Good morning . Today we pay special
tribute to Colonel Dejar Tahan on the
occasion of her promotion to brigadier
general . The host for today's ceremony
is Lieutenant General R . Scott Dingle ,
the surgeon general and Commanding
General , United States Army Medical
Command . Ladies and gentlemen , please
stand for the arrival of the official
party and remain standing for our
national anthem played by the 78th army
band and the invocation given by the
med com chaplain . Lieutenant Colonel
Stephen Dix .
Mhm .
Yeah . Okay .
Yeah .
I invite you to join me in prayer
Almighty Garden . We invite you to be
our honored guest at this morning's
promotion ceremony and celebration . I
thank you for all you've done behind
the scenes to guide shape and direct
colonel diedre 10 steps to bring her to
this point in her career . Thank you
for all the mentors , friends and
family members that have inspired her
along this journey . Lord I thank you
for all of the difficult circumstances
she was able to endure which refined
her into the leader she is today .
Please continue to bless her her family
and all the soldiers she leads and she
takes this well deserved next level of
leadership , not for the purpose of
being served but to have a greater
capacity to serve others for its in
your holy name that I pray amen .
Please be seated .
We would like to extend a special
welcome to our distinguished guests .
Lieutenant General john R . Evans JR
Commander , United States Army , North
5th Army and Senior Commander . Fort
Sam Houston and Camp Bullis .
Lieutenant General Retired Patricia de
Horrow , the 43rd surgeon General and
Commanding General , United States Army
Medical Command Command Sergeant Major
fill em Barreto , Command Sergeant ,
Major , United States Army , North 5th
Army and Senior enlisted leader . Fort
Sam Houston and Camp Bullis dr Justin
moore Ceo of the American Physical
Therapy Association .
His name Ryan . Because
Colonel Tahan is joined in person today
by her husband , Colonel Retired
Gianvito Hen the third . Her mother ,
mrs Jane smith and her husband , Mr Tim
Ryan and her sister in law Miss Patty
Lockhart .
Colonel Tahan is also joined virtually
today by her brother , Mr Rob smith and
his wife vowel . In addition to the
family members attending today's
ceremony , Colonel Tahan is blessed and
humble to recognize the presence of an
incredible number of colleagues and
friends joining us , including friends
from her officer basic course the Army
Baylor class of 95 . Her first
assignment at Fort Hood . Soldiers ,
civilians and family members from
virtually all of her assignment since
Fort Hood to include those from Public
Health Command , Central Desmond Doss
Health Clinic , Walter Reed Army
Institute of Research and the Mighty
G146 . Additionally , we would like to
recognize the active and retired
leaders and members of the Specialist
Corps . We extend a warm welcome to
the many distinguished military and
senior civilian leaders , trusted
mentors , dear friends , battle buddies
and esteemed colleagues as well as all
of the officers , non commissioned
officers , soldiers and D . O . D .
Civilians joining us today . Ladies and
gentlemen at this time , it gives me
great pleasure to introduce our host
for today's ceremony . Lieutenant
General R . Scott Dingle , the 45th
surgeon general and Commanding General ,
United States Army Medical Command .
Can you hear me ? Test one is the mic
on . Can you hear me ? Tess can you
hear me ? There were good . So a
historic day , a historic day .
Um as I was sitting there talking to
Deidre and looking out into the
audience , it reminded me of of of one
thing that sometimes in
history you get these moments that
just our earth shattering , you know ,
plate tectonic shifting that ruptures
the D . N . A . Of what we thought was
normal . And what do I mean by that
this promotion ceremony that we're
about to do is historic
Deidre Tahan is going to be the first
Specialist Corps General Officer in the
history of our nation . Give a round of
applause for that .
Yeah , proud of it .
So to Lieutenant Evans , john good to
see you too . Lieutenant General
Retired Horror . Ho we called it the
Godmother Godfather Mr
Godmother . She's uh phenomenal talk
about her in the second . Uh Miss
Baring . Miss Baring , I think you're
here somewhere . We at Miss Baring MS
Barron Dash D . Please thank you for
taking your time to come out here to
support Dedra to all the other general
officers . Uh V . I . P . Command ,
Sergeant majors . I see a whole bunch
of gos in here with all the flag
officers and S . E . S . S . And C . E .
O . S . Please stand up , let me see
you , former court chief stand up for
specialty core . Give them a round of
applause .
Thank you , thank you for your
leadership . And again thank you for
supporting uh this this rock star ,
this rock star uh to deidre as um
I would say better half . But um
Um Col retired John Tahan who in his
own right after 34 years of service ,
was it John 34 years of service as
preventive medicine officer um retired
from military service to uh support his
wife the Rockstar . The Rockstar . You
know , right before we came in I got
the inside secret that he really
retired so he didn't have to salute her .
Okay so um team to
hand for those , a lot of you all know
the take hands but for those who do not
know them . Uh Team Tatum are basically
a dynamic duo when when they wore the
uniform . You know they both were
blazing trails in their respective
careers , phenomenal leaders ,
phenomenal leaders . I first met
Colonel Tahan when I came back to O . T .
S . G . Working for the Godmother . You
know the Godmother . You know if you
know her she doesn't play , she she
puts together a dream team and
everything that she does and so I had
left oh tsg and after leaving O . T . S .
