# 18th Medical Command

The 18th Medical Command is a US Army medical deployment support command, which provides contingency medical support to United States Army, Pacific. The headquarters was located on the Korean peninsula from 1984 until 2008, when it was relocated to Fort Shafter, Hawaii.
Originally activated at Fort Lee, Virginia in 1967 as the 18th Medical Brigade, it was the U.S. Army's third field army level medical headquarters activated, following the 7th Medical Brigade in 1965 and the 44th Medical Brigade in 1966.

## Lineage and Honors
### Lineage

Constituted 10 May 1967 in the Regular Army as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 18th Medical Brigade
Activated 18 August 1967 at Fort Lee, Virginia
Inactivated 16 December 1970 at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland
Redesignated 16 August 1984 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 18th Medical Command, and activated in Korea
Reduced to Zero Strength 15 October 2008 in Korea
Transferred, less Personnel and Equipment, 16 October 2008 to Fort Shafter, Hawaii and assigned to United States Army Pacific

### Honors
#### Campaign Participation Credit

* None

#### Decorations

* Army Superior Unit Award, streamer embroidered "2003"

## Insignia
### Shoulder sleeve insignia
#### Description

On a shield, oblong in shape and arched at both sides, 3 inches (7.62cm) in height and 2 inches (5.08cm) in width, within a 1/8 inch (.32cm) white border a field of blue having a white-edged maroon sword throughout the center with point down and entwined about the blade two white zig-zag bands in the form of a figure eight.

#### Symbolism

The sword is in the color maroon, suggestive of human blood, and symbolic of the medical needs of an army. The zig-zag bands are in pure white to suggest bandaging and the antiseptic requirements of medical practice; by entwining the sword they signify the support provided by the organization.

#### Background

The shoulder sleeve insignia was originally approved for the 18th Medical Brigade on 25 October 1967. It was redesignated for the 18th Medical Command on 16 February 1984. (TIOH Drawing Number A-1-469)

### Distinctive unit insignia
#### Description

A device of gold color metal and enamel 1 1/8 inches (2.86cm) in height consisting of a gold sun of eighteen rays bearing in center a maroon Maltese Cross all centered on a gold disc scored with concentric rays and enclosed by a maroon motto scroll bearing the words "Trust, Labor, Courage" in gold letters; over the lower half of the scroll a wreath of gold oak leaves entwined by two white serpents their tails crossed in center, their heads raised at either side and facing outward.

#### Symbolism

The gold sun and maroon cross are symbolic of the support provided by the organization. The Maltese Cross is the symbol of the Knights of Malta, also called Knights Hospitaler, Knights of St. John and Order of the Hospital of St. John, which grew out of a hospital established in the 11th Century to care for pilgrims in the Holy Land. The eighteen rays of the sun allude to the unit's numerical designation. The serpents are a reference to the Staff of Aesculapius of the Medical Corps insignia and the oak is a symbol of strength.

#### Background

The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 18th Medical Brigade on 29 February 1968. It was redesignated on 16 February 1984 for the 18th Medical Command.

