Change of Command, retirement ceremonies - Savannah District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

SAVANNAH, Ga. – During a formal ceremony, Col. Robert Fairel assumed command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ http://www.sas.usace.army.mil/from Col. Ron Sturgeon, at 10 a.m., today, July, 31, 2026.

Brig. Gen. Zachary Miller, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ http://www.sad.usace.army.mil/, officiated at the change of command and the retirement ceremony for Sturgeon at the Telfair Museum, in Savannah, Georgia.

To see the recorded event, please visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/savannahcorps. There are also videos of the event located on: https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/USACOE-SD and a https://www.youtube.com/SavannahCorps. For photos, please visit our Flickr site: https://www.flickr.com/photos/savannahcorps/albums/ and to see Col. Fairel’s bio, please visit our website https://www.sas.usace.army.mil/About/Leadership/.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District oversees a multi-million dollar military construction program at 11 Army and Air Force installations in Georgia and North Carolina and manages water resources across the Coastal Georgia region, including maintenance dredging of the Savannah and Brunswick harbors; operation of three hydroelectric dams and reservoirs along the upper Savannah River; and administration of the Regulatory stream and wetland permitting program within the state of Georgia.

With more than 600 employees throughout Georgia and the Carolinas, the Savannah District team provides expertise across a wide range of disciplines, from engineering, architecture, design, construction, and master planning to subsurface exploration, hydropower, and environmental stewardship.

Fairel has served in various operational and staff positions across the Engineer Regiment. Most recently, he served as the Command Engineer for U.S. Forces Command and U. S. Western Hemisphere Command Fort Bragg. He also commanded the 40th Brigade Engineer Battalion at Fort Bliss. Prior assignments include TRADOC LNO to USAREUR Wiesbaden, Sidewinder Team Operations Group National Training Center Fort Irwin, Battalion S3/XO in 2nd Engineer Battalion White Sands Missile Range, Engineer Captains Course Small Group Leader Fort Leonard Wood, and Company Commander 15th Engineer Company, 19th Engineer Battalion Fort Knox. He has deployed in the Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait areas of operation.

His military awards and decorations include Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Iraq and Afghanistan Campaign Medals, and Parachutist Badge.

Fairel is from Rockmart, Georgia, and received his commission as an Engineer Officer from Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, Alabama in 2001. He has a Bachelor and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Jacksonville State University, Master of Science in Geological Engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology, Master of Science in Military Operational Art and Science from Air University, and Master of Science in Strategic Studies from U.S. Army War College.

Sturgeon took command of the Savannah District in August 2023. From here, he will stay in the local area. During his time as commander, he oversaw Army Military Construction of the new $100M+ for each of the facilities, to establish the cornerstone of the new Cyber Center of Excellence at Ft. Gordon. The Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) projects at Robins Air Force Base, including the ABMS Ops, ABMS Maintenance Hangar. These projects support technological advancements in aircraft warfighting capability for the Air Force. In 2024, Savannah District successfully turned over three renovated barracks at Fort Bragg, in partnership with the Huntsville Center and Omaha District. Throughout 2023-2025, the Savannah District partnered with the Mobile District to support three construction zones of the $3.2B rebuild program at Tyndall AFB. Additionally, Sturgeon oversaw the successful cleanup of the Buxton Naval Facility, a Formerly Used Defense Site property, and most recently, the successful return of 17 Revolutionary War cannon and artifacts removed from the Savannah River shipping channel and sent to Texas A&M for conservation in 2023.

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