Posted on September 16, 2024
WASHINGTON – After 38 years of service, the active-duty Army career of Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon comes to a close tomorrow as he retires from military service in a ceremony at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall’s Conmy Hall.
Immediately prior to the retirement ceremony, Spellmon will also relinquish his role as the Army’s 55th Chief of Engineers and commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) during a change of command ceremony.
Spellmon began his career as a cadet at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York, in 1982. A member of the Army football team, he always remembers the outcome of games he played in, including a 1984 game in Detroit, Michigan, where Army beat Michigan State 12-9, but more importantly he met his future wife, Sharise, after the game.
As Spellmon says with a smile, “I had two wins that weekend.”
At the time of his retirement, he is the last remaining member of the USMA class of 1986 to still be serving on active duty.
His career took him on 22 permanent change of station moves, which included time at Fort Moore (Ft. Benning), Georgia; Fort Johnson (Ft. Polk), Louisiana; Fort Cavazos (Ft. Hood), Texas; Germany; and Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. It also included three deployments for operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
Through it all, Sharise was by his side holding down the responsibilities at home, including when he was wounded from the blast of an improvised explosive device in Iraq in 2005.
“She was the rock that held our family together during those three deployments,” Spellmon said.
It was Sharise’s commitment that Spellmon credits for getting him back out to the field with his unit quickly after being wounded.
“I was able to go back to rejoin my battalion and finish the tour after a few months at home only because of her exceptional love and care.”
He underwent seven surgeries and skin grafts to recover from the ordeal. According to Spellmon, Sharise had to learn how to operate a wound vac and care for the skin grafts so he could heal at home rather than recovering in a hospital room.
Spellmon spent time as the chief of staff for the U.S. Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, as well as the Engineer Intelligence Officer for Allied Command Europe Reaction Corps, Rheindahlen, Germany and was an observer-controller for the Combat Maneuver Training Center, Hohenfels, Germany.
SPELLMON JOINS USACE
It wasn’t until Spellmon nearly hit his 30-year mark on active duty that he joined the ranks of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, becoming the commanding general of the Northwestern Division, headquartered in Portland, Oregon.
“The 53rd Chief of Engineers, Lt. Gen. Thomas Bostick, called me and said, ’Scott, you’ve been serving on the operational side of our Army for almost three decades. It is time to bring you over to a unique corner of the Army called the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.’ I jumped at the opportunity,” Spellmon said.
While at the Northwestern Division, Spellmon was responsible for overseeing USACE construction and operations in 14 states, primarily in the Columbia and Missouri river basins. It was a role that he says he “fell in love with.”
“I had the pleasure to work with General Spellmon for three years as NWD commander. His respect for people, attention to detail and his ability to navigate controversial civil works issues in the Missouri Basin, Columbia River Basin and Puget Sound are signs of a leader who you were glad to come work for every day. He earned the respect of agency directors and administrators across NWD’s 14 states whether it be for the operation of the Missouri River Basin projects or for salmon restoration in the Columbia River,” said Dave Ponganis, former programs director for the Northwestern Division.
After three years living in the Pacific Northwest, Spellmon’s career took him and his wife to Washington, D.C., where he became the USACE deputy commanding general for Civil and Emergency Operations.
“I still remember when he transitioned into the role of deputy commanding general and he asked me if I thought Headquarters could handle his humor. My response was absolutely and that we need more laughter in the workplace because what we do is hard stuff and laughter helps get us through it all,” said Beth Coffey, programs director for the Northwestern Division.
His sense of humor was well received; and he went on to serve in that role for two years before tackling the biggest challenge of his career.
On Sept. 10, 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lt. Gen. Spellmon took on what he believes is the most impactful assignment in his 38-year career — 55th Chief of Engineers and commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Spellmon took command as USACE was building alternate care facilities for the nation. USACE employees were on the ground in Louisiana helping residents recover from Hurricane Laura, and shortly thereafter having to deal with the impacts in the same area from Hurricane Delta. The war in Afghanistan was still going on, and USACE was continuing rebuilding efforts there.
