Major Joseph M. Gambino serves as the USACE Philadelphia Deputy District Commander. In this role, he serves as second-in-command of a District with a variety of missions include dredging waterways for navigation, protecting communities from flooding and coastal storms, responding to natural and declared disasters, regulating construction in the nation’s waters and wetlands, remediating environmental hazards, restoring ecosystems, building facilities for the Army and Air Force, and providing engineering, contracting and project management services for other government agencies upon request. Established in 1866, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Philadelphia District encompasses the 13,000-square-mile Delaware River Basin and the Atlantic Coast from New Jersey’s Manasquan Inlet to the Delaware-Maryland line. Within its boundaries are more than eight million people in eastern Pennsylvania, western and southern New Jersey, most of Delaware, New York’s Catskills region and part of northeastern Maryland.
Most recently, Major Gambino served as the Executive Officer for the 16th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division based at Fort Bliss, TX. While assigned to that position Major Gambino deployed with the Brigade to the Republic of Korea, serving as the rotational Brigade Combat Team in the 2nd Infantry Division ROK-US Combined Division based at Camp Casey, the Republic of Korea. Major Gambino is originally from Indianapolis, Indiana. He earned his commission from the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Stationed initially at Fort Richardson, Alaska, his first assignment was as a platoon leader and Battalion S-4 with 1st Battalion (Airborne), 501st Infantry Regiment as part of 4th Brigade (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division deploying in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Upon redeployment he deployed with the Battalion to Operation Talisman Sabre 2013 at Shoalwater Bay Training Area, Queensland Australia. MAJ Gambino’s next operational assignments was in Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA, first serving as the 555th Engineer Brigade’s Operation Officer, then as commander of the 22nd Engineer Clearance Company, 864th Engineer Battalion. While in command, he trained for and participated in mission assumption for the Defense CBRN Response Force. MAJ Gambino then served with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Seattle District, as a project engineer and project manager for the Seattle District Operations Division where he deployed to Puerto Rico as a Deputy Area Engineer following Hurricane Maria as part of Task Force Power. Upon completion of the Command and General Staff College, he moved to Fort Bliss, Texas, where he served as the 1st Armored Division Engineer before transferring to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division where he served as the operations officer for the 16th Brigade Engineer Battalion.
MAJ Gambino’s education includes a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point, a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology, and a Master of Operational Studies from the United States Army Command and General Staff College. His certifications include being a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Washington and a licensed Project Management Professional. His military education includes the Infantry Officer Basic Course, Engineer Captain’s
Career Course, the Army Command and General Staff College, Airborne School, and Air Assault School.