JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – Brig. Gen. Jack M. Davis assumed command of Regional Health Command-Pacific and Command Sgt. Maj. Abuoh E. Neufville assumed responsibility as the region’s senior enlisted advisor during an Aug. 14 ceremony here.
In keeping with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s social distancing protocols and the military’s ceremonial guidelines in a COVID-19 environment, only a few dozen people attended the ceremony, while countless others watched virtually from across the Army.
The U.S. Army Surgeon General and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Medical Command, Lt. Gen. R. Scott Dingle, presided over the ceremony. He expressed confidence in the leadership of both Davis and Neufville as they officially assumed command and responsibility of RHC-P.
“You two leaders are the right leaders at the right time to take this command in the right direction as we navigate by the stars through medical reform and reorganization that best sets this command and Army medicine up to be ready, responsive, and relevant,” Dingle said.
Davis had been serving as the region’s acting commanding general since December 2019, and before that he was assigned as the region’s deputy commanding general.
During his remarks, Davis praised the RHC-P team for its hard work and execution efforts in response to the pandemic.
“In this current fight, Regional Health Command-Pacific’s COVID-19 response has been in lockstep with U.S. Army Pacific and MEDCOM’s priorities of protect the force; protect the nation; ensure readiness; and support of our civil authorities,” Davis said.
He added that the professionals of RHC-P are the true heroes in this fight.
Neufville is also no stranger to the region. Prior to assuming responsibility, he spent two years as the command sergeant major at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii. Now, as RHC-P’s senior enlisted advisor, he expressed gratitude to Davis for giving him the opportunity and added that being a Soldier has been a lifelong dream.
“From my early years, I always wanted to be a Soldier,” Neufville said. “I stayed in because of you -- the Soldiers on the field -- the band -- the (salute) battery -- and everyone supporting,” he said.
As the region’s command sergeant major, Neufville added that he will not be satisfied just by merely meeting the standard and will make mistakes, but not the same ones twice.
Regional Health Command-Pacific is the U.S. Army Medical Department’s most geographically-dispersed region and operates in two geographic locations; Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., and Honolulu, Hawaii. The region oversees medical, dental and public health facilities on the West Coast of the United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Japan, and South Korea. Its operational space spans 36 countries and encompasses more than 4,500 miles across five time zones.
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