U.S. Army Health Clinic Kaiserslautern Relinquishes Mission Responsibility to LRMC

Photo By John Ciccarelli | U.S. Army Maj. Stephen Harmon, commander at U.S. Army Health Clinic Kaiserslautern (USAHC-K), and U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class April Luikart, noncommissioned officer in charge at USAHC-K, cased the clinic’s guidon to signify the unit’s relinquishing of mission responsibility to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC) during a transfer of authority ceremony at Kleber Kaserne in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on June 3.  

RP, GERMANY

06.03.2022

Story by John Ciccarelli 

Landstuhl Regional Medical Center

U.S. Army Health Clinic Kaiserslautern (USAHC-K) cased the battalion’s guidon to signify the unit’s relinquishing of mission responsibility to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC) during a transfer of authority ceremony at Kleber Kaserne in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on June 3.

Although the clinic will no longer be considered a battalion-level command, USAHC-K's mission, services and beneficiary population will remain the same.

USAHC-K was originally designated as the 913th Medical Detachment, an outpatient clinic of the 2nd General Hospital, or what is now known as LRMC. USAHC-K serves over 4,000 beneficiaries with primary and ancillary care in direct support of theater campaign plans for U.S. European Command (EUCOM). It provides mission command to the Primary Care Medical Home, laboratory, radiology, patient administration, medical logistics, pharmacy, and COVID-19 operations. The clinic also ensures medical readiness for over 60 units assigned to the Kaiserslautern military community.

Casing the guidon represents a new era in serving the soldiers and families of LRMC.

“While many families receive their primary care at LRMC, it’s the tight-knit community clinics like Kleber, which make Americans here, who are thousands of miles away from home, feel like they are home,” U.S. Army Col. Andrew Landers, Commander at LRMC, said at the ceremony. “It’s not the closure of the ‘small but mighty’ clinic, but rather an opportunity to enhance the service we provide to our joint warfighters and their families.”

Landers noted the successful completion of command by U.S. Army Maj. Stephen Harmon.

“In addition to taking over the challenges of mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations, for the majority of deploying soldiers, Stephen ensured Kleber soldiers and civilians were always trained and proficient, as evidenced by their ‘always-green’ status, the envy of the other outlying clinics,” he said.

Landers also applauded Kleber staff for their instrumental service during Operation Allies Refuge/ Operation Allies Welcome.

“The clinic itself diverted most services to LRMC as the staff worked for hours on end, days which turned into nights, ensuring with an unwavering resolve that America’s promise to safeguard these individuals would be kept,” he said.

During his parting address, Maj. Harmon thanked his team and family while encouraging incoming leadership to continue the command’s success.

“I am truly sad to be leaving the command and this outstanding organization. To the officers, (noncommissioned officers), Soldiers and civilians at Kleber, it has been an honor and absolute pleasure to have been your commander the last 11 months,” said Harmon. “Although your team is small in numbers, your mission is vast. People are the Army’s greatest resource. If you do this one thing well, everything else will fall into place.”

Since 2019, USAHC-K averages 42 primary care visits, six lab services, 88 prescriptions, seven vaccinations and four radiology services a day.

There will be no change to service. All patients may utilize the LRMC network of providers for future healthcare needs

Timeline of USAHC-K Operations
• In 1994, the 913th Medical Detachment became the USAHC-K, converting from a Modification Table of Organizational Equipment unit to a Table of Distribution and Allowances (TDA) unit offering primary care to active-duty personnel only.
• In 1997, the USAHC-K opened its doors to all active-duty soldiers, family members, retirees and DOD civilians’ beneficiaries in the Kaiserslautern military community.
• In June 2014, the U.S. Army Health Clinic Baumholder (USAHC- Baumholder) assumed mission command over USAHC-K.
• In January 2019, USAHC-K began directly reporting to LRMC.
• On Sept. 1, 2021, USAHC-K closed down patient care operations for six weeks to provide role 1 medical support to Operation Allies Refuge/ Operation Allies Welcome at Ramstein Air force Base in Germany. The USAHC-K soldiers and civilians began working 12- hour rotating shifts providing medical and humanitarian support for the operation.

• Date Taken: 06.03.2022
• Date Posted: 06.07.2022 02:16
• Story ID: 422323
• Location: RP, DE