Colonel Phil Borders

Col. Phillip J. Borders assumed command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District on August 14, 2018, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. He oversees a multi-million dollar program that provides engineering, construction, planning, contracting, real estate, emergency operations, environmental and regulatory services to the military; federal, state and local governments; as well as the public in Alaska. In addition, the organization supports U.S. Pacific Command by designing and constructing humanitarian assistance projects in countries throughout Southeast Asia. Under the DoD Foreign Military Sales Program, the district also oversees master planning, requirements validation, design and construction of infrastructure for the Government of India’s C-17 aircraft at Hindon Air Force Station. Before reporting for duty in Alaska, Col. Borders attended both the National Security and School of Other Nations programs under a U.S.-bilateral arrangement at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto, Ontario. Previously, he served as chief of the Engineer Plans Branch for U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. In February 2013, Col. Borders took command of the 326th Engineer Battalion (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The unit deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, to operate as a route clearance / Security Force Advisory and Assistance Team. Before this assignment, he served as the deputy observer, controller and trainer for the Special Troops/Engineer Battalion at Hohenfels, Germany. During this period, he established the Joint Multinational Training Command’s “Badger” Training Team to counter improvised explosive devices. In 2008, following studies at the Command and General Staff College, Col. Borders returned to Fort Campbell to work as the operations officer and executive officer for the 1st Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). The unit deployed to Tikrit, Iraq, to conduct infantry combat operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Previously, Col. Borders served as an engineer company observer-controller, senior engineer battalion observer-controller and fund manager for the Global War on Terrorism at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany. In 2002, he was assigned as the battalion training officer and then commander of B Company, 40th Engineer Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division at Baumholder, Germany. In 2003, he deployed with this unit for 18 months in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Earlier, Col. Borders worked as the senior planner for the 2nd Engineer Brigade at Camp Howze, South Korea. He began his career with the 326th Engineer Battalion (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, serving as sapper and equipment platoon leader, light equipment company executive officer, battalion operations officer and battalion adjutant. In 1996, Col. Borders was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Col. Borders has deployed for 42 months in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Freedom Sentinel and Operation Desert Storm. He has earned the Airborne Badge, Air Assault Badge, Ranger Tab and Combat Action Badge. Awards and decorations include the Bronze Star with two oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal with six oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal with one Bronze Service Star; Iraqi Campaign Medal with six Bronze Service Stars; Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon with Bronze Number 6, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Award, Presidential Unit Citation and Army Superior Unit Award. Col. Borders graduated with a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Kansas in 1996. He also earned a master’s degree in engineering management from the University of Missouri – Rolla and is credentialed as a project management professional. He is a native of Lawrence, Kansas, and married to Lisa “Rudi” Lillich of Grosse Pointe, Michigan.