The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, held a change of command ceremony July 28, 2026, at the Holland Performing Arts Center in Omaha, Nebraska.
Col. Joe Sahl assumed command from Col. Robert Newbauer during the time-honored ceremony with Brig. Gen. Geoff Van Epps, Northwestern Division commander, serving as presiding official.
“It’s a true privilege to command this great district,” Sahl said. “I’m fired up to be your commander and I look forward to working with all of you.”
The new commander comes to the Omaha District from Iraq, where he served as the Military Advisory Group – North, Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve director, over the past year.
“Joe brings a wealth of USACE experience,” Van Epps said. “I couldn’t be more comfortable than leaving Omaha in his capable hands.”
Sahl graduated from Texas A&M University and received his commission through Officer Candidate School in 2004. He has served in leadership and staff positions across multiple locations in the U.S., including Jacksonville District deputy commander and Nashville District commander.
“I’ve been fortunate to spend some time in USACE, and I can attest that delivering engineering solutions to our nation’s toughest challenges is a team sport,” Sahl said. “What we do together matters more than in any other sport in the world.”
Newbauer will depart the Omaha District to become commandant of the U.S. Army Engineer School at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
“There is absolutely no one I trust more to instill the technical proficiency and warrior spirit required for sappers, mappers and builders,” Van Epps said. “We are sending a proven combat leader to run our schoolhouse, and every Army engineer will be better for his inspired leadership.”
Under Newbauer's command, the Omaha District executed a multibillion-dollar program supporting strategic deterrence modernization, critical infrastructure improvements and emergency response operations across the nation.
“Someone asked me recently how I would describe my time here in three words and I would say impressed, envious and grateful,” he said. “Impressed everyday by this team. Envious of the commander that gets to continue this work. And grateful to the Soldiers and civilians of the Omaha District who brought everything they had every day.”
The Omaha District includes more than 1,300 employees and is the largest geographic district in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, covering 10 states and more than 700,000 square miles.