Katie Peterson, Fort Leavenworth Lamp
FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kansas (June 25, 2020) -- Col. Scott Mower relinquished command of the Fort Leavenworth Medical Department Activity to Col. Garrick Cramer in a live virtual ceremony June 24 on the Munson Army Health Center Facebook page.
Because of COVID-19 restrictions, the in-person ceremony was limited to about 15 people, and all attendees wore face coverings and practiced social distancing.
Mower took command of MEDDAC on June 28, 2018.
During Mower’s tenure, MAHC passed several accreditations, certifications and inspections; developed a partnership with Irwin Army Community Hospital at Fort Riley, Kan.; implemented virtual health care in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; established a workplace violence prevention program; and led the entire Army Medical Command in overall patient satisfaction, peaking at 99.3 percent.
“If you know Colonel Mower, you know he’s not the kind of leader who will wait for things to happen,” said Brig. Gen. Wendy Harter, Regional Health Command-Central deputy commanding general. “Through his vision, leadership and drive he focuses on positive change. This kind of initiative and forward thinking, paired with a world-class health care team, ensured the success of Team Munson.
“You and your staff have done an amazing job raising the bar on military medicine and working toward changes that make real, concrete improvements for your staff and your patients,” she said. “Your relentless drive for a medically ready force and a ready medical force leave a remarkable legacy here on Fort Leavenworth.”
Mower said he’d miss the opportunity to work with the MAHC personnel and making a positive difference for MAHC beneficiaries the most.
“Serving as the (MAHC) commander has been the pinnacle assignment of my military career,” Mower said. “It has been a high honor leading each and every one of you.”
In his next assignment, Mower will serve as the force health protection officer for Regional Health Command Europe.
Cramer comes to Fort Leavenworth from the 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea, where he served as deputy surgeon.
Cramer was a combat engineer in the South Dakota National Guard before he commissioned into the Army as a second lieutenant in the Medical Service Corps in 1996. He has served in a number of leadership and staff positions at Fort Bragg, N.C.; Camp Casey, South Korea; Fort Irwin, Calif.; and Bamberg, Germany. Other recent assignments were as an observer, coach/trainer, with Operations Group Sierra, Mission Command Training Program, Fort Leavenworth; and commander, 25th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade, at Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
Cramer is a graduate of the Command and General Staff Officer Course.
“I know you possess the knowledge, leadership and strategic organizational skills necessary to ensure this command continues to maintain its status as a premier medical platform for the world’s best expeditionary and globally integrated fighting force,” Harter said.
Cramer said he is excited, proud and humbled to take command of MEDDAC and MAHC.
“The amazing soldiers and civilians of Munson Army Health Center continue to provide the best, constant, dedicated healthcare to our beneficiaries and the command like they have done in the past and like the four hospitals before us have done over the last 193 years,” Cramer said. “Army medicine is Army strong.”
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