U.S. Army Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Ronald Place gives his final remarks and farewell to the Defense Health Agency team after three years leading the agency through major organizational reforms and COVID-19 pandemic response operations. Place retires after 36 years in uniform and passed the director role to U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Telita Crosland during a ceremony held in Falls Church, Virginia, on Jan. 3. Credit: Robert Hammer, MHS Communications
“The mission of military medicine essentially stayed the same for all 36 years of my time in uniform … and that's to take superb care of anyone who's raised their hand to serve and to deliver that care anywhere in the world, under the most challenging circumstances imaginable,” Place said. “Our military health mission endures. But organizations, on the other hand, must evolve. High reliability is about adaptation; it's about improvement. And sometimes that means bringing in a completely new organization, in this case the Defense Health Agency.”
Under Place’s leadership, DHA was also awarded the Joint Meritorious Unit Award for Excellence by the U.S. Secretary of Defense for its work to respond to the global COVID-19 pandemic and mitigate its spread.
“Though General Place’s shoes will be hard to fill, I am confident that General Crosland is the woman to do so,” Mullen said.
Launching her military career in the U.S. Army as a medical corps officer in 1993, Crosland is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the Eisenhower School.
She has served in a variety of leadership positions throughout her military career at military installations, hospitals and clinics across the globe. Most recently as the Army deputy surgeon general, she also served as the deputy commander of the Army’s Medical Command.
“From her days as a West Point cadet through her academic accomplishments as she earned her doctorate of medicine, master’s of public health, and master’s of science in National Resource Strategy, to her long list of leadership positions in service to our nation, General Crosland has shown exactly the kind of perseverance, dedication, and excellence that will serve her, and us, so well in her new position,” Mullen said.
Crosland is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine, a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, and a recipient of the Army Surgeon General's “A” proficiency designator. Her awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Joint Service Achievement Medal.
“Since the establishment of the agency in 2013, I have witnessed what you are capable of, and I know you bring a passion for and commitment to excellence,” said Crosland of the DHA’s 140,000-strong workforce.
She concluded by accentuating the new vision of the DHA to “care for the joint force and those we are privileged to serve – anytime, anywhere – always.”