Heimall takes command at WBAMC

Col. Michael Heimall, center left, incoming commander of WBAMC, transfers the colors of his new command to Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew Cyr, center right, during an Oct. 24 ceremony on Noel Field. Photo by Clarence Davis III, WBAMC Public Affairs.

Jennifer Clampet,
WBAMC Public Affairs:

The issue of health care for military service members and their families was front and center during William Beaumont Army Medical Center’s change of command ceremony on Noel Field, Oct. 24.

“Together we will provide this community with the best health care our nation can offer,” said Col. Michael S. Heimall, the incoming commander of WBAMC.

Heimall took command from Brig. Gen. Dennis Doyle.

Heimall was previously the assistant chief of staff, TRICARE Transition at Western Regional Medical Command, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

Prior to that, he was commander of the U.S. Army Medical Department Activity and Irwin Army Community Hospital in Fort Riley, Kan. Under his command, the community hospital experienced a 34 percent growth in its beneficiary population – now more than 56,000 beneficiaries – with the return of the 1st Infantry Division from Europe. During that time, the hospital reported more than 90 percent patient satisfaction ratings.

Similarly, WBAMC has experienced its own unprecedented growth, said Maj. Gen. Richard W. Thomas, commanding general of Western Regional Medical Command, who oversaw the change of command.

From 2007 to 2011, WBAMC’s beneficiary population increased by 28 percent – to more than 100,000 eligible TRICARE beneficiaries.

Thomas charged Heimall to continue to lead his team well. Heimall responded with his own charge for WBAMC staff – military and civilian.

“We will educate the next generation of Army medics – doctors, nurses and allied health professionals of every specialty. We will conduct cutting-edge clinical research to advance the practice and delivery of medicine to our Soldiers and families – both past and present,” Heimall said.

Doyle, who in his 17 months of command oversaw more than a dozen expansion projects investing millions of dollars into health-related clinics on Fort Bliss, noted the “investment in Soldiers and families here is both impressive and obvious.”

“In my short time here, we have had more groundbreaking, ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremonies than I had experienced in my previous 29 years of service,” Doyle said. “Fort Bliss is the premier installation in the Department of Defense.”

Projects completed included the new Warrior Transition Battalion campus, the opening of the Spc. Hugo V. Mendoza Soldier Family Care Center, the new McAfee Clinic at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., the establishment of the Integrated Disability Evaluation System facility, renovation of the Warrior Resilience Center for treatment of mild traumatic brain injury, establishment of the Interdisciplinary Pain Management Center and the opening of a Level-II nursery intensive care unit.

Doyle will assume command at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu. Doyle’s new position includes being the commanding general of Pacific Regional Medical Command, lead agent of the United States Army Pacific Surgeon, chief of TRICARE Pacific and chief of the United States Army Medical Service Corps.

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