Colonel Andrew Niewohner was born in Norfolk, Nebraska. In 2000, he graduated from the University of Nebraska with a bachelor’s degree and holds master’s degrees from Central Michigan University and the U.S. Naval War College. His military education includes the Command and General Staff College, Engineer Captains Career Course, Engineer Officers Basic Course, Joint Engineer Operations Course, Defense Support to Civil Authorities Phase II Course, Mechanized Leader’s Course and Airborne School.
Col. Niewohner’s operational assignments include: sapper platoon leader, assault and obstacle platoon leader and company executive officer in 4th Engineer Battalion, Fort Carson, Colorado, with deployments to Operation Intrinsic Action and Operation Iraqi Freedom; as a captain he served in 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry as task force engineer and sapper company commander and deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2005 to 2006 and from 2007 to 2009; as a major he served in 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division in Fort Bliss, Texas, as brigade engineer, chief of plans and 16th Brigade Engineer Battalion executive officer; as a lieutenant colonel he was assigned to the United States Military Observer Group Headquarters, where he served as the central Africa operations officer and chief of support operations. While assigned to United States Military Observer Group, he also served with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in Jerusalem as the chief of military personnel. Finally, his most recent operational assignment was as the commander of the 20th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade at Fort Cavazos, Texas, where he focused on the Army’s People First initiative, Engineer Transformation and Modernization and Homeland Defense as part of the Defense Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and High Yield Explosives Response Force.
His staff and support assignments include: 2-361st Training Support Battalion in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he served as operations officer training and supporting National Guard and Army Reserve units. Col. Niewohner also served as an engineer observer and coach trainer with the Mission Command Training Program where he trained brigade and division level commands on mission command and staff operations. Most recently, he served as a military professor in the National Security Affairs Department at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, where he focused on U.S. foreign policy.
Col. Niewohner’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal, United Nations Medal, Valorous Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Award, Army Staff Badge, Combat Action Badge and Parachutist Badge.
Col. Niewohner is married with two children.