CAMP HUMPHREYS, Republic of Korea -- U.S. Army Medical Logistics Command leaders celebrated their worldwide medical logistics mission during a change of command ceremony on June 24 for direct reporting unit, U.S. Army Medical Materiel Center-Korea.
AMLC Commander Col. Tony Nesbitt hosted the ceremony during which USAMMC-K Commander Lt. Col. Marcus Perkins relinquished command to Lt. Col. Mark Sander.
The event provided a well-deserved opportunity to celebrate the organization and its people who have excelled over the last two years under challenging operational conditions, including a worldwide pandemic.
"There is no doubt in my mind that … the entire team that makes up this organization is the best that the Army has to offer," Nesbitt said. "The things that this organization does on a daily basis enables readiness through medical logistics support including optional fabrication, medical maintenance and materiel management.
"This enables an Army that is ready to fight tonight," he said. "I want to give you all a personal thank you from me to this team that never settles, that makes it happen every day."
USAMMC-K’s mission is to provide continuous medical logistics support to sustain the readiness of U.S. Forces Korea throughout the full range of military operations. As the theater lead agent for medical materiel, USAMMC-K provides direct medical materiel support to theater medical forces. The organization ensures and assists tactical units with integration into an end-to-end medical supply chain, and assists the combatant commands in health logistics support planning.
Over the past two years, USAMMC-K processed over $79 million in materiel sales, produced over 70,000 optical frames and upgraded medical maintenance operations to enable repair-and-return capabilities on the Korean Peninsula.
"These last two years have without a doubt been challenging, developmental, fast-paced and the [most fun] years of my career," Perkins said. "I will cherish the memories and the bond of excellence we have forged. The sense of pride I have in this organization is something I can’t easily put into words.
"This team balanced the response to a global pandemic to protect, surveil and vaccinate the joint force and beneficiaries while simultaneously transitioning command relationships both above and below the organization," he continued. "It has been a blessing to see this team execute with such passion, precision and commitment to excellence. It has been an honor to serve side by side with you over the last two years. I will leave here knowing we gave it our best and never settled."
Perkins will assume his next role as the medical logistics planner for U.S. Army Europe and Africa.
Sander, who previously served as USAMMC-K’s deputy commander for operations, is the unit’s 30th commander in its history that dates back to 1954. He expressed excitement to take on the new role in a place that "feels like home" to his family.
"I am humbled and grateful. Our mission has meaning every day and your dedication and performance … is awe inspiring," Sander said to the USAMMC-K workforce. "Everyone here has come to expect excellence from this organization and in every endeavor. That said, we will be embarking on this adventure together again, making even more memories and taking on new challenges."
USAMMC-K is one of three direct reporting units under AMLC, the Army’s Class VIII Life Cycle Management Command. AMLC delivers phase zero readiness to the force while executing the medical materiel management functions for combatant commands in order to set and sustain operational medical capabilities in all phases in response to large-scale combat operations and multidomain operations.
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