NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Lt. Col. John L. Hudson took command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District during a change of command ceremony today at the Tennessee National Guard Armory. He becomes the 63rd commander in the district’s 125th anniversary year.
Hudson comes to Nashville from the Defense Logistics Agency at Fort Belvoir, Va., where he served as the lead engineer in the Joint Contingency Acquisition Support Office.
“It is particularly an honor to take command of the Nashville District as we are about to celebrate its 125th anniversary in August,” Hudson said. “The Nashville District is a great team with a reputation for excellence.”
The Nashville District’s new commander said the district has a proud history on the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers and he plans to build on that legacy with continued progress on the Center Hill Dam Rehabilitation Project, Kentucky Lock Addition Project, Cheatham Lock Replacement Project and major rehabilitation of the hydroelectric generation units on the Cumberland River and its tributaries.
Brig. Gen. Margaret Burcham, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Great Lakes and Ohio River Division commander, officiated the change of command and said Hudson comes to the job extremely well prepared for its responsibilities.
Hudson received his commission as a second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers in 1994. He has served in engineer leadership positions from company command to staff positions at battalion and brigade levels. He also supported reconstruction operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
His military experience includes a variety of engineer command and staff assignments, including assistant project manager for Base Realignment and Closure construction at Ft. Carson, Colo.; resident office officer in charge of the International Zone Reconstruction Resident Office, Central District, Gulf Regions Division; project engineer at Air Force Academy Resident Office; company commander of Alpha Company, 54th Engineer Battalion and 3rd Infantry Division in initial attack of Baghdad; chief of Construction Management, 130th Engineer Brigade; and construction platoon leader, 27th Engineer Battalion.
Hudson’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star with two oak leaf clusters, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Iraq Campaign Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Combat Action Badge, Ranger Tab and Parachutist Badge.
Hudson earned his bachelor’s degree in architecture at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, a master’s degree in engineering management from the University of Missouri at Rolla, and a master’s degree in civil engineering (structural) at the University of Kansas. His military education includes the Army Command and General Staff College, Combined Arms and Staff Services School, and the Engineer Officer Advanced and Basic Courses. He is also a registered professional engineer in the state of Texas.
Hudson is married to the former Carolyn Sherrod and they have four children.
The outgoing commander, Lt. Col. James A. DeLapp, said farewell to the district he commanded since June 2011. Under his tenure he executed a federal civil works program in excess of $300 million and successfully managed regulatory and emergency activities within 59,000 square miles across seven states. He also led the completion of the Wolf Creek Dam Rehabilitation Project and took action that reduced the number of fatalities on the district’s lakes during the 2012 recreation season by 47 percent. The district achieved superior results under his leadership while providing world-class support to the citizens of the nation.
For more news and information visit the district’s website at www.lrn.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps, and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps.