Kimbrough Care Center gets new commander

By Lisa R. RhodesJuly 20, 2012

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2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Brig. Gen. (P) Joseph Caravalho Jr., commanding general of the U.S. Army Medical Command's Northern Regional Medical Command, passes the guidon to Col. Danny B.N. Jaghab, incoming commander of U.S. Army Medical Activity, Fort Meade, and Kimbrough Amb... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (July 19, 2012) -- Col. Danny B. N. Jaghab assumed command of the U.S. Army Medical Activity, Fort Meade, and Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center in a change of command ceremony on July 12.

Jaghab, former commander of the Rodriguez U.S. Army Health Clinic at Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico, took the reigns of leadership from Col. Leon E. Moores, who served as the commander of Fort Meade MEDDAC for two years.

Moores will serve as the special assistant to the university president of the Uniformed Services University in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 1.

"I am proud to follow the path of great commanders of this MEDDAC," said Jaghab, a registered dietitian, to the Soldiers and audience at the ceremony. "I promise you all that I will continue the great traditions for patients and staff alike."

Before the ceremony ended, Jaghab and Command Sgt. Maj. Larry D. Lipsey of Kimbrough signed the Army Medicine Healthcare Covenant, pledging quality health care to all beneficiaries within the Fort Meade region.

Fort Meade MEDDAC is subordinate to the Northern Regional Medical Command and a partner in the Walter Reed health care system. MEDDAC is charged with providing medical and environmental services for 140,000 active-duty and retired service members and their families, as well as occupational health services to civilian employees.

The organization's area of responsibility includes Maryland and Pennsylvania.

MEDDAC's roots extend back to the Camp Meade Hospital, which was organized in 1917 and was part of the original post. In July 1961, Kimbrough Army Hospital was established. Eight years later, the hospital was reorganized and redesignated to MEDDAC.

As a result of the 1995 Base Realignment and Closure Commission, Kimbrough Army Hospital was downgraded to an outpatient facility. Its emergency room closed in 1996, when Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center was established.

In 2007, the Warrior Transition Company A, Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center was created. Four years later, the company was designated as the Warrior Transition Unit, Fort Meade, and was reassigned to the Warrior Transition Brigade at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda.

Last week's change of command ceremony began with the invocation by Chaplain (Maj.) Dean Darroux, director of pastoral ministries, and music by the U.S. Army Band of Fort Myer, Va.

Brig. Gen. (P) Joseph Caravalho Jr., commanding general of the U.S. Army Medical Command's Northern Regional Command, later presented Moores with the Legion of Merit for "exceptional meritorious service, unrelenting focus and exemplary performance of duty."

In his welcome to Jaghab, Caravalho called the new commander an "incredible officer with energy, vision and compassion" who will "write the MEDDAC's next chapter of greatness."

Jaghab earned his bachelor's degree in nutrition and dietetics from Drexel University in Philadelphia and his Master of Science degree in education and counseling from the Long Island University at West Point, N.Y. He received a second master's degree in strategic studies from the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pa.

After completing his dietetic internship at the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 1989, Jaghab was chief of Nutrition Care Assessments at Kimbrough Army Hospital. He later served in the same capacity at the 46th Combat Support Hospital in Nasriyah, Iraq; Keller Army Community Hospital at West Point, N.Y.; the nutrition clinic at Walter Reed; and the DeWitt Army Community Hospital at Fort Belvoir, Va.

Caravalho praised Jaghab for his leadership of the Rodriquez U.S. Army Health Clinic, which received the Surgeon General's 2011 Excalibur Award for innovation, efficiency and effectiveness in delivery of health care.

"You may see big boots ahead of you," Caravalho said to Jaghab. "But I have absolutely no doubt you will take this command to unimagined new and exciting heights."

Caravalho credited Moores for his ability to "deliver world-class health care, while skillfully optimizing business practices."

Under Moores' leadership, MEDDAC received more than $10 million in performance-based reimbursements from the Army Medical Command during the past two fiscal years for increasing productivity, patient satisfaction and higher output of evidence-based practices.

Caravalho also praised Moores for initiating the "Your Best Self" professional development program for MEDDAC staff.

"You have truly led the Fort Meade MEDDAC into this new era of Army medicine, and I salute your accomplishments," Caravalho said. "It has been my distinct honor to serve with you."

During his speech, Moores called the Fort Meade MEDDAC "a spectacular assignment," and said Jaghab "will lead you far better than I could do."

Moores said he was proud that "by every statistic we measure, our MEDDAC provides some of the safest, highest quality health care, resulting in some of the best patient satisfaction ratings in the entire Army medical department."

In his brief remarks, Jaghab said he was "truly honored" to serve the command.

"Coming to this MEDDAC brings me full circle in my career and my life," he said.

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