Colonel Robert D. Carlson was commissioned into the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) upon graduation from the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York in 1982. He holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in General Engineering from USMA, a Masters of Science in Engineering Management from the University of Missouri, and a Masters in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College (USAWC) at Carlisle, Pennsylvania. In his civilian capacity, Colonel Carlson is a Branch Chief at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Rockville, Maryland.
His military education and training includes graduation from USMA, the Engineer Officer Basic Course; the Engineer Officer Advance Course; Command and General Staff College; USAWC; Combat Engineer\Bridging Initial Entry Training; Master Fitness Trainer Course; Joint Firepower Control Course; Nuclear-Biological-Chemical School; Corps of Engineers Construction Management Course; Instructor Training Course; Environmental Compliance and Safety Course; and Force Protection and Anti-Terrorism Course.
Prior to assumption of command of the Contingency Response Unit, Colonel Carlson was the Deputy Chief of Staff, Reserve Component, Headquarters USACE.
Previous active component assignments include A Company Platoon Leader and Intelligence Officer (S-2), 5th Combat Engineer Battalion, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; B Company Training Officer and Executive Officer, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Training Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; Operations Officer (S-3), 1st Battalion, 2nd Training Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; and Plans and Operations Officer, Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Garrison, U.S. Army Intelligence Command, Arlington, Virginia.
Past reserve component assignments include Engineer Officer Advance Course Instructor and Training Officer for the 2070th U.S. Army Reserve Forces School, Fort Belvoir, Virginia; Environmental Engineer, Area Support Group, Multi-National Division – North, Eagle Base at Tusla, Bosnia; Mobilization Officer, Operations Officer (S-3), Facility Engineer Team Leader, Chief of Staff, and Deputy Director, Facility Engineer Center – Northeast, 416th Engineer Command, Fort Meade, Maryland.
Awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters; the Army Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters; the Army Achievement Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters; the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal with one Silver and one Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters; the National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star; the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; the Global War on Terror Medal; the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Silver Hourglass and “M” Devices; the Army Service Ribbon; the Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon; the NATO Medal; the Parachutist Badge; and the Air Assault Badge.