HUNTSVILLE, Ala.-- A new commander took over the leadership and direction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville today during a change of command ceremony at the University of Alabama in Huntsville’s Chan Auditorium.

During the ceremony, Maj. Gen. Richard Kaiser, deputy chief of engineers and deputy commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers presented  Huntsville Center’s colors to Col. Marvin Griffin, signifying the organization’s change in leadership.

Griffin assumed command from Lt. Col. H. W. Hugh Darville, who had served as the Center’s interim commander since April. Darville will return to his position as the Center’s deputy commander.

Griffin will lead more than 1,000 employees at the Center’s headquarters in Huntsville, Alabama, and its offices in Omaha, Nebraska, and Alexandria, Virginia. He will also provide guidance and direction of the Center’s global operations to include various program and project management, engineering and support disciplines totaling more than $3 billion in fiscal year 2018.

During his speech to the hundreds of employees on hand for the event, Kaiser noted Griffin’s extensive experience.

“You’ve got a seasoned commander,” Kaiser said. “This is Marv’s third command. Marv is smart and he will learn fast. He’ll get up to speed real quick and he knows what to do. He’s the leader you deserve and the leader that will take this team forward.”

Griffin most recently served as the chief engineer for the Resolute Support Mission and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan as part of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel in Kabul, Afghanistan. He returned from his 11 month deployment in June.

He also served as commander of the Savannah District, USACE from 2015 to 2018, and commanded the 62nd Engineer Battalion (Construction) at Fort Hood, Texas, including its deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan from 2011 to 2013.

Griffin, an Enterprise, Alabama native, said taking command of Huntsville Center was a real homecoming.

“It’s great to be here back in my home state again,” Griffin said. “This is a great community in Huntsville, and we’re incredibly blessed to be here.”

Griffin said he’s also pleased to be back working with the Corps of Engineers after his recent deployment.

“I’m coming back home to my family and back to the Corps of Engineers and the Corps’ tremendous employees. There’s a lot of familiar faces here-- people I’ve previously worked with as a customer of Huntsville (Center) and it’s great to see them again and now work with them. It’s great to be here and I’m tremendously honored to join your team at Huntsville Center and I look forward to getting to work to help deliver these incredible programs.”

Huntsville Center is a major element of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that supports Department of Defense and other government agencies worldwide. Since 1967 Huntsville Center has provided specialized technical expertise, global engineering solutions and cutting edge innovations through centrally managed programs in support of national interests.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala.-- A new commander took over the leadership and direction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville today during a change of command ceremony at the University of Alabama in Huntsville’s Chan Auditorium.

During the ceremony, Maj. Gen. Richard Kaiser, deputy chief of engineers and deputy commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers presented  Huntsville Center’s colors to Col. Marvin Griffin, signifying the organization’s change in leadership.

Griffin assumed command from Lt. Col. H. W. Hugh Darville, who had served as the Center’s interim commander since April. Darville will return to his position as the Center’s deputy commander.

Griffin will lead more than 1,000 employees at the Center’s headquarters in Huntsville, Alabama, and its offices in Omaha, Nebraska, and Alexandria, Virginia. He will also provide guidance and direction of the Center’s global operations to include various program and project management, engineering and support disciplines totaling more than $3 billion in fiscal year 2018.

During his speech to the hundreds of employees on hand for the event, Kaiser noted Griffin’s extensive experience.

“You’ve got a seasoned commander,” Kaiser said. “This is Marv’s third command. Marv is smart and he will learn fast. He’ll get up to speed real quick and he knows what to do. He’s the leader you deserve and the leader that will take this team forward.”

Griffin most recently served as the chief engineer for the Resolute Support Mission and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan as part of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel in Kabul, Afghanistan. He returned from his 11 month deployment in June.

He also served as commander of the Savannah District, USACE from 2015 to 2018, and commanded the 62nd Engineer Battalion (Construction) at Fort Hood, Texas, including its deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan from 2011 to 2013.

Griffin, an Enterprise, Alabama native, said taking command of Huntsville Center was a real homecoming.

“It’s great to be here back in my home state again,” Griffin said. “This is a great community in Huntsville, and we’re incredibly blessed to be here.”

Griffin said he’s also pleased to be back working with the Corps of Engineers after his recent deployment.

“I’m coming back home to my family and back to the Corps of Engineers and the Corps’ tremendous employees. There’s a lot of familiar faces here-- people I’ve previously worked with as a customer of Huntsville (Center) and it’s great to see them again and now work with them. It’s great to be here and I’m tremendously honored to join your team at Huntsville Center and I look forward to getting to work to help deliver these incredible programs.”

Huntsville Center is a major element of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that supports Department of Defense and other government agencies worldwide. Since 1967 Huntsville Center has provided specialized technical expertise, global engineering solutions and cutting edge innovations through centrally managed programs in support of national interests.