New head for Corps of Engineers Alaska

Petroleum News

Col. Phillip Borders became the 28th commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Alaska District during a change of command ceremony Aug. 14 on the front lawn of the headquarters building near Anchorage.

Borders, a native of Lawrence, Kansas, replaces Col. Michael Brooks, who served as the district commander since July 2015 and retired after 25 years of service. Brig. Gen. Thomas Tickner, commanding general for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Pacific Ocean Division at Fort Schafter, Hawaii, hosted the event.

Borders will oversee a multimillion-dollar program that provides engineering, construction, planning, contracting, real estate, emergency operations, environmental and regulatory services to the military; federal, state and local governments; as well as the public in Alaska.

In addition, he will be responsible for the district’s support to the U.S. Pacific Command designing and constructing humanitarian assistance projects throughout Southeast Asia. Under the DoD Foreign Military Sales Program, the district also oversees master planning, requirements validation, design and construction of infrastructure for the Government of India’s C-17 aircraft at Hindon Air Force Station.

Before assuming command in Alaska, Borders attended both the National Security and School of Other Nations programs under a U.S.-bilateral arrangement at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto, Ontario. Previously, he served as chief of the Engineer Plans Branch for U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida.

Borders has deployed for 42 months in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Freedom Sentinel and Operation Desert Storm. He has earned the Airborne Badge, Air Assault Badge, Ranger Tab and Combat Action Badge. As a decorated Army officer, some of Borders’ awards include the Bronze Star with two oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal with six oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters, and National Defense Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars.

Borders graduated with a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Kansas in 1996. He also earned a master’s degree in engineering management from the University of Missouri-Rolla and is credentialed as a project management professional.

- Petroleum News