LOS ANGELES -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District will hold a change of command ceremony July 11, at 10:30 a.m., at the Eagle's Nest Clubhouse in Cypress, Calif.
Col. Mark Toy, P.E., will relinquish command to Col. Kimberly Colloton, PMP, in a traditional Army ceremony.
Colloton is taking command following graduation in June from the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy. She will become the 60th commander of the District.
Toy has been the commander of the Los Angeles District since July 2010 and will next serve as the chief of staff for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Washington.
Col. C. David Turner, commander of the Corps' South Pacific Division in San Francisco, will host the ceremony.
Established in 1898, the Los Angeles District provides civil works and military engineering support to a 226,000 square mile area of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. The District has a current annual budget of about $352 million for civil works projects, military construction, and interagency and international support. Projects include reducing the risk of flood damage along the Santa Ana River Mainstem, such as the modification of Prado Dam in Corona, and other waterways; environmental restoration projects such as the revitalization of the Los Angeles River; shoreline restoration and protection; and maintenance of navigation channels at more than a dozen commercial and recreational harbors along the California coast, among them the massive ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which together represent 40 percent of all U.S. trade by volume. Military construction projects at 11 installations in California, Arizona and Nevada include family housing, barracks and operations facilities. The District also provides engineering design and construction support to agencies such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the International Boundary and Water Commission, among others.
The change of command ceremony is a time-honored tradition which signifies a transfer of responsibility and formally restates that the continuity of command will be maintained for the Los Angeles District.
In a separate ceremony, Toy will be presented the Legion of Merit. The Legion of Merit was established by Act of Congress July 20, 1942, and is awarded to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States or a friendly foreign nation who has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.
FOR THE MEDIA: Media wishing to cover the change of command ceremony must contact the Public Affairs Office at 213-452-3921 by July 10 at noon. Media should provide after-hours contact information, to include email addresses, in case of any changes to the program schedule. Please provide the number of news team members and indicate any special needs or interview requests.
Release no. 13-013