Maj. Gen. Bo Temple Named Corps of Engineers' Deputy Chief

The Army is making changes in the top ranks of the Corps of Engineers. Maj. Gen. Merdith W.B. (Bo) Temple will become deputy chief of engineers, the Corps' number-two position, the Army announced on Oct. 16. Temple has been the Corps' Deputy commanding general for civil and emergency operations since 2008.

Temple will succeed Maj. Gen. Don T. Riley, who will be retiring effective in January 2010, a Corps spokesman says. Riley has been the deputy chief of the Corps since April 2008.

Taking Temple's place is Maj. Gen. William T. Grisoli, who has been in the office of the Army's deputy chief of staff, as director of program analysis and evaluation. Earlier, Grisoli held senior positions with the Corps, including commander of its Northwestern and North Atlantic divisions.

TEMPLE

Before becoming head of Corps civil works and emergency relief operations, Temple was deputy commander for military and international programs. Earlier, he led the Corps' North Atlantic Division and its Transatlantic Programs Center, based in Winchester, Va.

Lt. Gen. Robert L. Van Antwerp remains chief of engineers and Corps commander. He has held those posts since May 2007. Maj. Gen. Jeffrey J. Dorko continues as the Corps deputy commander for military and international operations.

In other Corps news, the Dept. of Defense said on Oct. 15 that two other top officers, Brig. Gen. Todd T. Semonite, who leads the Corps' South Atlantic Div., and Brig. Gen. Michael J. Walsh, commander of the Corps' Mississippi Valley Div., have been nominated to be promoted to the rank of major general. Those promotions are subject to Senate confirmation.

As ENR's former Washington Bureau Chief, Tom Ichniowski wrote about the federal government since the George H.W. Bush administration, and covered at least five major highway bills. A recognized expert on government policy on infrastructure and regulation, Tom is also a Baltimore native and Orioles fan who grew up rooting for Brooks and Frank Robinson. He is a graduate of Columbia College and Columbia’s graduate school of journalism, where he once used “unrelentless” in a headline.

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