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Col. Koji D. Nishimura (left) and Command Sgt. Maj. George W. Grace Jr. (right), the commander and command sergeant major of the 30th Medical Brigade, uncase the 30th Med. Bde. colors during a ceremony Oct. 18 on Sembach Kaserne. The unit re-designated from a command to a brigade as part of ongoing changes to the Army’s organizational structure and is now a subordinate unit of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command.
The 30th Medical Brigade, formerly the 30th Medical Command, officially became a subordinate unit to the 21st Theater Sustainment Command during a redesignation implemented as a part of ongoing changes to the Army’s organizational structure.
“The 30th Med. Bde. will be a valuable asset and instrumental to Team 21’s ‘set the theater’ mission,” said Maj. Gen. John R. O’Connor, commanding general of the 21st TSC. “We look forward to incorporating their expertise and skills to the 21st TSC mission and building on U.S. Army Europe’s high state of training, readiness and performance.”
The redesignation of the 30th Med. Bde. will produce fewer overall positions; however, the overall mission of the organization will remain the same.
“The future of the 30th Med. Bde. has not changed now that we are under the 21st TSC,” said Lt. Col. Andre Pippen, the executive officer of the 30th Med. Bde. “We will continue to provide excellent and lifesaving care to Soldiers deployed in support of a theater or combatant commander.”
That mission, to provide expeditionary theater level medical command and control, health service support, force health protection and medical synchronization of assigned and attached medical forces, will now directly support the 21st TSC and U.S. Army Europe.
“We feel the 21st TSC will benefit from having the subject matter expertise that the 30th Med. Bde. has,” Pippen said. “We will assist in planning for exercises, contingency plans and deployments, ensuring that the proper medical capabilities are available for the Soldiers on the ground.”
“In addition, this year the 557th (Area Support Medical Company), 421st (Multifunctional Medical Battalion), is going to team up with the medical Soldiers in the 21st TSC to conduct a robust (Expert Field Medical Badge) train-up prior to the testing and to offer assistance with the conduct of the (Medical Education and Demonstration of Individual Competence) table training,” Pippen added. “We will also assist the 21st TSC with combat lifesaver training and field sanitation training.”
As with any major change in an organization, transitional challenges are likely. But leaders said that will not stop the 30th Med. Bde. from fulfilling its mission.
“The 30th Med. Bde. and our subordinates units should and do except changes, but these changes will turn into normal battle rhythm events after the initial 60 days,” Pippen said. “Once we are through that period, the 30th Med. Bde. looks forward to leveraging the knowledge and professionalism of the 21st TSC staff in order to perform our missions in (Operation Enduring Freedom), Africa and Europe.”
