JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –
Army Col. Shannon N. Shaw accepted the unit colors entrusted to her by Maj. Gen. Patrick D, Sargent, commanding general, U.S. Army Medical Department Center and School, Health Readiness Center of Excellence in a change of command ceremony for the Medical Professional Training Brigade, or MPTB, at a ceremony held at the AMEDD Museum July 16.
Shaw comes to the HRCoE after completing the U.S. Army War College and has served in numerous leadership positions at every level in her career. Shaw assumes command from Col. Shauna L. Snyder, who has commanded the MPTB since 2017 and was only the second commander of the brigade. Formerly called the Academy Brigade (Provisional), the MPTB became fully operational on June 1, 2017. Snyder will move to a new position within the HRCoE as Chief of the Professional Education and Training Department.
A diverse brigade, with a cadre of more than 700 active duty and civilian personnel, the MPTB consists of the 187th Medical Battalion and 188th Medical Battalion. The MPTB is responsible for the School of Leadership, the Graduate School, the Center for Prehospital Medicine, the AMEDD Student Detachment, the School of Health Readiness, the School of Allied Health Services, the School of Nursing Science and the School of Army Aviation Medicine Detachment.
Sargent spoke of Snyder's many accomplishments during her time in command while leading such a multi-dimensional organization.
"Shauna, you and your team, have done exceedingly well and have set the Army Department on a course and path for success in the future."
Snyder will be remembered for envisioning and spearheading efforts to increase rigor in professional military education courses for both officer and enlisted training and enabling the Leader Training Center to develop Captains Career Course curriculum to meet U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command standards. She also improved medical readiness for the brigade by over six percent and executed pre-deployment certification training for the Expeditionary Resuscitative Surgical Team-Africa.
"Shauna, I am proud of your tenure in command," Sargent added. "Shannon, as you take Shauna's place in the arena, you have my complete trust and confidence. I look forward to witnessing you and your brigade excel in accomplishing your noble mission of training our medical force."