G . We got the performance triad and we
were operational izing army medicine
established a phenomenal army medicine
2020 campaign plan , um , all under the
Godmother . And she brought us the
performance triad operationalize ng I
leave for one year and when I came back
and I was at O T . S . G . And I was
listening to this , this , this colonel
talk about the performance , trying to
performance try it . And as she was
speaking and mike , we had left mike ,
you were still down to brag . I had to
come back from Germany and general
tallies when it started , you know ,
the performance trolley under General
jorge getting it off the ground . But
when I came back and and Deidre was up
there speaking in one of the salons
about the performance try and , and I
was sitting there mesmerize by
her presentation on performance ,
trying now general tally didn't present
it like she presented it
and I'm like , and I'm sitting there
watching her in all of her
energy , her excitement , her
enthusiasm , her depth , her knowledge ,
her expertise and I was like , you know ,
wow , wow ! You know , she could ,
she could sell snake oil or mud to me ,
I'm signing up , I'm buying it , I'm
buying it , I'll buy a gallon of mud .
But she was that good . That good .
It dawned on me about 15 minutes ago ,
where , where it came from ? It comes
from her mother , they say that the
fruit does not fall far from the tree
and this definitely is the case in the
short time , you know of talking to
Deidre Mother , Mr smith . Um it was
evident to me where it comes from .
Now let me tell you , let me back up .
You all can read in the program , her
bio where she's been assigned and all
that other stuff . But but I'm gonna
talk about Deidre Dedra because one of
the most important things is that as
she's elevated to the rank of general ,
you know , she's she's in charge now
she she's that general leader of
soldiers in the United States Army and
that leadership was developed and built
not just in the army , but I submit to
you from the day that she was born
under her mother . I asked Mom , I said ,
hey mom , what was it easy raising
Deidre ? Because I said there's no way
in the world that she could just be
that perfect and was good the whole
time . And mom
said it was , she said it was she said
all you have to do is have rules and
give back and and and Deidre , you know ,
obeyed the rules and follow the
guidance . Deidre loves her
mother , her family tremendously . She
loves john too , you know . But but mom ,
there's there's a tremendous admiration
and respect that she has for you
and her late father , you know and mr
Ryan and she honors that with the true
values and foundation that you put into
her . So I first want to say , thank
you , thank you . Mr smith , thank you
for um , raising a phenomenal woman ,
A phenomenal woman .
Deidre said when she , when she went to
college , you know , because of those
rules , she was so used to going to bed
at 9:00 that she still was going to bed
at 9:00 . So now starting to add up
when it comes to performance , try it
and sleep well . She was raised under
the performance , tried of getting
enough sleep . And so that's what the
passion that she had when she spoke
about it . But , but thank you , ma'am ,
thank you to her husband , john john
thank you for Um , your support to your
wife that allowed her and you both to
each other . Um have phenomenal careers .
Um , John Tahan and will be married , I
think 25 years . This October um , a
tremendous example for us all on what a
military family is all about . Please
give them a hand around the clause .
So Deidre um , was already a
rock star and General jorGE employed on
the performance triad and she gets
picked up for command and goes to
Hawaii working for General Brown .
General Brown was then the user pack C .
G um deidre as a commander
was phenomenal . Now granted if you
look at the bio , she has more degrees
than a thermometer ,
a direct commissioner , uh
Colonel did to han did not do our L . T .
C . Um , she didn't grow up , you know
you know wanting to okay this is I know
what I'm gonna do . Um She's a direct
commission you know out of the Baylor
program as a physical therapist into
the army . She was on track to be a
great physical therapist , a great
clinician , a great clinician until she
deployed . And when she deployed she
found herself in the position of . Oh I
see . Oh I see . Now now granted now
remember direct commission loving the
trade the practice and then now you're
the oh I see as the officer downrange
that's when D . J . Was bitten by the
bug . She was bitten by the bug of
leadership . She already had the
foundation of how to build develop and
be successful because of what mom put
in her D . N . A . And then when she
was in that leadership position Deidre
does what she always does . Hit it out
the park and then she started now
looking towards the leadership
leadership positions . She goes out to
Hawaii does phenomenal um comes back
And we put her as the G . 146 . The
reason that her promotion is so delayed
was because of numbers um in the army
you always have as a cap on how many
general officers you can have in . You
know so she was picked up last year
should have been promoted last summer .
But because because of the general
officer ceiling we had to wait until
almost a year plus for this promotion .
But let me tell you in between that
year plus she hit it out of the park ,
hit it out the park . But she was
a um a diamond in the rough
an army medicine that was discovered by
the army . Let me explain . She gets
picked up for another command after
Hawaii rare where she commanded rare
and and as she commanded rare many
people thought well wait a minute . Why
why'd you general sense in a physical
therapist too too rare . Too rare . The
boy did they learn boy did they learn
um people don't understand when Covid
hit off . It was because of the
exceptional leadership of that command
team . You know at rare . Where's your
battle at go and stand up battle her
right hand .
It was under these two that that Covid
Covid hit us . Covid hit us like a
tsunami hit us like a tsunami . But it
was under the leadership of this
command team and all the soldiers and
the scientists and the civilians at
rare that basically were the foundation
of the success of our nation's response
to the Covid . It was them it was them
um within the army . You know we we
talked about prevent detect and treat
you know and and that became like a a
bumper sticker . You know for the army
and for the department of defense .
