JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –
An infectious disease physician assumed command of Brooke Army Medical Center during a ceremony held Aug. 2 in the Carolyn D. Putnam Auditorium. Army Brig. Gen. Clinton Murray stepped into the role of commanding general after being promoted to his new rank July 29.
“A promotion to the rank of general officer is rare,” said Army Maj. Gen. Telita Crosland, Army deputy surgeon general, during the promotion ceremony. “To be more specific, he was one of only three selects in an eligible population of over 1,000 colonels that places him in a .03 percent. I share this to underscore the trust and faith our Army has in this officer, this leader, to serve at the most strategic levels of our Army and our nation.”
Crosland said Murray is a quintessential professional with a servant's heart.
“I know Clint is humbled by his selection, and maybe even a bit overwhelmed, but I also know he is absolutely ready for this next step,” she said.
Murray, who is also an internal medicine physician, has a longstanding history with BAMC. He previously served as chief of the Infectious Disease Service at BAMC from 2011 to 2015 and was program director for the combined Army and Air Force ID Fellowship in San Antonio from 2005 to 2011.
Army Brig. Gen. Shan Bagby, commanding general of Regional Health Command-Central, was the presiding officer for the assumption of command.
“It’s a tremendous honor to take the reins of this amazing team, but quite frankly, you are ready,” Bagby told Murray. “You have arrived at BAMC during a pivotal time in the practice of modern medicine and in the face of change within the military health system.”
Bagby highlighted how beneficial Murray’s infectious disease experience is in the current COVID-19 environment.
“I know you will continue to provide the ready, relevant, responsive and reliable multi-disciplinary capabilities that BAMC brings to the fight every day for the Department of Defense, for its surrounding communities and for Bexar County,” Bagby said. “I look forward to having you on the team and working with you. I am honored to serve alongside you.”
The new BAMC commanding general thanked everyone for helping him with his transition to his new position. He also thanked his family for their continued support throughout his military career.
Murray said he and his family spent “a fair bit of time” in San Antonio throughout his military career.
“Our dream job was actually to come back here to San Antonio and the ultimate dream was to come back and command BAMC,” Murray said. “No one has the mission or the people like BAMC. It’s truly a special place.”
Murray reflected on BAMC’s broad mission, partnerships and its impact on the South Texas community.
“BAMC without a doubt has the largest volume, diversity and acuity of cases of any facility in the DOD,” he said, praising all the assets within BAMC’s arsenal.
“If you look at the four pillars of military medicine – operational medicine, patient care, education and training, research and innovation -- no one can compare to BAMC,” Murray said. “That’s why it is so exciting to come back here.”