Lt. Col. Aaron Anderson has assumed command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Buffalo District, taking over leadership of an organization responsible for a wide range of civil works, navigation, and environmental projects across western and central New York and the Great Lakes region.
Anderson officially took command during a June 26 change of command ceremony at the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. He succeeds Lt. Col. Robert Burnham, who had led the district since July 2024.
As district commander, Anderson will oversee more than 300 employees responsible for maintaining 35 commercial and recreational Great Lakes harbors, operating the Mount Morris Dam and Recreation Area and the historic Black Rock Lock, and managing environmental cleanup projects, including remediation of sites contaminated by the Manhattan Project. The district’s responsibilities span more than 38,000 square miles across the lower Great Lakes watershed.
“My family and I couldn’t be more excited to be in Buffalo and experience everything this region has to offer,” Anderson said. “I look forward to working with the Buffalo District’s many professionals to efficiently deliver critical projects and programs for the communities we serve across the Great Lakes.”
Brig. Gen. Daniel Herlihy, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Great Lakes and Ohio River Division, praised Burnham’s leadership while expressing confidence in Anderson’s ability to lead the district.
Burnham said serving the communities of the Great Lakes region had been an honor and voiced confidence that the Buffalo District would continue delivering vital infrastructure and engineering projects under Anderson’s leadership.
A native of Muskegon, Michigan, Anderson most recently served as chief of engineer doctrine at the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He previously served as a project manager with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Portland District and deployed twice to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Resolute Support.
Anderson holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the U.S. Military Academy and master’s degrees in engineering management, civil engineering, and military operations. He is also a licensed professional engineer and certified project management professional.
The Army’s change of command ceremony is a longstanding tradition that symbolizes the orderly transfer of leadership and responsibility from one commander to another.
