News Release
| Release Number: | 05-107 |
| Dated: | 7/21/2005 |
| Contact: | Matt Rabe, 503-808-4510 |
Portland, Ore. -- Colonel Thomas E. O’Donovan became the District Commander of the Portland District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, today during a ceremony at Bonneville Lock and Dam.
Col. O’Donovan replaces Col. Richard Hobernicht, who is retiring from the U.S. Army after 26 years of service. Col. Hobernicht and his family will remain in the Portland area. He has accepted a position with Washington County.
The Portland District is responsible for the Corps’ water resource activities in western Oregon and southwestern Washington, and has one of the Corps’ most comprehensive and diversified civil works programs. Emphasis is placed on environmental protection and restoration, fish and wildlife protection and enhancement, hydropower production, navigation, flood damage reduction, recreation and operation of the Corps’ center of expertise for hydropower and pump station engineering. The Portland District also provides support for the Global War on Terrorism.
Col. O’Donovan received his officer’s commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of Vermont following his graduation in 1982. He received a degree in civil engineering and was as a Distinguished Military Graduate.
As a company grade officer, he served in a variety of command and staff assignments in Fort Bragg, N.C., Germany and Fort Hood, Texas.
After receiving his master’s degree in civil engineering in 1992, Col. O’Donovan became an instructor and then an associate professor of civil and mechanical engineering at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. In 1995, he returned to Germany and served as a brigade S1 for the Engineer Brigade 1st Armored division. He deployed to Bosnia in 1995 with the 1st Armored Division and served as the operations officer for the 40th Engineer Battalion (Mechanized). The unit returned to Germany in 1996. He has served as the assistant corps engineer for V Corps and as the deputy chief of staff for engineering (plans) for U.S. Army Europe, both in Heidelberg, Germany. From 1999 to 2002, Col. O’Donovan commanded the 52nd Engineer Battalion (Combat Heavy) at Fort Carson, Colo., the Army’s first tri-component battalion. In 2002, after graduating from the U.S. Army War College, he assumed the duties of chief of staff for the U.S. Army Engineer School in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
Prior to joining the Portland District, Col. O’Donovan was the director of training and leader development for the U.S. Army Engineer School in Fort Leonard Wood.
Col. O’Donovan earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Vermont and a master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Washington. His military education includes the Engineer Officers Basic and Advance courses, the Combined Armed Services Staff School, the Army War College and the Command General Staff College. He is a registered professional engineer in Vermont.
His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), the Army Commendation Medal (three awards), the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal (two awards), the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, and the Parachute Badge. He is a recipient of the Army Engineer Association’s Silver De Fleury medal.
O’Donovan is an avid outdoorsman, enjoying skiing, mountaineering, kayaking, windsurfing and mountain biking. He is married and has two children.
Note to editors: Col. O’Donovan and his family reside in Tualatin, Ore. A photograph of Col. O’Donovan is available at https://intra.nwp.usace.army.mil/pa/cms/media.asp