Fort Drum medical unit gets a new commander

FORT DRUM — A pediatrician and former commander of a combat support hospital in Afghanistan took command Thursday of the post’s medical unit.

Col. Mark W. Thompson of Riverview, Mich., most recently was the deputy commander for clinical services at Madigan Army Medical Center, Fort Lewis, Wash., and deployed in November as commander of the 31st Combat Support Hospital in Camp Dwyer, Afghanistan.

He sees similarities between combat and garrison medical care.

“The mission of any Army treatment facility is providing the best health care on the planet to any patient that comes through our door and, with equal passion, taking care of each other,” he said at a windy Sexton Field ceremony. “I am extremely confident that our unit will continue to fulfill those missions with enough professionalism, compassion and competences that I have experienced in all my other postings.”

By taking command of the U.S. Army Medical Department Activity, Fort Drum, from Col. Bertram C. Providence, Col. Thompson oversees the 3rd Battalion, 85th Infantry, Warrior Transition Unit and Guthrie Clinic. The post does not have its own hospital, so the military medics work closely with community providers.

Continuing the relationships is Col. Thompson’s top priority.

“The biggest thing is just learning the interactions with the community ... so that we continue to ensure that the soldiers and their families continue to get the care that they certainly deserve and also do what we can to help the folks up here in this part of the country benefit from what we know,” he said.

In his speech, Col. Thompson said he looked forward to raising the standard of care for in the north country for both soldiers and civilians.

The bond between the post and community was evident Sunday when 27 soldiers involved in a chain collision during training were taken to area hospitals, two with serious injuries.

That kind of support isn’t as strong everywhere in the Army, Col. Providence said.

“What’s special about this fort is the community involvement,” he said.

At the ceremony, Maj. Gen. Carla G. Hawley-Bowland, commander of the Northern Regional Medical Command, credited Col. Providence with a 30 percent reduction in the average length of stay for soldiers in the wounded warrior unit, despite its growth.

“Col. Bert Providence’s outstanding leadership of Guthrie Army Health Clinic has met and surpassed the highest quality standards,” she said.

Col. Providence will deploy to Kuwait as a surgeon before taking command of the 1st Medical Brigade at Fort Hood, Texas.