Colonel James “Brooks” Schultze is the Deputy Commander of the Southwestern Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In his position, Schultze assists the Commander to provide guidance and direction to four operating district commands located in Fort Worth and Galveston, Texas; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Little Rock, Arkansas; with a combined professional workforce of nearly 4,100. Key missions include managing the nation’s water resources infrastructure for economic growth and environmental sustainability, timely response to natural disasters, and support to military installations and civilian communities throughout portions of six states, that cover some 2.3 million acres of public land and water. Prior to this assignment, he served as the Strategic Planner for the Army G-9 (Installations) on the Army Staff in the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Schultze was commissioned through the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps at Texas A&M University in 1994, as a Distinguished Military Graduate. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M, as well as a master’s degree in Engineering Management from the University of Missouri-Rolla. He is also a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Missouri.
Schultze has held a variety of leadership and staff positions throughout his 28 years in the Army, at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels. Among them have been NATO Engineer at Camp Resolute, Kabul, Afghanistan; Brigade Commander of 181st Infantry Brigade (Multi-functional) at Fort McCoy, Wisconsi; Staff Engineer in the Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute at Carlisle, Pennsylvania; Chief of the Commanding General’s Initiatives Group for U.S. Army Europe; Battalion Commander of the 15th Engineer Battalion in Schweinfurt and Grafenwoehr, Germany; Deputy Commander of Galveston District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Battalion Executive Officer and then Operations Officer in the 92nd Engineer Battalion, Fort Stewart, Georgia; Division Plans Officer with the 3rd Infantry Division, Iraq; Observer/Controller with the Scorpion Team, Fort Irwin, California; Company Commander and Staff Engineer in the 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia; Staff Engineer in the 8th Army, U.S. Forces Korea, Platoon Leader, Assistant Operations Officer, and Company Executive Officer, in the 8th Engineer Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas.
His military education includes the Army War College, the School of Advanced Military Studies and the Canadian Staff College.
Schultze’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Army Commendation Medal, NATO Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, and Parachutist Badge. His operational deployments include Operation Joint Guardian, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.