Well where it came from with deidre
deidre had to brief us on H . Q . D . A
staff one day and and had her team
briefing Deidre again selling that
snake oil in that mud . She said you
know it's thing is prevent detect and
treat that's what it has to do when she
broke it down . And then she had
everybody on the H . Q . D . A . Staff
and an entire the United States army
talking about prevent detect and treat
you know because Dedra said it you know ,
but she backed it up with a leadership
and a response that everything from the
medical prophylaxis to the research and
the development , you know to the
testing to the expansion and it was all
coming out of of rare the army then
discovered this diamond that was in the
rough called army medicine you know and
so no good deed goes undone . I'm like
okay with Dedra you're coming out of
command and you're coming up to O . T .
S . G . But then I got a call from
general Partner . General Turner said
scotty yes sir I need an officer . And
I said okay so I got a great officer
I'm gonna give you , he said no no
scott you know , listen to me . I want
Deidre . Yeah I said sir she's getting
the guy that I want . Yes sir . So you
go you know yes sir . Um got it uh
General Pirner pulled her because of
her leadership at rare . The response
that she led . You know people don't
realize that the presidential task
force that was talking , doing all
these things was supported by Deidre
and and her scientists giving them the
information , educating them . You know ,
again under the surface , under the
surface , you know , so she goes over ,
you know , I lose her from coming back
to O T . S . G . Staff , you know , to
buy time until we get to this day to
promote her and it gets over to
operation warp speed . And in less than
a year it wasn't even a year . It was
like 10 months , 11 months . Um did
impact was so resounding
and reverberating throughout the entire
Department of Defense to include um the
Senate and the congress that
once again everybody was walking around
with snake oil and mud because Dedra ,
you know , it was was was was briefing
and leading that's the type of leader
that we're about to promote to the rank
of general officer . You know , even
most she's she's that person that that
that sits in the glass case that hangs
on the wall that says break in case of
emergency because she's the one that
will handle any emergency . Even as
recent as about two weeks ago . You
know , we had another emergency . You
know , everything is going chaotic ,
you know , MHS genesis and uh the
recruiting process and so forth is
another emergency DJs out process . And
I said , oh no , I'm breaking this
glass . Deidre says , sir , she said ,
sir , I'm posting my household goods .
That's okay . You just make the phone
call , I need to hear from you . I want
to hear from Dedra selling some some
oil , you know . But she is a
phenomenal leader as many of you know
and so this was a no brainer . Um It
was a no brainer , you know , amongst
the , you know , the 4500 plus kernels
that were competing for the rank of
general officer . Um It was no doubt in
that board or my mind who was gonna
come out on that list and that is the
first specialty court officer to be
promoted to the rank of general officer .
So historic that we had to change the
law because you know in the law it
talks about Medical corps , Medical
Service Corps , Dental corps , Nurse
corps vet core making the rake of
general but not specialty core . And
then here comes you know the rock star ,
you know the , you know the brush
breaker , you know the you know the
Hall of Fame maker , you know and so
ironic . She's from Canton Ohio you
know , you know , I would not , I would
not be surprised if the Hall of
Football Hall of Fame puts a little
special thing in there for , did you
take hand once they listen to her , you
know ? Um But but on a serious note
um you know , again had to change the
law because it still required you know ,
her grouped in because we didn't have
specialty court to have joint credit as
the rest of the non army medicine ,
Army non specialty core . So we changed
the law , you know , for you
and the rest of the specialty corps
officers that are gonna come behind you .
So deidre , this is indeed a phenomenal
day . And as you pin on this general
officer rank , you know , as the many
mentors you know that we have here um
continue to pour into you . Um , don't
change . Don't change . You know , you
fell from , you know , an amazing tree ,
that amazing tree and the entire family
is so proud of . You don't change .
Don't change . And and I know that that
what you will say that you're not gonna
change , you know , but people are
going to change how we see you because
you're now a general officer in charge
of armies in charge of soldiers and
civilians . So as you lead the
120,000 soldiers , civilians ,
contractors , and army medicine , I
challenge you to continue to lead with
the excellence that has blessed your
entire career , continue to have that
same zest , that same passion , that
same care for the people whose lives
you touch . So again , we're all
extremely proud . So ladies and
gentlemen , without any further ado ,
let's promote this historic , this
historic woman to the rank of brigadier
general . Come on up here . Yeah ,
so proud of
at this time I asked Colonel retired
Tahan the third to please come forward
and join Colonel to hand on the stage .
It's a little far from the flags . I'm
gonna take a step back and put john on
the side . There we go . Ladies and
gentlemen , please stand for the
reading of the promotion order ,
attention to orders . The President of
the United States has reposed special
trust and confidence in the patriotism ,
valor , fidelity and professional
excellence of eston in view of these
special qualities and her demonstrated
potential for increased responsibility .
She is therefore promoted in the United
States Army to the rake of Brigadier
General effect of the sixth day of july
2022 . By order of the Secretary of the
Army , please be seated .
Colonel retired to hand the third and
Lieutenant General Dingle will now
place one star rank insignia on the
shoulder loops of brigadier general to
his jacket to reflect the rank of
brigadier general .
That's a big difference . You know that
Wait ,
it won't hit you until you see on it
and you in the uniform . You're like
wow , go ,
I can't give her a kiss
at this time . I invite Brigadier
general to han's mother , Mrs jane
smith and her sister in law . Miss
patty locker to please come forward .
