William Beaumont Army Medical Center's Troop Command held a Change of Command ceremony where Lt. Col. Steven Knapp relinquished command to Lt. Col. Kathleen Chung at WBAMC, May 18.
Knapp, a native of Alexandria, Virginia, served as the commander since July 2016 and is slated to join the U.S. Army Human Resources Command at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
"(Knapp) made a lot of people here better than they would've been without his help," said Col. Christopher Lindner, acting commander, WBAMC. "Training and readiness never been better than they are right now. Discipline, serious incidents are at an all-time low."
Lindner emphasized Knapp's selfless leadership style with anecdotes showcasing Knapp's generous attitude and approach.
"If you talk about leadership and life, it's all about the impact you make on others," said Lindner. "(Knapp) wants to be known for doing everything he could to enable other people to be successful."
As commander, Knapp, an Army Nurse Corps officer, oversaw overall readiness of over 1,200 Soldiers at the Battalion-sized command, including Army Reserve Medical Support Units supporting medical operations at Fort Bliss' Solider Resilience and Readiness Center and a student detachment consisting of enlisted and commissioned Soldiers undergoing training at WBAMC.
"I'll end my command as I began it, using the leadership philosophy of F.L.A.G.S.; Family, Leadership, Ambassador, Growth and Safety," said Knapp, as he praised his family, past and current leaders, and senior enlisted advisors, Soldiers, and civilians. "I've always thought it was cliché to say command is a team sport but now I know how true that is."
Chung, a native of Ellicott City, Maryland, previously served as chief of military human resources at WBAMC.
"I'm truly honored and humbled to have the opportunity to command this outstanding organization," said Chung. "It is a privilege to be able to serve with you and for you over the next couple of years as we continue to provide readiness through patient-friendly access to high-quality healthcare."
"I know (Chung) is going to provide the same level of commitment and compassion for our soldiers as (Knapp) did and there will be absolutely zero degradation in the service that our William Beaumont Family gets from (Chung)," said Lindner.
"As I move on, I know that WBAMC will continue to be a powerhouse in Army Medicine, and our WBAMC family will remain strong, remember your F.L.A.G.S.," said Knapp.
Troop Command is responsible for administrative actions and training of over 1,200 Soldiers assigned to WBAMC including three companies, one student detachment and six external clinics located on Fort Bliss and El Paso.
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