Major General (MG) Robert (Bob) D. Carlson currently serves as the Commanding General of the Transatlantic Division (TAD) for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), headquartered in Winchester, VA. The division provides USACE services throughout the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) area of responsibility, with projects in 18 of the 20 USCENT
COM nations, spanning from Egypt to the Arabian Gulf and Central Asia. The division currently oversees construction programs exceeding $4 billion annually through district offices located in Afghanistan and Winchester, VA. TAD also serves as the sole USACE division in direct support of USCENTCOM providing contingency and field force engineering resources for Operations Inherent Resolve, Resolute Support, and other military activities throughout the region.
MG Carlson concurrently serves as USACE’s Deputy Commanding General for Reserve Affairs, headquartered in Washington, D.C. In this capacity, he is the Chief of Engineers’ senior advisor on all Reserve Force matters within the Engineer Regiment.
MG Carlson was commissioned into the Engineer Regiment upon graduation from the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, NY. He holds a Bachelor of Science in general engineering from USMA, a Master of Science in engineering management from the University of Missouri, and a Master of Arts in strategic studies from the United States Army War College (USAWC) at Carlisle, PA.
Throughout his career MG Carlson served in a variety of command and staff positions ranging from company- to division-level units. Before assuming his current duties, some of MG Carlson’s more recent assignments include commanding the 372nd Engineer Brigade, Fort Snelling, MN; serving as the Chief of Staff, U.S. Agency for International Development, Kabul, Afghanistan; and commanding the Contingency Response Unit, 416th Theater Engineer Command, Headquarters USACE, Washington, D.C.
His military education and training includes graduation from USMA, the Engineer Officer Basic and Advance Courses, Command and General Staff College, and USAWC. His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Department of State Meritorious Honor Award, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Bronze Service Star, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star, Global War on Terror Service Medal, NATO-SFOR (Balkans) Medal, NATO-ISAF (Afghanistan) Medal, Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, and the Engineer Regiment Bronze DeFleury Medal.