The Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall community welcomed Army Lt. Col. Kathy Spangler as the new commander of Andrew Rader U.S. Army Health Clinic during a change of command ceremony at the Community Center on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base July 6.
Spangler took over the post from Lt. Col. Ed Weinberg, who served as the commander of Rader Clinic for two years and will move on to a new post as the director of communications for U.S. Army Medical Command.
Retired Army Lt. Gen. Patricia Horoho, who served as the 43rd U.S. Army Surgeon General and the commanding general of MEDCOM, was in attendance, along with new JBM-HH Commander Col. Patrick Duggan, family, friends and community members.
Spangler joined the Army in 1996, after earning her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Bellarmine College in Louisville, Kentucky, and receiving her ROTC commission in the Army Nurse Corps. She most recently served as the director for nursing at the Pentagon's DiLorenzo TRICARE Health Clinic from August 2014 to June 2016. She has also served at Fort Carson, Colorado; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.; and at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan.
Col. Laura Trinkle, commander of the U.S. Army Medical Department Activity, Fort Meade, and Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center, said Spangler was the right person to continue Rader's legacy of care and service to the community.
"The Army recognizes the importance of bringing in new perspectives and energy to keep an organization moving forward," Trinkle said. "Kathy has a strong clinical background with multiple leadership positions."
That experience will be invaluable for the command, Trinkle said.
"It provides her a unique perspective of how Rader fits into the larger picture of healthcare in the National Capital Region," she said. "Her previous experiences, education and demonstrated leadership ensure she is certainly up for the task of continuing to improve the reliability of focused care provided by the team here at Rader. Kathy, I will tell you to hang onto your hat, because the train is moving fast."
And during her remarks, Spangler told her husband, Lt. Col. Brian Spangler, and three children to "get ready for the ride."
"I am honored and humbled standing in front of you here today," Spangler told the crowd after the passing of the flag. "Andrew Rader U.S. Army Health Clinic is an incredible facility filled with amazing people who provide high-quality care to over 14,000 beneficiaries in the National Capital Region. The moment I stepped into this clinic, I felt that presence and that dynamic team ensuring that patients received extraordinary care every time."
She also congratulated Weinberg on his new post and thanked him for the advice and guidance he provided over the last few weeks to help the transition process.
Trinkle called Weinberg a "true team player" and noted the impact he had on the Rader community, emphasizing his focus on people.
"Rader is the equivalent of Cheers for healthcare organizations -- it's the place where everybody knows your name, whether you're a patient or a staffer," Trinkle said.
Lt. Col. Chris Sloan, master of ceremonies for the event and the former Rader deputy commander of administration, also lauded Weinberg's accomplishments at the post.
"He tackled this task with a resolute focus on people," Sloan said. "If you know Lt. Col. Weinberg for very long, you know he welcomes the opportunity to walk the halls; to visit his teammates. From the onset he rounded with compassion and sincerity, to gain a deeper understanding of the organization, its people and its pulse. I think he realized quickly that Rader was full of great players: gifted providers, passionate nurses, skilled admin support and model Soldiers."
Weinberg thanked his whole Rader team during his remarks, noting that the last two years flew by.
"To my Rader family, our accomplishments over the past two years are all significant and are now a part of our shared legacy," he said. "But it is our relationships, your smiles and our shared memories that I will cherish the most."
And he expressed his utmost confidence in Spangler and the next chapter in the Rader legacy.
"To Kathy, Brian and the Spangler family, as of tomorrow you will own 40 percent of the Chesapeake MEDDAC," he said. "I wish you and your family the best as you embark on your journey. Without hesitation you are absolutely the right leader to take on this mission."
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