District Digest News Stories

Murphy becomes 64th commander of Nashville District

Nashville District Public Affairs
Published June 16, 2015
(second from left) Lt. Col. Stephen F. Murphy, incoming commander, receives the unit colors from Brig. Gen. Richard G. Kaiser, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Great Lakes and Ohio River Division commander, during the change of command ceremony at the Tennessee National Guard Armory in Nashville, Tenn. June 16, 2015.  Looking on is Nashville District Deputy District Engineer for Program Management Mike Wilson, (far left) and outgoing commander, Lt. Col. John L. Hudson. (center)

(second from left) Lt. Col. Stephen F. Murphy, incoming commander, receives the unit colors from Brig. Gen. Richard G. Kaiser, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Great Lakes and Ohio River Division commander, during the change of command ceremony at the Tennessee National Guard Armory in Nashville, Tenn. June 16, 2015. Looking on is Nashville District Deputy District Engineer for Program Management Mike Wilson, (far left) and outgoing commander, Lt. Col. John L. Hudson. (center)

Lt. Col. Stephen F. Murphy is the 64th commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District.  He manages the water resources development and navigable waterways operations for the Cumberland and Tennessee River basins covering 59,000 square miles, with 42 field offices touching seven states and a work force of over 700 employees.

Lt. Col. Stephen F. Murphy is the 64th commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District. He manages the water resources development and navigable waterways operations for the Cumberland and Tennessee River basins covering 59,000 square miles, with 42 field offices touching seven states and a work force of over 700 employees.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (June 16, 2015) – Lt. Col. Stephen F. Murphy took command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District during a change of command ceremony today at the Tennessee National Guard Armory. He becomes the 64th commander in the district’s 127 year history.

  Murphy comes to Nashville from the Special Operations Aviation Command at Fort Bragg, N.C., where he served as the command engineer.

 “It is an honor to join the Nashville team,”  Murphy said. “I look forward to building on to the legacy of excellence you have established.”

 The Nashville District’s new commander said the district has a proud history on the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers and he plans to build on that legacy with continued progress on the Center Hill Dam Rehabilitation Project, Kentucky Lock Addition Project, Chickamauga Lock Replacement Project and major rehabilitation of the hydroelectric generation units on the Cumberland River and its tributaries.

 Brig. Gen. Richard G. Kaiser, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Great Lakes and Ohio River Division commander, officiated the change of command and said Murphy comes to the job extremely well prepared for his responsibilities.

 Murphy received his commission as a second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers in 1997.  He has served in engineer leadership positions in Mechanized, Stryker, Airborne, and Special Operations units.  He has supported forest fires in Montana and hurricane relief efforts in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.  Murphy has participated in peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and deployed four times to combat in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

 His recent assignments include serving as the battalion operations officer for 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry (Stryker), Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. He served as an Army interagency fellow in Washington, D.C., as a desk officer at the Department of State and with the U.S. Army Special Operations Command (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, both as a military construction project officer and as the group engineer for 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne). He served in the 82nd Airborne Division in numerous staff positions with the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment (Airborne) and the 307th Engineer Battalion (Airborne), before commanding an engineer company, which he deployed to New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. Lieutenant Colonel Murphy has also served in South Korea with the 2nd Infantry Division and as a platoon leader and battalion staff officer with 20th Engineer Battalion (Mechanized), 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas.

 Murphy’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (with one Oak Leaf Cluster), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with three Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Commendation Medal (with four Oak Leaf Clusters), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Army Achievement Medal (with one Oak Leaf Cluster), Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with two campaign stars), Iraq Campaign Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal (with one Oak Leaf Cluster), NATO medals for both Bosnia and Afghanistan, Combat Action Badge, Sapper Tab, Ranger Tab and Master Parachutist Badge. He also wears a Joint Meritorious Unit Award for operations with the Combined Joint Special Operations Command-Afghanistan and the Meritorious Unit Citation for combat operations while serving with 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment (Stryker) in Afghanistan, and the Army Engineer Association’s Bronze De Fleury Medal.

 Murphy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology and a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla. His military education includes the Engineer Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Combined Arms Staff and Services School, the Joint Engineer Officers Course, and the U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College.

 Murphy is married to the former Nicole Lyda and they have two children.

 The outgoing commander, Lt. Col. John L. Hudson, said farewell to the district he commanded since July 2013. Under his tenure, he executed a federal civil works program in excess of $300 million and successfully managed regulatory and emergency activities within 59,000 square miles across seven states.  He also led the completion of the Center Hill Dam Barrier Wall to reduce risk of failure and took action to continue the progress of the Hydropower Modernization Program in Cumberland River System.  The district achieved superior results under his leadership while providing world-class support to the citizens of our great Nation.

 For more news and information visit the district’s website at www.lrn.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps, and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps.