Photo By Rick Emert | FORT CARSON, Colo. — Maj. Thomas Collette, executive officer, 627th Hospital Center,...... read more read more
By Scott Prater
Mountaineer staff
FORT CARSON, Colo. — The 627th Hospital Center welcomed a new commander June 2, 2021, during a ceremony at Founders Field. Soldiers, Families, 4th Infantry Division Soldiers and Fort Carson leaders gathered to bid farewell to Col. Hope M. Williamson-Younce, the 627th HC’s commander for the past two years, while also ushering in Col. Matthew N. Fandre.
In one of the first full change-of-command ceremonies held since 2019, the Fort Carson Mounted Color Guard and elements of the 4th Infantry Division Band showcased the event in full military splendor. Col. Roger S. Giraud, commander, 1st Medical Brigade, presided over the ceremony and the passing of the 627th HC’s unit colors.
“A hospital center’s mission set is to deploy to a joint operations area and provide mission command to an assigned and attached unit,” Giraud said during his address to leaders, Soldiers and Family members. “Two field hospitals are engaged in the operational support of hospitalization and outpatient services for all classes of patients within the theater. The mission is complex, and it is further complicated in the dynamic operating environment that this hospital center found itself in over the last two years.”
Giraud explained that when Williamson-Younce took command in May 2019, the unit was in the midst of immense change. The 627th HC had recently transitioned from the legacy combat field hospital to its current construct of hospital center. While the demands on the unit remained, he said Williamson-Younce flawlessly executed tasks with vigor, taking care of her people and getting each mission accomplished to standard. He pointed to a number of examples that displayed her effectiveness, including leading the unit through its reorganization, overseeing lateral transfers, realigning millions of dollars in equipment while fielding new equipment and integrating 109 personnel from 10 separate installations.
But it was the commander’s leadership through the international pandemic that stood out most.
“In 2020, COVID-19 came upon the world stage, and the 627th was in full force,” Giraud said. “Colonel Williamson-Younce led the unit on historic deployments to Seattle, San Antonio, New York City, New Jersey, Boston and California. In all these missions she integrated and led multi-disciplinary teams to create a highly reliable organization, treating thousands of patients, clocking in over 115,000 patient hours and administering over 40,000 COVID-19 vaccinations.”
In the past two years, the 627th HC also deployed medical forces forward to support combatant commanders around the globe, from Europe to Africa and the U.S. Central Command Area of operations.
“The COVID-19 pandemic gave our nation and those we serve confidence in our capacity and steadfast commitment to never be late to need,” Williamson-Younce said during her farewell remarks. “Whether in the mountains of Afghanistan or here at Cheyenne Mountain, the Ivy warriors know that when the call goes out, we will be ready, and we will be there to conserve the fighting strength.”
Williamson-Younce departs Fort Carson for the Washington, D.C. area, where she will serve as the deputy corps chief of the Army Nurse Corps.
While bidding farewell to their former commander, 627th HC Soldiers and Families greeted their newest leader in Fandre, a surgeon who comes to the Mountain Post from the Combined Arms Center and Mission Command Training Program, where he served as the command surgeon and senior medical observer trainer. Giraud described him as a leader with a proven reputation of commitment to people and getting the job done.
While accepting command, Fandre thanked Army leaders for trusting him with the responsibility of leading the 627th HC.
“We have a most honorable, special and important mission,” he said. “To serve our country, but also to serve the warriors who deploy anywhere in the world to support this nation. In doing so we enable commanders to have a fighting force they need to fight and win the wars our country asks them to. And the reality is that we must be prepared for the worst. I have no doubt that our unit will succeed and provide the best care to the greatest people in the world. We must be constantly ready, and I have full confidence in the members of our team to build on their experiences and successes.”
| Date Taken: | 06.02.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 09.17.2021 10:30 |
| Story ID: | 405481 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 116 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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