Landers highlights readiness, warfighter support during Madigan town hall

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. — U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Andrew L. Landers, commanding general of Medical Readiness Command, Pacific and director of Defense Health Network Indo-Pacific, emphasized readiness, warfighter support and patient care during an Aug. 27 town hall with Madigan Army Medical Center staff.

U.S. Army Col. James “Jimmy” Watts, Madigan’s commander and director, opened the event by introducing Landers to the staff, setting the stage for a discussion focused on the future of military medicine. “It is a privilege to host Brig. Gen. Landers and showcase the unwavering dedication of the Madigan team,” Watts said. “His strategic vision for the Pacific aligns perfectly with our daily mission to sustain a medically ready joint force and deliver uncompromising care to our warfighters and their families.”

Landers discussed Madigan’s role in supporting the joint force during a potential large-scale conflict in the Pacific region and encouraged staff to closely examine personnel, logistics, bed capacity and clinical requirements before increased casualty flow places additional demands on the medical center.

“The first line of medical defense coming back to the continental United States is Madigan,” Landers said.

He stressed the importance of identifying readiness gaps now, particularly as medical personnel may be called upon to deploy or support other operational requirements.

“You need to truly know where the gaps are,” Landers said. “We have to have very hard, real and honest discussions about what we need, where we see our gaps and how we can mitigate them.”

Landers said preparing for future contingencies will require coordination across Army Medicine, the Defense Health Agency and Military Medical Treatment Facilities to ensure organizations can support casualty-receiving missions while continuing to provide safe, reliable care to beneficiaries.

“This is a hard, hard problem set, and we need each and every one of you to be a part of the solution,” he said. “You can only strive for excellence.”

Landers also emphasized that readiness begins with people. He encouraged leaders to support service members, civilian employees and families from the moment they arrive at an organization, noting that personal and family stability directly contributes to mission readiness.

“Everything starts with people,” Landers said.

He described readiness in both personal and professional terms, challenging medical personnel to remain proficient in their specialties and continually seek opportunities to strengthen their skills.

“The Army has trained you in a military occupational specialty or an area of concentration that we need,” Landers said. “I need you to be a master of your craft. I need you to seek out sets and reps.”

Landers closed by reinforcing Madigan’s responsibility to remain prepared to support the warfighter while continuing its patient care mission.

“We have to get ready,” he said.

Landers’ town hall at Madigan was part of a broader visit to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, which also included engagements with the 62nd Medical Squadron and McChord Clinic to assess medical readiness, strengthen partnerships, and review operational capabilities across the installation.