In front of a formation of one thousand Soldiers on the Fort Sam Houston MacArthur Parade Field Major General Brian C. Lein assumed command of the U.S. Army Medical Department Center and School from Major General Steve Jones during a ceremony hosted by Lieutenant General Nadja Y. West, the Surgeon General and Commanding General, U.S. Army Medical Command.
In thanking Major General Jones for his 38 years of service as a commissioned officer, Lieutenant General West reflected on his accomplishments in bringing a renewed focus to eliminating any artificial distinctions between medical care in theater and medical care here at home. In describing Jones, West said he embodies the words quiet professionalism, and praised him for wanting to continue telling the Army Medicine story during his retirement by working with the Army Medicine historian helping to write the official medical history of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In his remarks, Major General Jones reflected on his career, telling the audience of the pride he feels serving in the finest Army in the world. "I will be forever grateful to have served with such incredible Soldiers," said Jones. "I could not asked for a better way to close out my career than by drawing on the enthusiasm of the newest combat medics and the next generation of AMEDD leaders."
Jones previous assignments include serving as the Commander, Joint Task Force National Capital Region Medical; Commanding General, Pacific Regional Medical Command and Tripler Army Medical Center; Assistant Surgeon General for Force Projection, U.S. Army Medical Command; Command Surgeon, U.S. Army Cadet Command; Command Surgeon, Multi-National Force-Iraq; Command Surgeon, Combined/Joint Civil Military Operations Task Force-Bagram, Afghanistan. Jones graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1974 and Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in 1978. He completed his training in Internal Medicine and Cardiology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Jones earned a Master's of Science Degree in National Security Studies from the National War College.
Addressing the Soldiers on the field Major General Lein said he was humbled and honored to be their leader. "Our Soldiers in the Army serve and fight because they know they will receive the best medical, veterinary, and preventive care in the world," said Lein. "It is your collective responsibility to provide that care. To fight and win our nations wars we must be ready." Lein followed by saying that medical care is an intense and personal hands-on requirement, and that no other command in the Army has profound an effect on the individual readiness of the Army as do medical Soldiers. "Soldiers must be trained, and that training will come in the form of realistic individual and collective training programs, both here at the schoolhouse and at duty stations worldwide."
Lein's previous assignment was as the commanding general for U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, Fort Detrick, Maryland. Lein has served in various leadership and command positions to include Deputy Surgeon General/Deputy Commanding General for Operations, U.S. Army Medical Command; command of Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and Evans Army Community Hospital, as well as Command Surgeon positions in ISAF Joint Command, U.S. Army Forces Command, Coalition Forces Land Component Command/Third Army, and 4th Infantry Division. He is a graduate of the AMEDD Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the U.S. Army War College where he earned a Master's Degree in Strategic and National Security Studies.
As he closed his remarks Lein said, "You have my total commitment to ensure you are ready. Enough talking, let's get back to training. All policies and procedures remain in effect."
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