Col. Robert Fairel assumes command of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Savannah District welcomed a Georgia native as its new leader during a formal change of command ceremony on Friday, July 31.

Col. Robert Fairel assumed command from Col. Ron Sturgeon on Friday, July 31, 2026, during a 10 a.m. ceremony at the Telfair Museum in Savannah. Brig. Gen. Zachary Miller, commander of the Corps’ South Atlantic Division, officiated the ceremony, which also doubled as a retirement celebration for Sturgeon.

The Savannah District oversees a multi-million dollar military construction program across 11 Army and Air Force installations in Georgia and North Carolina. It also manages vital water resources throughout coastal Georgia, including maintaining the Savannah and Brunswick harbors, operating three hydroelectric dams, and administering the state’s wetland permitting program.

Meet the New Commander

Col. Fairel, a native of Rockmart, Georgia, commissioned as an Engineer Officer in 2001.

Fairel brings extensive operational experience to Savannah, most recently serving as the Command Engineer for U.S. Forces Command and U.S. Western Hemisphere Command at Fort Bragg. He has commanded the 40th Brigade Engineer Battalion at Fort Bliss and has been deployed to combat zones in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait.

He holds multiple advanced degrees, including strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College and strategic geological engineering. His decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and the Parachutist Badge.

Reflecting on Col. Sturgeon’s Impact

Outgoing Commander Col. Ron Sturgeon is retiring after leading the Savannah District since August 2023. He plans to remain in the Savannah area.

During Sturgeon’s leadership, the Savannah District oversaw several critical national security and cultural projects, including:

• Construction of the Cyber Center of Excellence at Fort Gordon.
• Over $100 million in facilities for the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) at Robins Air Force Base.
• Partnering on a massive $3.2 billion reconstruction project at Tyndall Air Force Base.
• The recovery and historic preservation of 17 Revolutionary War cannons and artifacts pulled from the Savannah River shipping channel.

Community members can watch a recording of the ceremony on the Savannah District’s Facebook Page.