JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WASHINGTON -- Brig. Gen. George Appenzeller, deputy commanding general, Regional Health Command-Pacific, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, was promoted last month during a Nov. 22 ceremony at Fort Stewart, Ga.
The U.S. Army Surgeon General, Lt. Gen. Nadja Y. West, presided over the event that was attended by family, friends, and former colleagues at Fort Stewart.
Appenzeller, who was assigned to Fort Stewart for six years, said the ceremony was a highlight of his career.
"It was a truly wonderful experience, and the way I was treated by the 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart Garrison, and Winn Army Community Hospital, made the day exceptional. I was very happy the surgeon general could be there to witness the greatness of Fort Stewart and all of the units there," he said.
Appenzeller entered the Army through the ROTC program and then went to medical school through the Health Professions Scholarship Program. He said that he never planned to make the military a career.
"My plan was to do my time and then get out," he recalled, "but I fell in love with taking care of Soldiers."
Today, the emergency medicine physician has 23 years of active duty service under his belt. He has served in various leadership assignments across the Army, to include deployments to Iraq and Kosovo. Appenzeller has served as the RHC-P deputy commanding general since August 2017. Prior to his current assignment, he was assigned as the command surgeon, U.S. Africa Command in Germany.
Social Sharing