Fort Belvoir Community Hospital Command Sergeant Major
Change of Responsibility CEREMONY
Thurman Auditorium | Fort Belvoir February 16, 2022
Sequence of Events Welcome Invocation Arrival of the Official Party and Honors National Anthem Change of Responsibility Presiding Officer Outgoing Remarks Incoming Remarks Army Song Departure of the Official Party Postlude Reception
hospital director U.S. Army Colonel Kathy Spangler
Colonel Kathy Spangler was born into an Air Force Family. In 1996, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Bellarmine College in Louisville, KY, receiving her ROTC commission in the Army Nurse Corps. She most recently served as the Commander of SHAPE and Brussels Healthcare Facilities from June 2019 - June 2021. Previous assignments were Director for Patient Care Integration, G-3/5/7, Office of the Surgeon General from July 2018 - June 2019, Commander of Andrew Rader Army Health Clinic, Fort Myer, VA from July 2016 - July 2018 and the Director for Nursing of the DiLorenzo TRICARE Health Clinic, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. from August 2014 - June 2016. Her other military assignments include: Chief, Inpatient Nursing Services and Clinical Nurse Officer in Charge of the Family Care Ward at Evans Army Community Hospital, Fort Carson, CO; Clinical Nurse Officer in Charge of the ICU, 10th Combat Support Hospital, Camp Bastion, Afghanistan; Chief, Nursing Performance Improvement, Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, N.C.; Head Nurse for a Multi-Specialty Inpatient Unit (Ward 65), Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington D.C.; transitioned between Company Command, Chief, Community Health Nursing, and Nurse Educator at the Wellness Center, U.S. Army MEDDAC, Heidelberg, GE; Chief, Community Health Nursing at Bayne Jones Army Community Hospital and FORSCOM Clinical Staff Nurse with the 115th Field Hospital, Fort Polk, L.A.; Staff Community Health Nurse, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington D.C.; Staff Nurse, Medical Surgical Unit, Evans Army Community Hospital, Fort Carson, CO. Colonel Spangler earned a Master of Science from University of Maryland with an emphasis in Health Services Leadership/Management and Nursing Education and a Masters in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. Her military education includes the AMEDD Basic and Advanced Courses, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College - Intermediate Level Education and the U.S. Army War College. Her awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal (5 OLC), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (1 OLC), Army Achievement Medal (2 OLC), National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, and NATO Medal. She also earned the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (Silver), a proud member of the Official Order of Military Medical Merit and the recipient of the Supreme Allied Commander of Europe Recognition Award. COL Kathy Spangler is married to her amazing husband of 22 years, Colonel Brian Spangler. They have three incredible children, Connor (23), Mary (20), and Jenna (18).
Outgoing senior enlisted leader Command Sergeant Major Kristy Cortner is a native of Tallahassee, Florida; she enlisted in the United States Army in September 1995 as a Medical Specialist, and attended Basic Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, followed by Advanced Individual Training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. CSM Cortner’s military and civilian education includes: Basic Leader Course (Commandant’s List), Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Course, U.S. Army Drill Sergeant School (Commandant’s List), Battle Staff Course (Distinguished Honor Graduate), First Sergeant’s Course (Commandant’s List), U.S. Army Sergeant’s Major Course, Health Services Plans, Operations, Intelligence, Security, and Training (70H) Course, Battalion Pre-Command Course, and the Battalion Command Sergeant Major Development Course. CSM Cortner holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts from Excelsior College, Albany, NY, and is currently working on completing a Master’s Degree in Public Health. CSM Cortner’s assignments include: C Co. 61st Area Support Medical Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas; E Co. 27th Main Support Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas; HHC, 13th Signal Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas; C Co. 201st Forward Support Battalion, Vilseck, Germany; Winn Army Community Hospital, Fort Stewart, Georgia; B Co. 2-13 Infantry Regiment, Fort Jackson, South Carolina; HHC, 1st Medical Brigade, Fort Hood Texas; 566th Area Support Medical Company, Fort Hood, Texas; Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, HI; 18th Medical Command (Deployment Support), Fort Shafter, HI; and 47th Combat Support Hospital, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA. CSM Cortner deployed and conducted operations in Bosnia (Operation Joint Guard and Operation Joint Forge), Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom I and Operation Inherent Resolve), and Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan XII). CSM Cortner has served in every leadership position from Squad Leader to First Sergeant. Her job assignments include Squad Leader, Platoon Sergeant, Battalion Supply Sergeant, Operations Sergeant, Drill Sergeant, Plans NCO, First Sergeant, Adjutant, and Operations Sergeant Major. CSM Cortner’s awards and decorations include the: Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (3 OLC), Army Commendation Medal (1 Silver OLC, 2 OLC), Army Achievement Medal (1 Silver OLC, 3 OLC), Army Good Conduct Award (7th Award), National Defense Medal (1 BSS), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1 BSS), Kosovo Campaign Medal (1 BSS), Afghanistan Campaign Medal (1 BSS), Iraqi Campaign Medal (2 BSS), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon (Roman Numeral 5), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (5th Award), NATO Medal (1 BSS), Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Award (2 OLC), Army Superior Unit Award, Drill Sergeant Identification Badge, Combat Medical Badge, Combat Action Badge, and the Expert Field Medical Badge. CSM Cortner is a member of the 1st Cavalry Division Order of the Spur and a recipient of the Order of Military Medical Merit.
