New Commander For Huntington District
Lt. Col. William Miller assumed command of the Huntington Engineer District May 1 in a change-of-command ceremony held at the Huntington City Hall. The ceremony was presided over by Brig. Gen. Mark Toy, commander of the Great Lakes and Ohio River Engineer Division.
Miller replaced Col. Philip Secrist, who had been the Huntington District commander since July 2015.
During the ceremony, letters of appreciation were delivered to Secrist from the offices of Sens. Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia. A flag flown over the U.S. Capitol was presented by the office of Rep. Hal Rogers. Huntington Mayor Steve Williams declared it “Col. Philip Secrist Day in Huntington, to honor the outstanding leadership that he demonstrated as the Huntington District commander.”
Toy called the Huntington District “A thriving team of nationally respected, values-driven professionals collaboratively pioneering solutions to our nation’s toughest challenges that thrived under the leadership of Col. Secrist.”
Miller has been the Huntington District deputy commander since July 2017. He began his Army career enlisting as an infantryman in 1991. He was commissioned after graduating from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1996. He completed the Engineer Captain’s Career Course and earned his Masters in Engineering Management from the University of Missouri-Rolla. He graduated the Army Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, Kan.
The Huntington District encompasses 45,000 square miles in parts of five states, including West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia and North Carolina. It is responsible for 311 navigable miles along the Ohio River and 98 navigable miles on the Kanawha River. The district’s program includes the operation and maintenance of nine locks and dams on the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers, 35 flood damage reduction projects and dredging on the Ohio, Big Sandy and Kanawha Rivers. In addition, it is responsible for riverfront improvements, flood risk management initiatives, environmental mitigation, and infrastructure activities. The district employs more than 950 people.
