Lieutenant Colonel Wallace W. Bandeff became the 58th Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, on July 16th, 2024, where he leads a workforce of approximately 550 employees, overseeing a multimillion-dollar program providing engineering, design, construction and water resource management solutions to the Great Lakes region. The district’s area of responsibility spans the State of Michigan and portions of Indiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota which includes 3,150 miles of shoreline, 81 harbors and connecting channels and 37 miles of navigation structures.
Prior to command, he served as the Chief of Panel Operations within the Army Talent Management Task Force’s Command Assessment Program from July 2023 to June 2024, overseeing the culminating event for leaders aspiring to serve in command or key billet assignments across the Army.
This is Lt. Col. Bandeff’s fourth assignment within the Corps of Engineers. His previous Corps of Engineers experience includes assignments in the Walla Walla, Omaha and Alaska Districts. As the Deputy District Commander in the Walla Walla District, Lt. Col. Bandeff supported Civil Works, Interagency Programs and Operations of USACE activities in Eastern Washington, Idaho and portions of Oregon, Nevada, Wyoming and Utah. In the Omaha District, Lt. Col. Bandeff served in multiple positions performing operations and maintenance of civil works projects and executing military construction. While assigned to the Omaha District, Lt. Col. Bandeff deployed to Iraq with the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve providing technical assistance to senior interagency leadership. While with the Alaska District, Lt. Col. Bandeff was a project engineer supporting military construction.
Lt. Col. Bandeff has previously held positions at Fort Campbell, Kentucky where he served as the Executive Officer of the 21st Brigade Engineer Battalion, as a member of the Division Engineer section and as the Deputy Director for Operations in Afghanistan as a member of the 101st Airborne Division Headquarters and United States Forces Afghanistan staff. Other assignments include Fort Knox, Kentucky as the 76th Engineer Company commander and 19th Engineer Battalion plans and training officer. His initial duty station was Fort Wainwright, Alaska where he served as a company executive officer and platoon leader. While stationed in Alaska, he deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lt. Col. Bandeff is a Michigan native and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Michigan Technological University where he commissioned through the Army ROTC program. He holds a Master of Science degree in Geological Engineering from the Missouri University of Science & Technology. Lt. Col. Bandeff is a graduate of the Command & General Staff Officer College, the Engineer Captains Career Course and the Engineer Officer Basic Course. He earned the Project Management Professional credential from the Project Management Institute in 2014.
His awards include the Bronze Star Medal (1 OLC), Meritorious Service Medal (4 OLC), Joint Service Commendation Medal (1 OLC, C Device), Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Department of State Superior Honor Award and the NATO medal. He is authorized to wear the Sapper tab and Air Assault and Parachutist badges. He is also a recipient of the Army Engineer Association’s Bronze de Fleury Medal.