LEADERS Archives

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), South Atlantic Division (SAD) welcomed Colonel Charles L. Decker as the first Task Force Virgin Island Puerto Rico (TF VIPR) commander at an assumption of command ceremony held at Fort Buchanan, PR. The ceremony was officiated by Brig. Gen. Daniel Hibner, commanding general, SAD.

Colonel Charles L. Decker, Commander, Task Force US Virgin Islands Puerto Rico (TF VIPR), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

"It is an honor and privilege to serve as the very first Commander of Task Force VIPR. There is no other team, no other mission, and no other place that I would rather be serving,” said COL Decker. “We are all looking to the future with excitement as we continue building a foundation of trust with our communities, growing a Task Force full of talented professionals, and finding creative ways to solve our complex problems.”

COL Decker brings more than 26 years of military leadership to the position. In his previous two assignments, he was the Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) Plans Officer for the 1st Mission Support Command in Fort Buchanan, PR, and Commander of the 841st Engineer Battalion in Miami, FL.
Decker is no stranger to USACE and served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel and Sustainment to an Area Command and as a Program Liaison Officer for the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center in Huntsville, AL.

In April 2023, the Chief of Engineers approved SAD’s proposal to stand up TF VIPR, a crucial role in providing leadership, oversight, and support of USACE Civil Works and public infrastructure projects in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, and to provide construction management of all construction activities while improving workload balance across the region.

TF VIPR will have a dedicated and focused team that will sustain and build relationships with all stakeholders through effective, proactive, synchronized communications while efficiently executing their programs.

Colonel Brad Morgan assumed command as the 57th District Commander in the history of the Wilmington Engineer District in July 2023. He is from Union City, TN, and received his commission as an Engineer Officer from the United States Military Academy in 2000. He is a graduate of the Engineer Officer Basic and Captain’s Career Courses, Airborne School, Air Assault School, Pathfinder School, Sapper School, and the College of Naval Command and War College and was previously assigned to U.S. Southern Command, where he served as the Chief of Engineer Plans and Operations within the Engineer Division of the J4 Directorate.

His previous non-command assignments include service as a Sapper Platoon Leader, Assault & Obstacle Platoon Leader, Combat Engineer Company XO, and Battalion Construction Officer in the 8th Engineer Battalion, 1st CAV, deploying to Baghdad, Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom II; Battalion Military Transition Team Leader, 1st ID, deployed to Taji, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; MSE G5, Chief of Plans, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault); Battalion Operations Officer, 326 Engineer Battalion, deploying to Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn; Deputy Commander, Nashville District, US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE); and as the Deputy Commander, Baltimore District, USACE, which included a deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.

His command assignments include: 18 months as Commander, 511th Sapper Company, 326 Engineer Battalion, 20th Engineer Brigade, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where he deployed to Iraq in 2009, conducting route clearance operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; and 25 months as Commander, 19th Engineer Battalion, 20th Engineer Brigade, where he deployed to the U.S.-Mexico Border in support of the initial Operation Border Support in the fall of 2018.

COL Morgan is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Tennessee and holds a Master of Engineering degree from Vanderbilt University, a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College, and a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with 3 OLC, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with 1 OLC, the Meritorious Service Medal with 4 OLC, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with 2 OLC, the OIF and OEF Campaign Medals, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals, the Armed Forces Service Medal, and the NATO Medal. He has also earned the Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge, the Pathfinder Badge, the Combat Action Badge, and the Sapper Tab.

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