USAMMA hosts Change of Command

By C.J. LovelaceAugust 11, 2020

Master Sgt. Stacey Varga passes the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency colors to Col. Timothy Walsh during a Change of Command ceremony Aug. 7 at Fort Detrick, Maryland. Walsh relinquished command of USAMMA, a direct reporting unit to Army Medical Logistics Command, to Col. John “Ryan” Bailey. In the foreground are Bailey, left, and AMLC Commander Col. Michael Lalor. The ceremony also served as a Change of Responsibility for Varga and new USAMMA Sgt. Maj. Monnet Bushner.
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Master Sgt. Stacey Varga passes the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency colors to Col. Timothy Walsh during a Change of Command ceremony Aug. 7 at Fort Detrick, Maryland. Walsh relinquished command of USAMMA, a direct reporting unit to Army Medical Logistics Command, to Col. John “Ryan” Bailey. In the foreground are Bailey, left, and AMLC Commander Col. Michael Lalor. The ceremony also served as a Change of Responsibility for Varga and new USAMMA Sgt. Maj. Monnet Bushner. (Photo Credit: C.J. Lovelace) VIEW ORIGINAL
Col. Michael Lalor, commander of Army Medical Logistics Command, speaks during the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency’s Change of Command ceremony Aug. 7 at Fort Detrick, Maryland. Lalor recognized outgoing commander Col. Timothy Walsh and welcomed new commander Col. John “Ryan” Bailey. USAMMA is a direct reporting unit to AMLC.
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. Michael Lalor, commander of Army Medical Logistics Command, speaks during the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency’s Change of Command ceremony Aug. 7 at Fort Detrick, Maryland. Lalor recognized outgoing commander Col. Timothy Walsh and welcomed new commander Col. John “Ryan” Bailey. USAMMA is a direct reporting unit to AMLC. (Photo Credit: C.J. Lovelace) VIEW ORIGINAL
Col. John “Ryan” Bailey accepts the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency colors to assume command during a Change of Command ceremony Aug. 7 at Fort Detrick, Maryland. Presenting Bailey with the colors is Col. Michael Lalor, commander of Army Medical Logistics Command. USAMMA is a direct reporting unit to AMLC.
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. John “Ryan” Bailey accepts the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency colors to assume command during a Change of Command ceremony Aug. 7 at Fort Detrick, Maryland. Presenting Bailey with the colors is Col. Michael Lalor, commander of Army Medical Logistics Command. USAMMA is a direct reporting unit to AMLC. (Photo Credit: C.J. Lovelace) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT DETRICK, Md. -- The U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency hosted a Change of Command ceremony Aug. 7, honoring outgoing commander Col. Timothy Walsh and welcoming incoming commander Col. John “Ryan” Bailey.

USAMMA is a direct reporting unit of Army Medical Logistics Command. Walsh served as not only USAMMA commander but was also “dual-hatted” as the AMLC deputy commander during his tenure.

AMLC Commander Col. Michael Lalor presided over the ceremony and recognized Walsh’s steadfast leadership during a time of great organizational change and high operations tempo for the unit, citing that Walsh was “absolutely the right person at the right time.”

“There is no playbook for a global pandemic,” Lalor said. “And no one could have done it better than Tim Walsh and his team.”

In support of the COVID-19 global response, Walsh led the USAMMA team to increase medical maintenance operations in order to rapidly calibrate, repair and rebuild high-priority medical devices, including ventilators and oxygen generation systems.

Walsh also oversaw USAMMA’s distribution of medical supplies in unit deployment packages, or UDPs, for three Army hospital centers supporting New York and Washington -- two of the states initially hit hardest by COVID-19. This mission included support to Army medical professionals from the 531st Hospital Center from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, the 627th Hospital from Fort Carson, Colorado, and the 9th Hospital Center from Fort Hood, Texas.

Each UDP included potency and dated items tailored to each medical team’s needs -- everything from syringes and suction tubes to blood products and oxygen, all intended to bolster each unit’s capability to delivery health care support where it was needed most.

Walsh, who will continue serving as AMLC deputy commander, said the past two years have been unlike any others during his 27-year career, adding that the COVID-19 response has “reinforced the importance of medical logistics readiness” for the Army and beyond.

“You are the best and brightest our country has to offer,” Walsh said to the workforce, many watching the ceremony online due to physical distancing restrictions. “This has been one of the most challenging assignments of my career, and there is no way I would be standing here today without the teamwork, cooperation and dedication of the civilians and military of USAMMA and AMLC.”

Bailey, who recently served as the commander of the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity, is well-known in the medical and Fort Detrick communities. In fact, his relationship with Walsh dates back to 1993, when they were commissioned together into the Army Medical Service Corps.

Lalor said Bailey brings tremendous operational experience, and a diverse background in acquisition and medical logistics at the tactical, operational and strategic levels, which will help USAMMA and AMLC as they continue to evolve under Army Materiel Command.

“To the USAMMA team, I look forward to the next two years,” Bailey said. “Together, we will continue to transform medical logistics and ensure readiness of our Armed Forces. I promise to lead with passion, humility and honor.”

The ceremony also doubled as a Change of Responsibility with Master Sgt. Stacey Varga relinquishing duty as USAMMA’s top enlisted Soldier to Sgt. Maj. Monnet Bushner.