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Brigadier General Robert Crear assumed command of the Mississippi Valley Division (MVD), Vicksburg, Miss., June 23, 2004. He also serves as President of the Mississippi River Commission (MRC). General Crear came to MVD from previous duty as Commander for the Corps’ Southwestern Division, Dallas, Tex.   
As MVD Commander, Crear is responsible for a $5.3-billion civil works program.  In addition, he plays a vital role in managing the Corps water resources program in the Mississippi River Valley.   The boundaries of the Mississippi Valley Division extend from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, include portions of 12 states, and encompass 370,000 square miles.  The programs and activities overseen by the MVD and MRC are conducted by six district offices located in St. Paul, Minn., Rock Island, Ill., St. Louis, Mo., Memphis, Tenn., Vicksburg, Miss., and New Orleans , La.   

Currently, he is also serving as Commander of Task Force Hope.  TF Hope is the designation given to the division’s effort in support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s national response plan to Hurricane Katrina.  Engaging more than 3,800 personnel at its peak, TF Hope is among the largest disaster recovery operations in the history of the Corps of Engineers.  

During Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, Crear served as Commander, Task Force Restore Iraqi Oil (RIO), from January 2003 to November 2003.  TF RIO's first-of-its-kind mission for the Department of Defense was first to extinguish all oil fires and then to restore the oil infrastructure, production, export capability, and the internal distribution system, in addition to importing fuel for humanitarian purposes.   The TF RIO team, 120+ Corps volunteers, over 500 contractors and 60,000 Iraqi oil workers, all worked together to safely and effectively help ensure the economic recovery of Iraq.  

Born in Vicksburg, Miss. , he graduated in 1975 from Jackson State University , Jackson , Miss. , where he received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a Regular Army commission as a second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers.  He holds a master’s degree in national resource strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.  His military education includes U.S. Army Airborne School, the Engineer Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Ordnance Officer Advanced Course, Command and General Staff College, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.  

His military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal with six oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Staff Identification Badge, Parachutist Badge, the 1999 Chief of Engineers and Secretary of the Army Award for Small Business Utilization, and the Silver de Fleury Medal for his outstanding support to the Engineer Regiment.  He was inducted into the Society of American Military Engineers Academy of Fellows in November 2002.  Crear received the 2004 Black Engineer of the Year Award for Professional Achievement in Government, February 21, 2004.  

Prior to his assignment to the Southwestern Division, Crear served as Chief of Staff, Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, D.C.   Before his selection as the Corps’ Chief of Staff, he served as the Commander, U.S. Army Engineer District, Vicksburg.   

He has held various other command and staff positions in the U.S. and overseas.  He served as the Assistant Director of Civil Works at Corps headquarters, and as the Military Assistant for the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works at the Pentagon.  In addition, he commanded the 4th Combat Engineer Battalion, 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colo., where he also served as Executive Officer of the Divisional Engineer Brigade.  Other assignments include Executive Officer, 802nd Combat Heavy Engineer Battalion, Korea; Executive Officer of the U.S. Army Engineer School and Operations Officer, 1st Engineer Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; Instructor and Branch Chief at the U.S. Army Engineer School, Fort Belvoir, Va.; Company Commander and Battalion Operations Officer, 546th Direct Support Maintenance Company and 66th Maintenance Battalion, respectively, in Germany.  His initial assignment was with the 5th Combat Engineer Battalion at Fort Leonard Wood, where he served as Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer and Company Commander.