Oh God , I'm sorry , go ahead . Yes ,
Mrs smith . And miss locker will now
place the one star rank insignia on the
shoulder loops of Brigadier General
Taejon shirt .
I'm gonna do a picture . Mom ! Mom ,
come here , come into side . Mom ,
you're the inside john you can outside
let's do a picture .
I'm telling you . Mom has so much
wonderful energy . I want to give her
the mic and let you all here go .
At this time I invite Mr Tim Ryan to
please come forward .
Mr Ryan will now present brigadier
general to hand her garrison cap with
one star rank insignia .
You can do a picture and can you put
the put the hat , put that up there .
Lieutenant General Dingle will now
present Brigadier General Tahan with
her certificate of promotion .
That's nice . Let's shake underneath .
I can stay up since you up here ,
although not required by law . It is
tradition that officers recite the oath
of office upon promotion . Lieutenant
Gerald Dingo will now administer the
oath of office . Please remain seated .
The reason I asked john and the family
to stay is because as you all know that
every time a soldier reenlist or
takes the oath , it's not just a
soldier but it's the family . So I've
asked them to stand with deidre as she
takes this oath , raise your
right hand , repeat after me . I state
your full name . Bye . Haven't been
appointed officer and the Army of the
United States Officer in the
Greater Brigadier General . Do solemnly
swear that I will support and defend
the constitution of the United States
against all enemies , foreign and
domestic that I will bear true faith
and allegiance to the same that I take
this obligation freely without any
mental reservation . Our purpose of
evasion and that I will well and
faithfully discharge the duties
of the office upon which I'm about to
enter . So help me . God
congratulations .
All right . You could be stating that
I had . Mhm .
At this time will Lieutenant General
retire Patricia Haro and Command
Sergeant Major Natasha Santiago .
Please come forward .
In the early 20th century , the War
Department designed flags for their
generals and admirals . Red flags with
white stars were designed for the army .
Navy blue for the navy , scarlet for
the marines and more recently , Ultra
Marine for the Air Force . In 1923
authorization of flags were further
expanded to include automobile flags
and field office flags . Line officer
had scarlet flags . Staff officers
normally had french colors and branch
insignia . Army Medical Corps General
Officer Flags were marooned with white
stars . In 1947 the Deputy Chief of
Staff for personnel authorized All
General Officer flags except Medical
Corps and chaplain flags to be scarlet
with white stars and gold fringe .
Lieutenant General Retired Zorro and
Command Sergeant Major Santiago will
now present Brigadier General Tahan
with the Army Medical Department ,
General Officer . One star flag .
Yes ,
yeah . At this
time I asked five of the former Army
Medical Specialist Corps Chiefs to
please come forward tim . Former
Specialist Corps Chief Colonel .
Retired jesse brewer 11 former
Specialist Court Chief Colonel .
Retired mary Lucas 13th Former
Specialist Court Chief Col retired
David , Greathouse 15 Former Specialist
Court Chief Col . retired Rebecca
Hooper . 16 former specialist court
chief Colonel . Retired Bonnie DeMars .
The history of the general spelt dates
back to World War two . In 1943 the
Army Chief of Staff Wanted General
Generals to look in his words dressed
up . So he ordered the issue of belts .
The thick black leather belt with an 18
carat gold plated buckle with the
imprint of an Eagle was first made in
1944 . Today wearing of the belt is at
the discretion of each general officer .
The former Army Specialist Court Chiefs
will now present brigadier general to
hand with her general officer belt .
At this time I asked Major General
Retired David rubenstein to please come
forward .
Active duty general officers are issued
a six R . Model M . To 18 . The pistols
are procure exclusively for general
officers and the serial numbers are
prefixed with geo and are unique to one
general officer . The loan of the
pistol is valid until retirement from
active duty at which time the general
officer can either purchase the weapon
or return it if return the pistol is
destroyed . Major General Retired
rubenstein will now present Brigadier
General Tahan with her general
officer's sidearm . Zero number G .
01053 .
At this time I asked Major General
Retired jimmy keenan to please come
forward .
Major General retired keenan will now
present Brigadier General Tahan with
her general officers . Vehicle plate .
The history of the vehicle plate dates
back to the flag that accomplished a
monitor general officer to remove it to
indicate the officer's rank and
position when the motor vehicle
replaced the horse . The flag was
reduced in size and flown from the
front of the automobile . Eventually it
too replaced by the plate that we now
see today being either displayed on the
dashboard are fixed to the front bumper
of the general officers , government
vehicle . The plate is covered by a
sleeve of od green canvas . When the
general is not present ,
ladies and gentlemen , please stand for
the rendering of honors .
Mm Bye
presenting Brigadier General Deidre
Tahan ,
please be seated . Brigadier General
Tahan will now present gifts to her
family as a token of her appreciation
for the love and support and sacrifices
made in support of her career
and we couldn't have done these guests
without
the coins . Thank you
ladies and gentlemen , the United
States Army , newest brigadier general .
Please welcome Brigadier General DJ Tan .
Oh you would think with a year of
planning that I would , I wouldn't feel
such a loss of words but I I do feel
special a loss for words today because
I'm so humbled that so many
people have invested so much into me
over the last 29 years . I feel so
honored that the leaders in our core
have paved the way for today to be even
possible . Right ? The improbable
became not just probable but happened
today and uh , and then just grateful
for all the friends and family um that
have invested so much in me over my
career . Um I normally don't use
talking points but I'm pretty sure that
um General Dingle talked about the dust
in the air when he was promoted to
three star . I'm pretty sure the mold
and the cedar fever here in san Antonio
might come into this room today . So I
I figured I should have these just as a
crutch a little bit . Um General Evans .