## Commanders

| Rank | Name | Branch | Begin Date | End Date | Notes |
| Colonel | Charles R. Kinney | MS | 18 August 1967 | 14 March 1968 | First Medical Service Corps officer to command a medical brigade |
| Colonel | Jack W. Gwin | MS | 15 March 1968 | 19 June 1969 | Assumed command when brigade was transferred to Fort Meade, less personnel |
| Colonel | William R. Knowles | MS | 19 June 1969 | 2 July 1970 | |
| Colonel | Leigh F. Wheeler, Sr. | MS | 3 July 1970 | 16 December 1970 | Colonel Wheeler assumed command of the 44th Medical Brigade when the 18th Medical Brigade was reflagged as the 44th. |
| | Inactive | | 17 December 1970 | 15 August 1984 | |
| Colonel | Richard T. Travis | MC | 16 August 1984 | June 1985 | Commanded 8th Medical Command (Provisional) from June 1983 to 15 August 1984. Also commanded 7th Medical Command in Germany. Retired as a Major General. |
| Colonel | D. G. Tsoulos | MC | June 1985 | June 1987 | Later commanded 3rd Medical Command during Operation Desert Storm |
| Colonel | Thomas E. Bowen | MC | June 1987 | June 1988 | Retired as a Brigadier General |
| Colonel | James B. Peake | MC | June 1988 | July 1990 | Later served as 43rd Surgeon General of the United States Army and Secretary of Veterans Affairs |
| Colonel | James J. James | MC | July 1990 | December 1991 | Retired as a Brigadier General |
| Colonel | Harold L. Timboe | MC | December 1991 | August 1993 | Later commander 44th Medical Brigade, Brooke Army Medical Center, and Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Retired as a Major General. |
| Colonel | Elmer Michael Casey, Jr. | MC | August 1993 | July 1996 | |
| Colonel | Daniel F. Perugini | MC | July 1996 | July 1998 | Retired as a Brigadier General |
| Colonel | James Kirkpatrick | MC | July 1998 | | |
| Colonel | Edward C. Huycke | MC | | July 2002 | |
| Colonel | Phillip Volpe | MC | July 2002 | July 2004 | Retired as a Major General |
| Colonel | Brian D. Allgood | MC | June 2004 | 23 June 2006 | Killed in action in Iraq, 20 January 2007. Namesake of the Brian D. Allgood Community Hospital, Yongsan Garrison |
| Colonel | James Gregory Jolissaint | MC | 23 June 2006 | June 2008 | |
| Colonel | Jeffrey B. Clark | MC | June 2008 | 15 October 2008 | Assumed command of the 65th Medical Brigade when the 18th MEDCOM moved to Hawaii. Retired as a Major General. |
| | Relocated to Hawaii | | 15 October 2008 | 16 October 2008 | Transferred less personnel and equipment |
| Lieutenant Colonel | Chad Bowers | MS | 16 October 2008 | July 2009 | |
| Colonel | Erin Edgar | MC | July 2009 | June 2011 | |
| Colonel | Judith Bock | AN | June 2011 | 3 July 2013 | |
| Colonel | Brett Ackerman | | 3 July 2013 | 10 July 2014 | |
| Colonel | Ann Sammartino | AN | 10 July 2014 | 3 March 2018 | |
| Colonel | Edward H. Bailey | MC | 3 March 2018 | 20 October 2018 | Retired as a Brigadier General |
| Brigadier General | Tracy L. Smith | MS | 20 October 2018 | July 2020 | USAR Officer on extended active duty |
| Major General | Michael L. Place | MC | July 2020 | June 2022 | |
| Major General | Paula C. Lodi | MS | June 2022 | July 2024 | |

## Organization
### Fort Meade, Maryland, 1 January 1970

* HHD, 18th Medical Brigade
* 10th Evacuation Hospital
* 28th General Hospital (inactivated 28 December 1970)
* 29th Surgical Hospital (Mobile) (Army) (Inactivated 15 May 1970)
* 157th Medical Laboratory (Inactivated 28 December 1970)
* 591st Medical Company (Ambulance)
* 702d Medical Company (Clearing)
* 888th Medical Company (Ambulance) (Inactivated 1 February 1970)
* 177th Medical Detachment (Orthopedic) (Inactivated 30 April 1970)
* 212th Medical Detachment (RA) (Helicopter Ambulance)
* 232d Medical Detachment (Surgical) (Inactivated 30 April 1970)
* 249th Medical Detachment (Supply)
* 630th Medical Detachment (Medical Maintenance)

### Korea, 23 June 2006

* HHC, 18th Medical Command
* 618th Theater Dental Command
* 121st General Hospital
** 127th Forward Surgical Team
** 135th Surgical Team
* 106th Theater Veterinary Command
* 168th Medical Battalion (Area Support)
* 52nd Medical Battalion (Evacuation)
* 16th Medical Logistics Battalion