
Colonel Jon L. Christensen is the commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Middle East District, located in Winchester, Virginia. He became the commander in August 2011.
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 customers. In addition, the district provides project management, engineering, contracting and support services to the USACE district in Afghanistan.
Before coming to the Middle East District, Colonel Christensen commanded the USACE Gulf Region District in Iraq from July 2010 to June 2011. During his command, the Gulf Region District completed 250 projects valued at more than $1 billion. Colonel Christensen also commanded the USACE St. Paul District from June 2007 to July 2010. Prior to these command assignments, he served as program director for the electricity sector at the USACE Gulf Region Division in Iraq.
Colonel Christensen was commissioned into the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers following graduation from the U.S. Military Academy in 1984. In 1992, he was awarded a master’s degree in applied mathematics from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. In 2006, he was awarded a master’s degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. His military education includes the Command and General Staff College and the Naval War College.
His previous assignments include: platoon leader and executive officer for Company D, 84th Combat Engineer Battalion (Heavy), Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; assistant operations officer and C Company Commander for the 326th Engineer Battalion (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky; instructor of mathematics for the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York; and battalion executive officer and assistant division engineer for the 326th Engineer Battalion (Air Assault), Fort Campbell. He also served as the battalion commander of the 30th Engineer Battalion (Topographic) (Army), Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and as an instructor in the Operations Research Department at the Naval Postgraduate School.
Colonel Christensen’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, two awards of the Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, two awards of the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal and the Saudi Arabian and Kuwait Liberation Medals. He has also earned the Ranger Tab, Senior Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Pathfinder Badge, and the bronze and silver de Fleury Medals from the Engineer Regiment.