Um I'm so glad to be part of this
community and I look forward to serving
the community with you . Um Miss Patty
Baron . Oh my gosh ! Uh we've been able
to create so much magic . Thank you so
much for being here and Justin moore
thank you so much for joining us . I
incredibly humbled that you'd come down
for this and and obviously General
Torro but I'm gonna talk about um and
and all the distinguished guests . I'd
also just want to point out a couple of
things . So Major Amy Mac , who's been
doing the narrating um She actually was
on operation warp speed with us just
graduated C . G . S . C . At
Leavenworth and and scooted down here
quickly and has been part of the
ceremony and Captain Promotable .
Alan let's give her a round of applause .
She's been the proffer . I've actually
been mentoring Captain Allen since she
was an E . S . C . O . Which is my
husband's career field and then she saw
the light and wanted to come over and
join the other side of team to hand .
Um and so you know , if she would have
stayed E . S . C . O , she would have
been a major a while back , but you
have to take a cut in grade and rank
and then work your way back up . So I'm
so honored to have you here and she
flew in from D . C . To be here today .
Um , chaplain , thank you so much band .
Oh my gosh , I really appreciate your
presence here today and Mr Kling and mr
Canty , thank you guys for just making
sure today was just uh so well done for
all those folks that participated in
and made today possible , especially
the sp core front office who just all
of a sudden became kind of like the in
charge of running this Kayla , Oh my
gosh , kayla , you've just been doing a
phenomenal job and in Amelia , which I
think she might be still setting up the
reception or did mia make it over . So
anyways , the sp core office has done a
heavy lift and just want to say thank
you and uh um , but I want to go to my
remarks um so humbled was the first
word and when I think about humbled , I
think about all the G . O . S . S . C .
S . S and star majors and command star
majors who decided to invest in sp
corps officer at a time when they
didn't know if that investment in time ,
how that would pay off . You know
there's a , there's a quote from steve
jobs that says it's really clear that
the most precious resource we all have
is in time and you know the time you
guys have invested and poured into me
has been greatly appreciated sir coming
down . I know how busy your schedule is .
Um even when I'm on your staff , I know
how busy that is to get in front of you .
So thank you for taking time to be here
today . Thank you for helping break
down the rules that um that were just
historic laws that needed to be changed
and um just really appreciate all your
support . I know this was a heavy lift
so thank you . Um as I think about the
mentors I want to thank , I want to
take a just a moment and I'm gonna try
to do in a way that makes sense . But
um I want to start with General Brown ,
you know at the time he was leading the
human dimension at the CAC while
General Hora who was leading the
performance triad and his equivalent of
me on the other side was a Colonel
Peter M and Colonel Peter M . And I
works hand in glove to make sure that
everything that was a human dimension
and performance triad were integrated
in a way that would invest in soldiers
and General Brown and general horror
host leadership was so visionary at the
time . And General Harlow said , we'll
know that we got this right when the
army makes it their own and they forget
that it started with us and now we have
a church to F which is really
performance triad under a new name and
they , the army is investing more in
soldiers and their holistic health than
ever before . We'd like to say that our
soldiers the most prized weapon system .
But because of the visionary leadership
of General Brown and General Horror ,
so we are now actually putting our
money where our mouth is and we're
investing more in developing soldiers
because of them . And so I am so
honored that I got to work with both
General Brown and General Hora ho . And
really thank you so much for everything
you did to invest in me . I'd also like
to thank the General Tivoli in all the
25th and eighth T . S CCGS deputy um
CGs uh D C G O S D C G S S and the
brigade command team , especially
brigade command teams like rob Ryan and
um and Gavin Lawrence what we
were able to do after leaving that
amazing bubble of working on the
performance tried in human dimension is
I got to go actually put it in place on
an installation at scofield barracks
and General Alveoli empowered us and he
did something so amazing . He took the
garrison commander steve Dawson , the
head chaplain which was steve peck and
myself and he basically said free range ,
let's get ahead of this . Totally
bought into the vision . And we figured
out how do you really make the
investment in soldiers happen through
the crtc or the chip picks and and
really making sure that the whole
installation was doing that . And then
you have these amazing brigade
commanders like rob Ryan and and Gavin
Lawrence that we're all in and it was
amazing how much we could actually make
a difference . And and and that was
under general cavalese guidance and
leadership with General Brown up at
user pack and I will speak to some of
the people here from Hawaii that flew
in for this . But we really were able
to take general horror host vision and
really take it from the strategic level
to the operational level under the
guidance of General Foley . And he said ,
you know , being able to then go
General Purna uh talk about a lesson in
civil military relationships . Um under
Operation warp speed . You know , I'd
like to thank General Purna , he really
taught me how to keep focused on the
mission . Right ? Obviously the mission
was to get vaccines and therapeutics
out to the american population . And
you could imagine the stories that
would pop up in the news and we'd bring
Amy Mac and I would we bring him these
stories and he had a magical way of
allowing shouldering that burden as the
leader and allowing us to lead . He'd
go , I find that mildly interesting and
it wasn't mildly interesting because it
was on the news and it was causing a
lot of havoc . He'd be like , I find
that mildly interesting . And then his
next sentence was press and he would
basically what he was doing was he was
owning that risk at his level and he
was making sure we stayed laser focus
on delivering vaccines and therapeutics
of the american population . And and I
I I will take that lesson um forward as
I continue to serve uh our our
America's finest on this um
next group . Sorry General Dingle ,
thank you . General horror . Ho um uh
walt Pyatt . General walt Pyatt um what
an amazing leader uh that he's invested
and really bought in and bought into
this whole concept and then probably
the army's biggest leader on
mindfulness and really figuring that
out . And so I just really appreciate
his um investment in my time in in
my development . So you might wonder
well how did I pick who came up here
today ? Because it was really hard
because so many people have invested in
in my development and it really was um
here when I was here at the school
house working for general rubenstein .
