Col. Edgar Arroyo became the new commander of Irwin Army Community Hospital at Fort Riley in a change of command ceremony Friday. Col. Arroyo replaces Col. Ted Brown, who served as the IACH commander for two-and-a-half years.
Col. Arroyo has served in various medical service leadership positions, including as commander of the Raymond W. Bliss Army Health Center at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. Most recently, Col. Arroyo was assigned to U.S. Army Medical Logistics Command, Fort Detrick, Maryland.
“I am both honored and humbled as I consider the immense responsibilities inherent in this command,” he said in his remarks. “I will ensure that the Big Red One is medically ready to ‘fight tonight.'”
Col. Brown praised the hospital staff in his remarks, stating, “To Team IACH, it has been incredible to have this opportunity over 29 months to be able to see everything you have accomplished. I could cite example after example but let me thank you by using the words of a patient’s mother who wrote to me saying, ‘thank you for ensuring that the Soldiers and families in your care are receiving the level of care that they deserve.’ The words in front of the hospital, ‘Heroes Work Here,’ are proven every day. Well done, Team IACH.”
Col. Brown’s next assignment will be with U.S. Army Human Resources Command at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
IACH is a 47-bed hospital on Fort Riley that opened in October 2016 with the mission of supporting medical readiness for the units assigned to Fort Riley, particularly the 1st Infantry Division. It also provides care to Army families and military retirees. The hospital oversees five outlying clinics: Farrelly, Custer Hill, Novosel Aviation, Caldwell Public Health Clinics and the Flint Hills Medical Home in Junction City.