Management and Budget, and interagency partners like the Department of the Interior and Army National Guard. USACE projects under his command addressed navigation projects on the Mississippi River, coastal resilience initiatives in the Gulf of Mexico, water resources development in the Great Lakes, and ecosystem restoration efforts such as the Everglades restoration and Mississippi River Delta restoration.

Under his command USACE deployed to respond to floods, hurricanes, wildfires, and ice storms, coordinating with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, state governors’ offices, and municipal authorities in cities like New Orleans, Houston, Puerto Rico, San Juan, Fargo, North Dakota, and St. Louis. He also prioritized modernization efforts related to cyber and data integration with agencies such as the Department of Energy and National Aeronautics and Space Administration for resilience planning and remote sensing. Internationally, USACE engagement included capacity-building with partners from the European Union, Japan Ministry of Defense, Republic of Korea Armed Forces, and development agencies like the United States Agency for International Development.

Awards and recognitions

Spellmon’s decorations and recognitions reflect long service and operational leadership, including high-level military awards, service medals, and professional honors from engineering and federal agencies. He has been recognized by organizations such as the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Society of American Military Engineers, the National Academy of Engineering (honorary engagements), and received commendations tied to joint and service-level achievements from the Department of the Army and Secretary of Defense. His awards include decorations commonly associated with senior command and staff service, unit citations, and campaign medals related to deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Personal life and affiliations

Spellmon is affiliated with professional and civic organizations including the Association of the United States Army, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Society of American Military Engineers, and academic institutions such as the United States Military Academy and the Army War College as an alumnus and mentor. He has engaged with think tanks and policy organizations including the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the United States Institute of Peace, and the Atlantic Council on matters of infrastructure resilience, military engineering, and civil-military cooperation. Personal details about family are typically kept private in accordance with military protocols, though he has participated in public events alongside officials from the Department of Defense, members of Congress, state governors, and local mayors.

Category:United States Army generals Category:United States Army Corps of Engineers