incoming senior enlisted leader Command Sergeant Major Dedraf Blash entered the U.S. Army in January 2000. She completed Basic Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and Advance Individual Training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas for MOS 91B Combat Medical Specialist. CSM Blash previous assignments include: 10th Combat Support Hospital at Fort Carson Colorado, 702nd Main Support Battalion at Camp Casey Korea, 565th Ground Ambulance Company at Fort Polk, Louisiana, 232nd Medical Battalion at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, McDonald Army Health Center at Fort Eustis, Virginia, US Army Africa at Vicenza, Italy, 27th Brigade Support Battalion at Fort Hood Texas, 581st Area Support Medical Company at Fort Hood, TX, 547th Area Support Medical Company at Fort Hood Texas, Madigan Army Medical Center at Joint Base Lewis McChord, Regional Health Command Pacific at Joint Base Lewis McChord, and as the Sergeant Major for the United States Army Health Clinic (now Desmond D. Doss) Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. She previously served as the Command Sergeant Major for the Weed Army Community Hospital at Fort Irwin, California. CSM Blash military education includes all levels of the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development System including the United States Sergeant Major Academy (Class 68). She also attended Drill Sergeant School, Battle Staff Noncommissioned Officers Course; Battle Staff Instructor Course, Master Resiliency Trainer Course, SHARP Course, Basic Healthcare Administrative, Security Operations Certification Training Course, Joint Medical Executive Skills, and the Battalion and Brigade PreCommand Course and Command Sergeant Major Development Course. CSM holds a Master’s in Science Management with a concentration in Organizational Leadership from Excelsior College graduating Summa Cum Laude and a Doctorate of Strategic Leadership from Liberty University. CSM Blash operational deployments include Iraq in support of OIF I and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Her awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit; Bronze Star Medal; Meritorious Service Medal, 6th Award; Army Commendation Medal, 8th Award, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal, 6th Award; Army Good Conduct Medal, 7th; Iraq Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary; NATO Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral 5; Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon with a numeral 4, Meritorious Unit Award, Drill Sergeant Badge and Combat Medical Badge. CSM Blash is a member of the International Honors Society of Business, honorary member of the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club, 2010 John Teal Leadership Awardee and Order of Military Medical Merit.
The Army Song March along, sing our song, with the Army of the free. Count the brave, count the true, who have fought to victory. We’re the Army and proud of our name! We’re the Army and proudly proclaim: First to fight for the right, And to build the Nation’s might, And the Army goes rolling along. Proud of all we have done, Fighting till the battle’s won, And the Army goes rolling along. Then it’s hi! hi! hey! The Army’s on its way. Count off the cadence loud and strong; For where’er we go, You will always know That the Army goes rolling along. Valley Forge, Custer’s ranks, San Juan Hill and Patton’s tanks, And the Army went rolling along. Minute men, from the start, Always fighting from the heart, And the Army keeps rolling along.
Then it’s hi! hi! hey! The Army’s on its way. Count off the cadence loud and strong; For where’er we go, You will always know That the Army goes rolling along. Men in rags, men who froze, Still that Army met its foes, And the Army went rolling along. Faith in God, then we’re right, And we’ll fight with all our might, As the Army keeps rolling along. Then it’s hi! hi! hey! The Army’s on its way. Count off the cadence loud and strong; (two! three!) For where’er we go, You will always know That the Army goes rolling along! (keep it rolling!) And the Army goes rolling along!
The Command Sergeant Major is the Senior Non-commissioned Officer in a unit who advises the Commander on all issues related to the enlisted ranks. Commanders employ their Command Sergeants Major throughout an area of operations to extend command influence, assess morale of the force, and assist during critical events.
9300 Dewitt Loop • Fort Belvoir, VA 22060 571.231.FBCH (3224) • belvoirhospital.tricare.mil