President Obama has nominated Maj. Gen. Todd T. Semonite to be U.S. Army chief of engineers and commander of the Army Corps of Engineers, according to military communications and industry sources. Now deputy in both positions, he must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate to succeed current chief Lt. Gen. Thomas Bostick, who is set to retire in May.

Semonite had previously commanded the Corps’ South Atlantic and North Atlantic divisions. He also had a 13-month deployment, which ended last October, to lead the Combined Security Transition Command in Afghanistan as the military mission there transitioned from combat to training local forces. “We’re pleased [about the selection], given General Semonite’s extensive civil-works experience,” noted Amy Larson, president of the National Waterways Conference, via email.