Um I was a pivotal point um when you
become faculty at army Baylor . You
don't leave faculty at army Baylor .
That's like what you do for the rest of
your career and then you retire as a
faculty member of Army Baylor . And we
were here under some great leadership
tim Flynn and in the late joe moore who
passed away on easter who stood up the
graduate school here . You know I was
on faculty here for seven years . You
know I the improbable shouldn't have
become probable when you you spend so
long in one spot investing in the next
generation . But sir with that
knowledge I be able to build readiness .
Um because I learned so much at the
school house . But it was general
rubinstein at a pivotal point I
selected from my Lieutenant colonel
command . And uh there was a lot of
pressure for me to decline with
presidents because they wanted to
change the lieutenant colonel command
to a kernel command . And so I go in to
meet with the C . G . And general
rubinstein . You know he wasn't my
radar . My senior raider you know as a
faculty member , there's many layers
between that . And he really convinced
me to stay the course , take the
command and and just excel . And what
he's done since then is he has come to
every single one of my commands ,
mentored me as the commander and he's
continued to then do L . P . D . S .
For those that I'm leading . And so I
wanted him to give me my pistol today
because he's shot taught me how to
shoot accurately and reliably um
throughout my whole career and so john
rubinstein thank you so much
and that first command that he
convinced me to stay the course on
despite really the and I was actually
the only of the three lieutenant
colonels selected that did stay the
course , the other two um did not take
their command . And so I mean thank you ,
I then got to work for jimmy keenan ,
Major General , Retired general jimmy
keenan and she really showed me the way
of the road . So I figured she had to
give me the vehicle plate because that
was the first time I ever worked for a
general officer directly while I was in
that command and it was really powerful ,
watching you know , inspirational
leaders like jimmy keenan lead an
organization that was coming together ,
we were combining all of that calm and
all what we used to call chip um into
the army public health command and that
was under her leadership and it was
just magical to be able to watch and
learn from her leadership and just the
honor of my life . And uh so that's why
I figured because that was such a
pivotal point . Um that that's who I
would select . But boy sir , your
two stars have poured a lot of energy
in me and uh and so you know , major
general mike place has been mentoring
me since he was major mike place um
general tally man sir , you know our
time together has been so you've been
not only my um mentor but my sponsor
and biggest cheerleader and really
appreciate all that you've done let
alone the other M . R . D . C .
Commanders . I worked for General
Caraballo , General Lyon and General
Holcomb who have just um really poured
into me sir as my during my 146 time
general master um and commands are made
Charpentier Mr harmon and uh thank you
for being such great partners as we
worked on a lot of things this last
year to get after the surgeon general's
vision . Um And uh um I know I'm
missing somebody , I apologize uh oh
yeah General Crosslin who's not here
and Mr Bushman who really poured a lot
in me as the 146 . Um and then Paula
Lodi who just left for the 18th really
has been a mentor and a friend and and
I really appreciate it but it's not
just about those that mentor you from
that perspective , I've had the best
command star majors ever
ever . And almost all of them are here
today . So sorry major Joel thomas um
and sar Major maldonado who's who's not
here um were with me in hawaii commands
are major Natasha santiago , she's like
my sister . Um and we traveled the
world together literally we had um You
know rare has 2500 people but 1500 of
them are around the world , 1000 of
them and across the the continent of
Africa we traveled the world to places
where you wouldn't even know army
medicine was at . I mean like there's
these rural towns and that every house
is geo tagged and every birth death
illness is tracked so we can actually
make sure that the therapeutics and and
the prevention techniques we're putting
out on our soldiers work And and and
these folks is homes um They really are
10 roof homes made out of mud and yet
they invite us in to help make sure
that they can give back to something
bigger than themselves . The kindness
of the people that help army medicine
at the furthest reaches of the world
where you wouldn't even think that you
could actually um I well there was no
cell phone service . You had to
actually walk outside of the van
because the road was so bad that if you
had any weight in the van it would
bottom out . So we're walking next to
the van down this rural road and and in
africa trying to actually give back to
army medicine . And it's pretty amazing
sir . Um And Drew Gartman who um is not
here but he was my first star major at
public Health Command region South .
And Command SAR Major Springer . Thank
you so much . I think we just keep
coming together multiple times in our
career and I look forward to doing that
working with you again . So I really
appreciate that , honored , so humbled
for all those that invested in me
honored um to really be able to . And
this is Isaac Newton if I've seen
further is by standing on the shoulders
of giants . Um those core chiefs that
came up before me , they really paved
the way for today to happen . Can we
give the core chiefs a round of
applause .
