The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Buffalo District is turning the page on a new chapter of leadership.
A change of command ceremony was held Friday in Buffalo, marking the transition from Lt. Col. Robert Burnham to Lt. Col. Aaron Anderson.
The change was carried out symbolically through the passing of the unit colors, a generations-old tradition that master of ceremonies Major Brian Bergman called the heart of the ceremony.
"The change of command ceremony is a time-honored Army tradition dating back before the Civil War that emphasizes the continuity of command and the unit identity, despite changes in individual authority from one officer to another," he said.
A Beaufort, South Carolina native and a veteran of the Afghanistan War, Burnham spent the past two years leading the Buffalo district, which oversees numerous projects throughout parts of New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Reflecting on his tenure, Lt. Col. Burnham said the experience passed quickly… but that the dedication and friendship of his Buffalo District family would impact him forever.
"I feel like it was just yesterday I was standing up here saying what an honor and a privilege it was to be here, and that was right," Burnham said. "The Buffalo District family, that phrase, that's a badge of honor, and it's something that I will carry with me and take with me for the rest of my life."
Lt. Col. Anderson, the district's new commander, is a Michigan native and also veteran of the Afghanistan War who previously served at Fort Drum. In paying homage to his predecessor, he said that moving forward, collaboration will remain central to the district's mission across the Great Lakes region.
"We cannot engineer our way through these challenges in a vacuum. It requires us to work hand in hand, and I am committed to maintaining and growing the transparency, collaboration, and shared vision that this district has built with you," Anderson said.
He says his priorities include supporting the district's workforce, maintaining critical waterways and continuing environmental and infrastructure projects throughout the region.
Anderson said no single project stands above the rest, describing the district's work as vital to both regional and national interests.
"Obviously, we got important work to do here in Buffalo, up in Niagara, but we've also got important work down in the Port of Cleveland, the Black Rock Lock here in Buffalo — every project is unique, special, and quite important, as important as any of the others," he said.
Anderson said the district also plans to continue work on projects throughout the Great Lakes region while maintaining partnerships with local, state, federal and Indigenous stakeholders.
