SEMBACH, Germany – Medical Readiness Command, Europe (MRC, EUR) bid farewell to its commanding general and welcomed a new commander during a change of command ceremony May 13 at Sembach Kaserne, Germany.
U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Roger Giraud, who commanded MRC, EUR since Oct. 2023, relinquished command to U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Mark Stackle.
Giraud departs Europe for his new position in Falls Church, Va. where he will assume the duties as Deputy Surgeon General for the U.S. Army Office of the Surgeon General and Army Medical Command.
Stackle comes to MRC, EUR from Ft. Bragg N.C. where he was the command surgeon for U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command.
In addition to being the commanding general of MRC, EUR, Giraud also served as the command surgeon for U.S. Army Europe and Africa, director of Defense Health Network Europe (DHN-EUR) and 21st Chief U.S. Army Medical Service Corps.
The reviewing officer for the change of command ceremony was U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Mary K. Izaguirre, the U.S. Army Surgeon General and commander of U.S. Army Medical Command.
“Under Brig. Gen. Giraud’s leadership, Medical Readiness Command, Europe and Defense Health Network Europe became an integrated, unified command structure that span Army, Navy, and Air Force medical facilities,” said Izaguirre. “Holding true to his conviction that he would fight one headquarters, regardless of the numbers of “hats” he wore, he charged these staffs to operate as a single, cohesive headquarters through complex NATO and USAREUR-AF exercises, maximizing value to the warfighter.”
During her remarks, Izaguirre also welcomed Stackle as the new MRC, EUR commander, and challenged him to ensure the command continues to be ready, responsive and relevant to the Army’s mission and flexible to today’s dynamic environment.
U.S. Army medical Soldiers have been providing comfort, care and compassion to the wounded, ill and injured across Europe since the end of World War II.
“For two and a half centuries, Army medicine has stood shoulder to shoulder with our warfighters, ensuring that Soldiers are kept in formations, in the field and in the fight,” added Izaguirre. “Your mission remains unchanged – to strengthen the hand of the commanding general by keeping the force in the most vigorous health. This is the task that Medical Readiness Command, Europe executes every single day.”
In his farewell remarks, Giraud thanked his family for their unconditional support and the MRC, EUR and DHN-EUR teams for their hard work and dedication.
“Ceremonies like this are important,” said Giraud. “They mark transition—but more importantly, they mark trust. Trust in leadership. Trust in teams and trust in the mission that endures long after any one of us moves on.”
According to senior military medical sources, Medical Readiness Command, Europe and Defense Health Network Europe have set the pace for the military medical enterprise in Europe.
“Whether it’s training Ukrainian Armed Forces medics on tactical combat casualty care, deploying to and treating real world patients in Africa as part of a medical readiness exercise, treating military working dogs, providing care for forward deployed soldiers in support of the eastern flank, rising to the challenge in Midnight Hammer and then Epic Fury, or performing critical surgical procedures at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, our servicemembers continue that legacy of care,” added Giraud.
In his first opportunity to address the command, Stackle thanked the MRC,EUR team for their efforts in putting together the change of command ceremony and that he looks forward to working with members of the team.
“To the men and women of Medical Readiness Command, Europe, I am in awe of what you do every day,” said Stackle. “You are a cornerstone of our medical support and a critical component of our warfighting readiness.”
Stackle also emphasized the importance of integrated teams and collaboration among the various military medical services in Europe.
“As the past several months have shown, this is not a mission we undertake alone,” added Stackle. “We are the core of a powerful and integrated "team of teams" known as Team MED EUR-AF.”
As part of the MRC, EUR mission, it generates individual and collective readiness of the Army medical force in Europe, while providing high quality Health Service Support/Force Health Protection capabilities to enable the readiness of supported commands in Europe and Africa.
In addition to taking command of Medical Readiness Command, Europe, Stackle also assumed duties as director of the Defense Health Network Europe. Proudly serving 220,000 beneficiaries, the DHN-EUR network delivers ready, reliable care and supports medical readiness in 22 strategically located military treatment facilities in Bahrain, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.
Social Sharing