In addition to the court chiefs , I
wanna specifically thank Andrea um
Chrome corn . She was my recruiter ,
Captain Aigle . Right then she was my
mentor and then she was the chief pt
one of the first Pts to command an M .
T . F . And paved the way . I really
couldn't be standing here today without
you . Um they had to take a um , there
was a medical waiver I required to to
um commission and it was , it was
taking a little bit longer time and
they had it to make a decision . Do we
wait for deidre or do we pull off an
Oml and they opted to wait for deidre ?
And so thank you so much . I wouldn't
be here today without you . Um , you
know , you think about it . Um it
our Nicky Butler would always say the
sp core . The specialist core is the
scrappy core because we always just
want to do what's right and no one's
doing it because we can get promoted
because it never could write , we just
wanted to do what's right . And my
favorite quote comes from Albert
Einstein and it says strive not to be a
success , but to be a value . And I
think that's what the specialist core
really does is because we've always
just wanted to bring value out of
necessity , right out of necessity ,
you know when we were at Fort Hood
there was like four or five physical
therapists to care for two divisions at
the time and there was no way around it
except to get out there and and be
proactive um really advances of what
became the performance triad really
started for us at Fort Hood , um just
trying to do it . And so the things
that they did that made today happen
was threefold . First push direct
access in what they've done is ensure
that every S . P . Officer could work
at the top of their credentials . Well
if you think musculoskeletal injuries
are 50% of all profiles out there and
they cost 10 million limited duty days ,
we want every S . P . Officer to work
at the top of the credentials and to
get holistically out there to treat
that . The second thing that happened
that allowed today to happen because
I'm standing on the shoulders of those
giant . So let me go back sorry and dr
Greathouse and and um Colonel retired
and now just passed away uh joe moore ,
they really led that charge on direct
access and publishing on it and writing
about it and making sure people knew
that it was quality care that was safe .
And because of that then lead our
ability to get outside of the brick and
mortar , ma'am . We have to get outside
of the brick and mortar and get into
the units . And so what started as a
journey In 1996 was this idea of
putting PTS in the ranger regiment .
And what happened was PTS wouldn't go
to Madigan until they were so broken
that they could um that when they did
go to Madigan they would get a medical
board . So it became the self
fulfilling prophecy . So Colonel
Dettori put P . T . S out in the ranger
regiment . It dropped so much that then
moved to the um special forces that
then moved to B . C . T . S . That now
moved to Tom's and H two F . And that's
about being embedded and why I'm
sharing this , sir . That that story of
what they've done to pave that way
really is what the army now needs for
Lesko . The nation that has the best
ability to return soldiers to duty .
The quickness is the nation that's
gonna have the competitive advantage .
And these S . P leaders have paid that
way to make sure that we've been
embedded in the facility so we can do
that . And the final thing sir really
goes back to general peak . And every
surgeon's general sense is allowing SPS
to compete for command and you know it
wasn't so long ago 2000 and was the
first SPS that led command and we had
both the lieutenant colonel and colonel
commander in 2001 . But in 2011 when I
got selected from my lieutenant colonel
command , I was only the fifth sp . So
we had a slow roll . We were slow
rolling in to see if we can do this
right . And uh , and then we had great
people like Andrea , crumb corn , BJ
McCarrick , Brenda , Mosley , um , uh ,
um , and terry Schneider that really
then paved the way showing that it was
a good bet um , to put SPS in
leadership . And so I'm just honored to
be able to be here today because I'm
standing on the shoulders of giants and
uh , um , so just can we give the sp
leadership a round of
applause .
So this is the last part which is
really grateful for friends and family
and this is where the cedar and the
mold might start coming in a little bit .
But um , you know , there's an old
african proverb that it takes a village
and I've had the best village that
anyone can ask for . Um , I have
people here from O . B . C . I I think
I have people here from every single
assignment um , that have flown in for
this . But oh Bc classmates , army
Baylor and 95 classmates here . Thank
you for blessing me with your presence .
The one I want to take on , I'm not
gonna go through my whole career , but
I want to thank the Ford Hood team . If
those that were with us in Fort Hood
and the 95 could stand up . Um I really
wanna thank you all .
Yeah ,
we had the amazing opportunity , worked
for Lieutenant Colonel Karen Reid , who
passed away during the pandemic of a
surgical complication . Um We never
knew that the chief of a clinic never
should wasn't supposed to outperform
all the staff physical therapist . She
saw more patients . We would always try
to be better than her and we never
could right . We she created teams ,
she created organizations and here we
are from 95 to today and this group
stays together , stays connected
because of a great leader , Karen Reed
and what she created . And I I really
want to thank the Ford Hood team
because that set my career path the way
it did . Um like I said , I have people
here from every part and I won't go
through all of them , but there's a few
I I do need to name . So when we were
here on faculty and and really the
whole idea of hosting this at Blessed
today is to show the sp corps officers
in school here today that the , the
improbable is not just probable now ,
but it's possible for them that they
can do this . And um being on faculty
for seven years . We had some amazing
opportunities and we had steve golfers
who is here , john Childs is here . And
scott Shaffer is um , is watching
virtually . But we were kind of at
different times . The three or four
amigos . And uh really um , under joe
moore's leadership stood up the
graduate school under general
rubenstein that is present today . And
um , it's made a huge difference about
improving the quality of graduate
education uh , for the school .
