Photo By Anna-Marie Ward | Maj. Gen. Jason E. Kelley, Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency...... read more read more
Huntington, W.Va. --- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntington District, conducted a change of command and retirement ceremony July 1. Colonel Jayson H. Putnam relinquished command of the District to Col. Phillip J. Valenti. The ceremony was presided over by Maj. Gen. Jason E. Kelley, Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The custom of acknowledging a change in commanding officers emphasizes the continuity of leadership and unit identity; despite changes in individual authority, it symbolizes the transfer of command responsibility from one individual to another. This transfer is physically represented by the passing of the colors, the tangible symbol of the unit, from the outgoing commander to the senior commander and then to the new commander.
Col. Putnam assumed command of the Huntington District on July 15, 2021. The District Commander is responsible for carrying out the District’s mission within the Ohio River Basin including navigation on 311 miles of the Ohio River, along with the tributary rivers and drainage basins covering 45,000 square miles in parts of five states, including West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia and North Carolina. The economic benefits associated with the Huntington District are significant, broad-based, and affect every resident of the region.
Colonel Phil Valenti hails from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and began his distinguished military career after graduating from Penn State University in December 2000, where he received his commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Prior to his current assignment, Valenti was assigned as a student at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, PA.
Throughout his career, Valenti served in various leadership roles including Commander of the 84th Engineer Battalion on Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, Engineer Operations Officer in the U.S. Army Pacific Engineer Directorate at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, and Chief of Facilities and Construction for the 8th U.S. Army at Camp Humphries, Korea. Additionally, Valenti served as a Project Engineer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rock Island District in Rock Island, Illinois, and Company Commander for the 57th Sapper Company (Rough Terrain) (Airborne), 27th Engineer Battalion (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Valenti’s deployments include Operation Enduring Freedom and two deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
He has pursued an extensive educational background, completing the Engineer Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Defense Information School, the Naval College of Command and Staff, and the U.S. Army War College. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Engineering from Penn State University, a Master of Science degree in Engineer Management from the University of Missouri-Rolla, a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College, and a Master of Strategic Studies degree from the U.S. Army War College.
Valenti has been decorated with numerous awards and decorations, including the Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Senior Parachutist Badge, and the Combat Action Badge. His dedication and service to the U.S. Army and the Corps of Engineers exemplify his commitment to the nation and its missions.
| Date Taken: | 07.01.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.07.2025 11:46 |
| Story ID: | 542113 |
| Location: | HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 47 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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