Lieutenant General William H. "Butch" Graham, Jr.

56th Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Published Sept. 13, 2024

Lieutenant General William H. “Butch” Graham Jr. assumed duties as the 56th Chief of Engineers and Commanding General, United States Army Corps of Engineers on September 13, 2024, after most recently serving as the Corps’ Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations.  As the Chief of Engineers, an Army Staff Principal, he is responsible for more than 90,000 military engineers and advises the Secretary of the Army and other Principal Officials on matters related to general, combat and geospatial engineering as well as construction, real property, public infrastructure and natural resources science and management. As the USACE Commanding General, he is responsible for nearly 36,000 civilian employees and 800 military personnel who deliver a massive $68B portfolio including construction support, project management, science and engineering expertise in more than 110 countries.

Lieutenant General Graham received his commission from the Reserve Officer Training Corps in 1989 from the University of Pittsburgh. He is an Engineer Officer who has commanded Soldiers at all levels up to Division. His commands include the North Atlantic Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; the Pittsburgh District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; 40th Engineer Battalion, 2d Brigade, 1st Armored Division, United States Army Europe and Seventh Army, Germany, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq; and A Company, 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized).

Lieutenant General Graham’s key staff assignments include Director, Task Force Enhanced Security Zone, Operation Resolute Support, Afghanistan; Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC; Director, Coalition-Joint Engineering Directorate, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan; Division Engineer, 1st Armored Division, United States Army Europe and Seventh Army, Germany, and in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq; Operations Officer and later, Deputy Commander, Pittsburgh District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and battalion Operations Officer, 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Riley, Kansas.

His operational deployments include Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan, and Operation Resolute Support, Afghanistan.

Lieutenant General Graham is a graduate of the Senior Service College Fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Joint and Combined Warfighting School, and United States Army Command and General Staff College. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering from the University of Kansas.

His military awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, two Legions of Merit, five Bronze Star Medals, four Meritorious Service Medals, two Army Commendation Medals, two Army Achievement Medals, and the Combat Action Badge.