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Maj. Gen. Brian C. Lein, deputy surgeon general and deputy commanding general for operations, U.S. Army Medical Command, passes the Europe Regional Medical Command colors to Brig. Gen. Norvell V. Coots, the new ERMC commander and U.S. Army Europe command surgeon, as Col. John P. Collins, outgoing ERMC commander and U.S. Army Europe command surgeon looks on May 22 during a change of command ceremony.
Brig. Gen. Norvell V. Coots assumed command of Europe Regional Medical Command, including responsibilities as the U.S. Army Europe command surgeon, during a change of command ceremony May 22 on Sembach Kaserne.
Members of the command, families and friends at the ceremony also bid farewell to outgoing commander Col. John P. Collins, who retired later the same day after 30 years of service in the Army.
Collins was with ERMC for nearly three years, serving as the ERMC chief of staff from August 2011 until taking command in July 2013.
Europe Regional Medical Command is responsible for a health care system with more than 5,500 joint-service personnel dedicated to providing high quality health care to more than 204,000 eligible beneficiaries including approximately 83,000 active-duty members from all services across Europe. ERMC supports USAREUR, EUCOM, CENTCOM, AFRICOM and deployed medical assets in Afghanistan. In Europe, ERMC operates 16 military treatment facilities in Germany, Belgium and Italy.
The ERMC headquarters and two military treatment facilities are located in the KMC: the ERMC headquarters on Sembach Kaserne, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, and the U.S. Army Health Clinic Kaiserslautern located on Kleber Kaserne.
“I am very happy to return to Germany where I have so many good memories and friends,” said Coots, who was stationed in Germany earlier in his career. “I look forward to making many new friends and developing new partnerships, which will strengthen the bonds between the U.S. and Germany, and Italy, and Belgium and other partner nations.”
Medical diplomacy and training with allies is a critical part of the ERMC mission. Coots’ staff at the U.S. Army Europe Office of the Command Surgeon coordinates multinational training opportunities, enabling ERMC and USAREUR medical professionals to participate in more than 25 training events with other countries to exchange doctrine, tactics, and techniques and build long lasting partnerships.
During the change of command ceremony, Coots took a moment to address the members of the German military medical community present in their native tongue, speaking of the importance of maintaining the long-standing relationship between the U.S. and Germany.
“Let us work together in health care through medical diplomacy and exchange of experience to improve our world,” Coots said.
Speaking to the command as a whole, Coots expressed excitement for the road ahead.
“I look forward to serving with you all as we change the essence of Army Medicine in Europe to match the fundamentally changing Army of the future,” Coots said.