Um , ma'am your
performance triad teams here strong .
And uh , I see tammy finery , I see
Rosen Elkins , uh , Kathleen Whittle .
Um Miss Patty Baron even , you know ,
you know , you might not know Kathleen
would , will help create all the family
education planning programs so that we
can not just take performance , tried
to the soldiers but take it out to the
family . And then Miss Patty Baron
helped us amplify that through a U . S .
A . And now in our current position at
the D . O . D . Um to really make sure
that we holistically do it . Thank you
guys so much , um , for investing in us
in me . And uh , um Hawaii ,
I mentioned Hawaii before , but you
know , it's unbelievable . Um ,
I'm gonna get emotional . You know ,
we have people that flew in from Hawaii
for this and she helped teach yoga to
all the soldiers in Hawaii through a
volunteer organization just to help
decrease muscular skeletal injuries .
And she was so bought into your vision
ma'am and what we were able to do that .
She flew in from Hawaii just to be here
today . Thank you so , so , so much .
And , and Jason ? Thank you also , I
mean , I know I'm gonna miss people . I
apologize for that . But I just um ,
King Salman says as iron sharpens iron .
So a friend sharpens a friend . Thank
you guys for um , making me a better
leader . Can we give all of them a
round of
applause ?
Okay . Under the grateful part . And
this is the last comment is to really
thank my family . Um , so you said it
right . I had a wonderful parents . I
got raised up in a wonderful setting
and you know , Michael J Fox says
family is not the important thing ,
it's everything . Um , and I , I could
not have asked for a better up raising .
Uh , I never knew women weren't allowed
to do things like , like it never came
across me that I couldn't do something
like , you know , every sport my
brother did , I did except football ,
but , but nonetheless I didn't really
want to do that . But , but every ,
there was never a door that said , you
couldn't do this because you're a woman .
And I , it wasn't until later that I
realized how unique of raising that was .
And uh , um , my mom and dad , uh ,
they raised me , right ? You think
about the improbable being probable I
was raised in the south of Kent State
University in the 19 seventies . Right .
I didn't even know what R . O . T . C .
Was right . And yet I get here to O . B .
C . And um your laugh sir . Why
are someone's and I were two of the
honor grads in the O . B . C . Class
and I had no clue what the army was
right . And the only way that happened
is because my parents raised me and it
just felt like a glove when I joined
the army because how they raised me and
how the army operates it was just a
hand in glove situation and I knew
nothing about it . Right ? I mean I
really didn't . Um I remember sitting
um and a high school graduation and
people got some ROTC scholarships and
everyone was looking around . What was
that because again 1970 south of Kent
state , it just wasn't discussed . Um
And so um I really wouldn't be here
today without my mom and dad tim thank
you for joining our family . Really
appreciate all that you've done is As
you joined in after my dad passed away
in 98 . So thank you . Um My brother
flies in sunday for monday ceremony but
I would like to thank him . Uh He
couldn't be here today but I really
appreciate him val and his whole family .
Um Patti john's sister . Um Boy you've
been a rock . Thank you so much for
your friendship and mentorship and
john's parents who both passed away boy .
His dad was a C . W . Three retired at
fort Campbell Kentucky and uh he'd be
so proud today . Um to uh , in ,
in the same with your mom And I guess
the last will be john and this is where
the mold and the cedar fever will kick
in if I don't try to at least john said
I needed to pinch myself at this point .
Um , You know , dual military is hard .
Uh , I wrote it down because I had to
forget we've had 11 homes in 25 years ,
but eight of those homes have been in
the last 10 years and some of those
have been us in two homes at the same
time . And so this the sacrifices , the
challenges . Um , they're there , but
they don't , that my husband said I
have to wrap it .
The joy , the
joy of it is just amazing . So john
thank you . You're my , everything
you're you make every day fun . He
definitely is the better half . And uh
um , I think that is it . So um ,
to me this day
couldn't have been possible without
those that invested in me
that was senior to me that saw
something and wanted to then also those
that paved the way that showed the
value of what an sp corps officer , a
specialist corps officer can bring to
the fight and then the friends and
families that that did it . So the ,
I'm standing up here today only because
you made the improbable pop , not just
possible but a reality . So thank you
all so much . I will do my best every
day to serve America's finest .
America's sons and daughters . And and
make sure that I lied with a servant
heart . Um Thank you guys for attending .
I hope you enjoy the Hershey candy bars .
Thank you .
Thank you . Yeah .
Okay
because
ladies and gentlemen , please remain
standing for the benediction and remain
standing for playing of the army song .
The words are printed on the program so
that you are able to follow along at
the conclusion of the army song .
Please remain standing for departure of
the official party ,
invite you to join me in prayer .
Thank you for being our honored guest
today . Lord thank you for allowing
each of us here to be witnesses to this
joyful occasion . As we leave , I ask
that you would continue to bless
Brigadier General Tan and her family
bless all she sets her hands to
accomplish , grant her success in each
of her endeavors and may the ones who
reap the greatest benefits and
blessings from her promotion today . B
those whom she has called the lead in
your holy name . I pray . Amen .
Mhm .
Where ?
Mhm .
Okay ,
please be seated . Ladies and gentlemen ,
this concludes the official ceremony ,
please remain seated to allow brigadier
general to han and her family to depart