Corps Commanding General Retires
The 53rd Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick retired from military service at an Armed Forces Full Honors Change of Command and Retirement Ceremony on May 19 at on Summerall Field Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Virginia.
Bostick became the 53rd Chief of Engineers on May 22 2012. The Chief of Engineers is the principal adviser to the Chief of Staff of the Army (CSA) on civil and military engineering geospatial sciences water resources real property and environmental sciences. During his tenure Bostick served as the senior military officer overseeing most of the nation’s civil works infrastructure and military construction. As commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers he led more than 32000 civilian employees and 700 military personnel who provide project management construction sup-port and engineering expertise in more than 110 countries.
Prior to his current duties Bostick served as the Army’s deputy chief of staff G-1 the principal adviser to the CSA on manpower human resources and personnel readiness. There he initiated plans to ensure the Army Corps maintains the right size to meet the needs of the nation served on the Comprehensive Review Working Group that examined the impacts of repealing “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” expanded opportunities for women and helped grow leader development programs.
Bostick is a 1978 graduate of the United States Military Academy where he later served as Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering after earning Masters of Science degrees in Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University.
Bostick served as special assistant to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs as a White House Fellow from 1989-1990. White House Fellowships offer remarkable young men and women first-hand experience working at the highest levels of federal government.
He served as deputy director of operations for the National Military Command Center Joint Staff J-3 in the Pentagon from May 2001 to Au-gust 2002 including through the events of September 11 2001. He later served as the assistant division commander in the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood Texas with service during Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2004 he became the Di-rector of Military Programs for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with duty as Commander Gulf Region Division.
From October 2005 to May 2009 Bostick served as the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Recruiting Command at Fort Knox Kentucky where he initiated the “Team” concept of recruiting created a Medical Recruiting Brigade started the “Grassroots Center of Influence Outreach” program and championed the “Army Strong” slogan.
Bostick’s awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster the Defense Superior Service Medal the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters the Bronze Star Medal the Combat Action Badge the Parachutist Badge the Recruiter Badge and the Ranger Tab. Bostick is also authorized to wear the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge and the Army Staff Identification Badge.
Bostick retires from military service after having served the nation for 38 years. Over the course of those years Bostick and his wife Renée a lifelong educator and the principal of Randolph Elementary Arlington Public Schools moved 24 times for his assignments within the U.S. and abroad. The Bosticks have one son Joshua a graduate of Stanford University. He is a product manager and virtual reality researcher.
Bostick will relinquish command to Lt. Gen. Todd T. Semonite during the change of command and retirement ceremony. Semonite will become the 54th Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. During Semonite’s previous assignment he established the Army Talent Management Task Force and served as its director for seven months helping to reform how the Army ac-quires develops employs and retains a talented workforce.
