FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –
In front of a formation of a thousand Soldiers on the Fort Sam Houston MacArthur Parade Field, Maj. Gen. Brian C. Lein assumed command of the U.S. Army Medical Department Center and School from Maj. Gen. Steve Jones during a ceremony Aug. 9, hosted by Lt. Gen. Nadja Y. West, U.S. Army Surgeon General and commanding general of U.S. Army Medical Command.
In thanking Jones for his 38 years of service as a commissioned officer, West reflected on his accomplishments in bringing a renewed focus to eliminating any artificial distinctions between medical care in theater and medical care here at home.
In describing Jones, West said he embodies the words quiet professionalism and praised him for wanting to continue telling the Army Medicine story during his retirement by working with the Army Medicine historian helping to write the official medical history of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In his remarks, Jones reflected on his career, telling the audience of the pride he feels serving in the finest Army in the world.
“I will be forever grateful to have served with such incredible Soldiers,” Jones said. “I could not have asked for a better way to close out my career than by drawing on the enthusiasm of the newest combat medics and the next generation of AMEDD leaders.”
Addressing the Soldiers on the field, Lein said he was humbled and honored to be their leader.
“Our Soldiers in the Army serve and fight because they know they will receive the best medical, veterinary, and preventive care in the world,” Lein said. “It is your collective responsibility to provide that care. To fight and win our nation’s wars, we must be ready.”
Medical care is an intense and personal hands-on requirement and no other command in the Army has as profound an effect on the individual readiness of the Army as do medical Soldiers, Lein said.
“Soldiers must be trained, and that training will come in the form of realistic individual and collective training programs, both here at the schoolhouse and at duty stations worldwide,” he added.
Lein’s previous assignment was as commanding general for U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, Fort Detrick, Md. He has served in various leadership and command positions to include deputy surgeon general/deputy commanding general for operations, U.S. Army Medical Command; command of Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and Evans Army Community Hospital, as well as Command Surgeon positions in ISAF Joint Command, U.S. Army Forces Command, Coalition Forces Land Component Command/Third Army, and 4th Infantry Division.
He is a graduate of the AMEDD Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army War College where he earned a master’s degree in strategic and national security studies.
“You have my total commitment to ensure you are ready,” Lein said. “Enough talking, let’s get back to training. All policies and procedures remain in effect.”