“I witnessed his deliberate and decisive leadership in navigating some of the most complex challenges our nation faced,” said North Atlantic Division Commander Brig. Gen. John P. Loyd, former USACE chief of staff under Spellmon. “Through the tumultuous times of COVID-19, the Afghan relocation mission, the border wall, and most recently during the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse and recovery, his ability to balance strategic vision with a steady, calm demeanor was unmatched.”
The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse serves as a main highlight for Spellmon. He still feels for the families of the six individuals lost during that March 26, 2024, tragedy when the container ship M/V Dali struck the bridge, but he also notes the incredible feat it was to help remove the structure and open the federal navigation channel in a short amount of time.
“We moved as quickly and safely as possible and on June 10 the Corps of Engineers successfully restored the federal channel to its original depth and width. I want to say we are tremendously proud to have been a part of the unified team that undertook this incredible task,” Spellmon said in a July 10 hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Under Spellmon’s leadership, USACE took on the challenges of helping residents in Hawaii recover from the August 2023 wildfires in Maui. USACE also responded to numerous hurricanes and floods; worked on infrastructure projects ranging from a dam removal in Pennsylvania to replacing and upgrading locks and levees throughout the United States; began massive upgrades for Soldier barracks; built innovative schools for the Department of Defense Education Activity; and continued the mission of building state-of-the art facilities for our nation’s warfighters throughout the world.
He will be remembered for not just his cool demeanor in the face of demanding situations, but also how he dealt with people throughout his career.
“He has the rare gift to mix humility, knowledge of USACE, care for people, and intelligence with active curiosity and humor,” said Coffey. “It is that last part that truly sets him apart.
“He was personable, approachable and a great traveling partner. His whole family was a joy to be around,”
Col. Frank Pera, USACE Baltimore District commander and former executive officer under Spellmon, added, “I had the honor of witnessing how Lt. Gen. Spellmon encouraged a culture that valued people, honest feedback, and accountability through personal notes, small-group sessions, and ensuring he was always physically present at the point of friction. I honestly believe that his ability to disarm you with his humility before overwhelming you with his sense of reason has paved more roads for advancing USACE and Engineer priorities than most will ever know.”
He was a champion of innovation, pushing the organization into the future.
“I’ll never forget when he approached me on the eve of his becoming the 55th Chief of Engineers. He told me, ’David, we’re going to put a major emphasis on safety and research and development in the future.’ And did he ever, on both counts! He devised a very simple approach for R&D — write the first-ever R&D strategy in the Corps’ history, raise the governance, ’Tell the Story,’ and increase the R&D program,” said Dr. David Pittman, director of the Engineering Research and Development Center.
Under Spellmon’s guidance USACE was able to connect the dots between research and development and the implementation of those findings. The investment in R&D quadrupled under Spellmon and he continued to champion the program, testifying before Congress 20 times about the need for research and development.
“His personal passion, persistence and energy, always leading with humility, set USACE on a journey to become the most innovative organization in the U.S. Army,” said Pittman.
As Spellmon looks toward the next chapter in his life, he looks back on his time with USACE with fondness and great regard.
“When I look around the Army Corps and visit our districts, divisions, and labs, I am humbled to be a part of this organization that works every day to make a meaningful impact on our country,” Spellmon said.
Looking ahead, Spellmon says he will remain in the Washington, D.C., area for the time being, but don’t expect him to be lounging around. He wants to do what he loves the most.
“I look forward to getting back to work building projects that matter for people,” Spellmon said.
Lt. Gen. Scott A. Spellmon, 55th Chief of Engineers and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) commanding general, speaks with Phil Kelley, Jefferson County Drainage District 7 general manager, during a visit to the Valero Port Arthur Oil Refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, Sept. 6, 2023. Spellmon and the USACE Galveston District’s leadership met with Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay (S2G) and Coastal Texas (CTX) programs’ non-federal sponsors to discuss some of Galveston District’s current—and largest—projects. The S2G and CTX programs are two of the Galveston District’s dubbed “mega projects” which involve large-scale storm and flood risk mitigation efforts to protect the Texas Coast against the hurricanes and storms prone to the region.
Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon, commanding general, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, views the El Paso Flood Risk Management (Central Cebada) Project from a scenic overlook with USACE-South Pacific Division and Albuquerque District leadership in El Paso, Texas, Jan. 25, 2023.
