Fort Rucker, AL - Lyster Army Health Clinic will conduct a Change of Responsibility Ceremony on June 29 at 11:30 a.m. at the Army Aviation Museum hosted by Lieutenant Colonel Danielle K. Rodondi, Lyster Commander. Incoming Sergeant Major Shavonda L. McLean will assume responsibility as senior enlisted advisor from outgoing Sergeant Major Steven K. Fugate during the ceremony.
The public is invited to view the ceremony virtually on Facebook Live at Lyster Army Health Clinic | Facebook
Outgoing SGM Steven K. Fugate’s Bio:
Sergeant Major (SGM) Steven Fugate hails from Rhea County, TN. He attended Basic Training at Fort Jackson, SC, and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Sam Houston, TX (Combat Medic Specialist).
His assignments include the following: 1-4 IN BN, Hohenfels, Germany (Medic / Evac NCO); Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C. (Licensed Vocational Nursing Student); Martin Army Community Hospital, Fort Benning, GA (Intensive Care Unit LVN); Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany (LVN / Wardmaster / Section NCOIC / Nursing Operations NCOIC); Southern Regional Medical Command / Regional Health Command – Atlantic, Fort Gordon, GA (Assistant Inspector General); B Company, 86th Combat Support Hospital, Fort Campbell, KY (Chief Wardmaster); 501st Area Support Medical Company, 86th Combat Support Hospital, Fort Campbell, KY (First Sergeant); the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy, Fort Bliss, TX (Student). He is currently serving as the Chief Medical NCO at Lyster Army Health Clinic, Fort Rucker, AL. He has deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Spartan Shield, and Operation Inherent Resolve.
Sergeant Major Fugate’s military education includes the Basic Leader Course (Commandant’s List), Total Army Instructor Course, NATO Patrol Medical Course, Trauma-AIMS Course, SIM Man Train-the-Trainer Course, Combatives Level 1 Course, Practical Nurse Course, Unit Prevention Leader Course, Equal Opportunity Leader Course, Advanced Leader Course (Commandant’s List), Senior Leader Course (Leadership Award and Distinguished Honor Graduate), Inspector General Course, Hospital Management for CBRNE Incidents Course, Joint Forces Combat Trauma Management Course, the Company Commander/First Sergeant Course, the CBRNE Responder Course, the Sergeant’s Major Course (Commandant’s List), and the Practice Manager Course.
His civilian education includes an Associates of Arts in General Education (UMUC), a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (UMUC), a Graduate Certificate in Information Technology (UMUC), and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration (Columbia Southern University).
Sergeant Major Fugate’s awards consist of the Meritorious Service Medal (5th award), Army Commendation Medal (6th award), Army Achievement Medal (6th award), Meritorious Unit Citation, Army Good Conduct Medal (6th award), National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terror Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (5th award), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (4th award), Expert Field Medical Badge, Driver/Mechanic Badge (Wheeled and Track), and the German Schuetzenschnurr (Marksmanship Cord) in Bronze. He is a member of the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club, as well as the Order of Military Medical Merit.
He has been happily married to his wife Misty for 23 years, and together they have three children; Dakota (22), Raime (17), and Jorja (13).
Incoming SGM Shavonda L. McLean’s Bio:
Sergeant Major (SGM) Shavonda Lashay McLean is a native of Pass Christian, MS. She enlisted in the Army on 31 October 2000 as a combat medic.
She attended Basic Training in Fort Jackson, SC and Advanced Individual Training in Fort Sam Houston, TX.
SGM McLean has served as a Healthcare Specialist, Squad Leader, Team Leader, Health Care NCO and SGT, Operations NCO, Schools NCO, Section Sergeant, Platoon Sergeant, Senior Drill Sergeant, First Sergeant and Senior Clinical NCO.
Her stateside assignments include Fort Carson, CO; Fort Sam Houston, TX; Fort Stewart, GA, Fort Gordon, GA; Fort Jackson, SC; Fort Campbell, KY; Fort Benning, GA; and Fort Bliss, TX. Her overseas assignments include Giebelstadt, Germany and Fort Wainwright, AK. She has deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait for a total of three combat and one peacekeeping operation.
SGM McLean’s military education includes the Emergency Medical Technician Course, the Warrior Leader Course; Unit Prevention Leader Course, Unit Movement Officer Course; Digital Training Management System Course; Advance Leader Course; Army Safety Program Course; Senior Leaders Course; United States Army Drill Sergeant School; Equal Opportunity Leader Course; Applied Suicide Intervention Skill Training (ASIST) Training for Trainers (T4T), the Company Commander/First Sergeant course and the Sergeant Major Academy (Class 71). Her civilian education includes a diploma from Hoke County High School, a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Troy University and a Master’s Degree in Health Administration from Webster University.
Her awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal; Meritorious Unit Commendation with one Oak Leaf Cluster; Meritorious Service Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Cluster; Army Commendation Meal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters; Army Achievement Medal with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 1 Oak Leaf Cluster; Good Conduct Medal (6th Award); National Defense Service Medal; Iraqi Campaign Medal with 2 Bronze Stars; Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 2 Bronze Stars; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; International Security Assistance Force (ISAF); North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; NCO Professional Development Ribbon with Numeral 5; Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Ribbon with Numeral 6; Driver's Badge (wheel and track); Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal; Sharpshooter Qualification Badge; Drill Sergeant Badge. She is a member of the prestigious Sergeant Audie Murphy Club.
Lyster Army Health Clinic History
In 1942, the United States Army Hospital, Camp Rucker, was opened to receive patients as a part of the War Department’s military expansion during World War II. Then, the hospital was located in a cantonment-type building with a 1,750 bed capacity. In 1946, the hospital closed when Camp Rucker was placed on standby.
When Camp Rucker was reactivated in 1950, the hospital reopened with a 1,000 bed capacity to subsequently close in early 1954 when Camp Rucker was again placed on standby. Later in 1954, the Army Aviation School was moved to Fort Rucker making it a permanent post. The hospital was then reopened in the original structure.
The need for a modern permanent structure was recognized in early 1964. The structure was named in honor of Brigadier General Theodore C. Lyster, “The Father of Army Aviation Medicine,” and on February 18, 1967, Lyster Army Hospital was officially accepted for occupancy.
Lyster Army Community Hospital provided an array of outpatient medical care along with inpatient medical care to the active duty Soldiers and their Family members, along with the numerous retirees and their Family members in the surrounding area, until November of 2004. On November 4, 2004, Lyster Army Community Hospital was officially redesignated as Lyster Army Health Clinic.
Lyster Army Health Clinic continues its quest to care for Army Aviators and their Families, in addition to providing medical support for the military retiree population. It remains a model of the same high standards set by Brigadier General Lyster. As Brigadier General Lyster stated, “It is one thing to build machines and train men to fly them, but another to maintain these men and machines in the air by the constant supervision necessary. This is a far reaching problem which is imminently involved in the evolution of the Air Service and largely falls upon the Medical Service to keep these fliers at their greatest efficiency.”
Lyster Army Health Clinic serves a population of about 18,000 patients including active duty Soldiers and their Family members and retirees and their Family members.
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