Col. Patrick Kinsman assumed command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Middle East District, in a ceremony at the District’s headquarters in Winchester, Va. Dec. 8.
Kinsman, a Bellevue, Wash. Native, arrived in Winchester in July, serving as the Transatlantic Division’s Deputy Commander/Chief of Staff until he was selected to command the Middle East District.
Kinsman previously served as a Secretary of Defense and Army War College Corporate Fellow assigned to the Intel Corporation, in Hillsboro, Oregon. A 1993 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, Kinsman holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Master of Science degrees in both Engineering Management and Civil Engineering and a Master’s in Business Administration.
He shared some of his leadership philosophy, in part developed through his time working with private industry.
“Leaders can and should disrupt the organization internally,” he said. “Leaders must be attuned to the culture of the organization and actively wok to optimize that culture for the future.”
He stressed the importance of keeping pace with the rapidly changing world and challenged the District to do just that.
“To the TAM Team,” he said. “I believe in you, I trust you and I’m excited to work with you in the coming months.”
Col. Vincent Quarles, the District’s commander since March 2014, wished the team well as he moves on to retirement.
“You have all accomplished so much,” he said. “And our nation will require so much more of the Middle East District in the days ahead. I know you can meet those requirements.”
Quarles previously commanded two other USACE districts, the Chicago District and the Afghanistan Engineer District, overseeing a $3 billion program building security and public infrastructure capacity in south, southwest and western Afghanistan. Prior to commanding the Middle East District, he served as the Transatlantic Division’s deputy commander.
The Middle East District is responsible for providing engineering, construction and related services in the Middle East, Central Asia and other areas as required. Its work includes designing and constructing facilities for use by U.S. forces, performing engineering activities for other U.S. government and foreign agencies and providing operations and maintenance services for various customer. In addition, the district provides project management, engineering, contracting and support services to the USACE district in Afghanistan.