Photo By Patrick Ciccarone | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Japan Engineer District (USACE JED) Commander, Col....... read more read more
CAMP ZAMA, Japan — Maj. Simratpal “Simmer” Singh, deputy commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Japan Engineer District (JED), was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel during a ceremony on Nov. 26 at the District headquarters on Camp Zama.
Col. Patrick Biggs, JED commander, presided over the ceremony and administered a reaffirmation of the oath of office to the newly promoted leader. Singh’s father, Sukhbir Singh, and mother, Jasvir Kaur, pinned the new rank on her son in front of family, friends, and colleagues.
“The Army and this Nation have given this village kid from Punjab far more than he deserves and my hope is to be able to give even a 10th of it back,” Singh said in his remarks. “When success felt out of reach, when weariness set in, [my mentors and friends] have taught me to keeping pushing with my head held high. Good leaders throughout my career have lifted me up and helped remove barriers. [This] I hope to emulate,” he said.
As the District’s deputy commander, Singh oversees a wide range of engineering missions that support the U.S.-Japan Alliance, which enhances regional stability across the Indo-Pacific. His promotion to lieutenant colonel marks a significant vote of confidence in his leadership, judgment, and ability to manage complex operations on behalf of the United States.
Over 15 years of service, Singh has built a career as a combat engineer and leader in key staff and command positions. He began his career in the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, where he served as an assistant brigade engineer and combat engineer platoon leader. He deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, leading more than 180 combat patrols to clear routes, improve base defenses, and help establish the first medical facility in Shah Wali Jot Province.
Following his deployment, Singh served as the brigade finance officer for the 2nd Stryker Brigade, preparing the unit’s yearly command budget estimate and helping allocate $15 million for a National Training Center rotation while overseeing financial support to more than 20 enabling units.
After completing the Engineer Captain’s Career Course, Singh was assigned to the 249th Engineer Battalion at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, where he helped plan and execute 23 critical national defense deployment missions that ensured continuous power to strategic facilities worldwide. He also supported real-world responses to Hurricanes Matthew, Harvey, and Maria and coordinated disaster response exercises with FEMA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters, along with multiple state emergency agencies.
Singh later commanded the battalion’s Headquarters and Headquarters Company, overseeing the maintenance, shipment and operation of the Army’s only industrial-scale generators deployed around the globe. He went on to serve as an instructor and assistant professor of economics and finance at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he taught future Army officers and contributed to academic research.
A native of Kent, Washington, Singh is a 2010 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering. He also holds a Master of Science in engineering management from Missouri University of Science and Technology, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland and a Master of Operational Studies from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.
His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Army Achievement Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, NATO Service Medal, German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge, Combat Action Badge, Air Assault Badge, and Ranger Tab.
As he assumes the responsibilities of his new rank, Singh will continue serving as deputy commander of the Japan Engineer District, applying his combat experience, technical expertise, and operational leadership to support the Army’s missions across the region.
| Date Taken: | 11.26.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.25.2025 22:03 |
| Story ID: | 552422 |
| Location: | ZAMA, KANAGAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 18 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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