Lt. Col. Nathaniel A. "Nate" Weander is the first commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Latin America & Caribbean District, which assumed its new name and expanded mission in June 2026.
Headquartered in Puerto Rico, the district is the Corps’ first to integrate missions across Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 33 nations throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. The district leads a multi‑billion‑dollar program spanning more than seven-million square miles, delivering civil works and military construction projects, navigation initiatives, regulatory permits, emergency response efforts, and interagency and international services.
A native of Nebraska, Lt. Col. Weander received his U.S. Army commission in 2008 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Prior to commissioning, he served as a surveyor and construction inspector with the Nebraska Department of Transportation.
Following his commissioning, he served as an Airborne Sapper Platoon Leader and Company Executive Officer in the 6th Engineer Battalion (Airborne) and Headquarters Company, 2d Engineer Brigade at Fort Richardson, Alaska. During this assignment, he deployed to Lima, Peru, supporting counter‑drug operations and serving as a Combat Engineer Advisor with the Military Advisory and Assistance Group (MAAG) Peru from 2009–2010.
After completing the Engineer Captains Career Course, Lt. Col. Weander was assigned to the 2d Engineer Battalion, 1st Armored Division at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, where he commanded the 40th Mobility Augmentation Company and served as the habitually assigned Breach Force Commander for the 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 4th Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division.
Following Company Command, he served with Corps of Engineers Albuquerque District as a project engineer, focusing on civil works and emergency management projects in the Jemez Mountain Range of northern New Mexico. During this period, he deployed to Iraq in support of emergency repairs to the Mosul Dam from 2017–2018.
After completing Command and General Staff College and the School of Advanced Military Studies, Lt. Col. Weander was assigned to America’s First Corps at Joint Base Lewis‑McChord, Washington. His roles included G‑35 Lead Planner, Executive Officer for the 14th Brigade Engineer Battalion, and Operations Officer for the 189th Infantry Brigade.
Most recently, Lt. Col. Weander served as the Deputy Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District, supporting the district’s response to the Mississippi River Saltwater Wedge Intrusion (2023), the 2024 and 2025 Mississippi River High Water events, Hurricane Francine, and serving as deputy commander for the Emergency Field Office Palisades following the 2025 Los Angeles Wildfires.
Lt. Col. Weander’s military education includes the Engineer Captains Career Course, Command and General Staff College, the School of Advanced Military Studies, the Sapper Leader Course, Basic Airborne Course, Cold Weather Leader Course, and Basic Mountaineering Course.
His awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (with three Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Commendation Medal (with the “C” device and three Oak Leaf Clusters), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), National Defense Service Medal, Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal (with one campaign star), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (with numeral “2”), the German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency (Gold), and the Bronze Order of the de Fleury Medal.
Lt. Col. Weander holds a Master of Arts in Military Operations from the School of Advanced Military Studies, a Master of Science in Geological Engineering from the Missouri University of Science and Technology, and a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).