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As one deployment comes to an end, another chapter of readiness begins.
Landstuhl Regional Medical Center recognized more than 173 Request for Forces (Legacy Plus) Soldiers during an end-of-tour awards ceremony, honoring their contributions to the military’s largest hospital outside the continental United States June 29 in the Heaton Auditorium.
The ceremony marked the conclusion of a deployment that saw Soldiers rapidly integrate into LRMC’s mission, helping expand the hospital’s capacity while maintaining uninterrupted patient care.
Col. Warran Stewart, commander of LRMC, thanked the Legacy Plus Soldiers for their service and commitment to the mission.
“You left your homes and families on short notice, arriving here ready to lead, adapt, and make us a stronger team!,” Stewart said. “You literally made us a better place the second you hit the ground.”
Stewart said the Soldiers strengthened the organization through their diverse backgrounds, professional expertise, and positive attitudes.
Lt. Col. Lynae Place, LRMC’s Legacy Plus lead, thanked the permanent staff for welcoming the deploying Soldiers and sharing their expertise throughout the mission.
“You prepared us to face the harshest realities, ensuring we were ready to care for combat casualties when they arrived,” Place said. “The readiness we built together is real, and we proved that with only a 48-hour notice, we could mobilize and get service members on a plane directly to LRMC.”
Stewart said the rapid mobilization demonstrated an unprecedented level of readiness.
“Never before has a unit mobilized with a zero-notice deployment within 48 hours in support of a real combat operation to a military treatment facility, doubling its size and capacity, while continuing their regular mission,” Stewart said.
He said Army senior leaders, includingGen. Christopher Donahue, commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, the Army surgeon general, and other Army Medicine leaders praised the team’s ability to rapidly integrate into the mission.
“The Legacy Plus Soldiers didn’t just fill gaps,” Stewart said. “They brought fresh energy, specialized skills, and an unwavering commitment to patient care and operational support.”
Whether caring for patients, managing logistics, or supporting administrative operations, the Soldiers played a critical role in sustaining LRMC’s mission throughout the deployment.
“Just four days ago, while walking through the intensive care unit, I watched them conducting training,” Stewart said. “Even while preparing to return home, they were still looking for ways to improve. They identified capability gaps and approached the scenario as if it were a real-world crisis. You just can’t replicate that level of dedication.”
As the awards were presented, the ceremony reflected pride and gratitude for a successful deployment. For many Soldiers, the mission was a defining professional experience as they cared for wounded, ill, and injured service members, retirees, and family members while supporting the hospital’s readiness mission.
Although the deployment is ending, leaders said the impact of the Legacy Plus Soldiers will continue long after their departure.
“We couldn’t have been as successful as we were without leaders like Col. Stewart, Command Sgt. Maj. Oquendo, Lt. Col. Alvarez, Command Sgt. Maj. Woolley, 1st Sgt. Hobson, and Capt. King, who welcomed the Legacy Plus personnel as members of their own team,” said Sgt. 1st Class Danny Bruce noncommissioned officer in charge of Legacy Plus.
Bruce said the deployment provided invaluable operational experience that will benefit the Soldiers throughout their careers.
“The resilience these Legacy Plus service members have shown, and the real-world experience they’ve gained here, will have a lasting impact on their careers and lives,” Bruce said. “They are leaving here not only as better Soldiers, Airmen, and medical professionals, but as better leaders.”
