News

  • 13 Oct 2023 7:43 AM | Anonymous

    It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of COL Brenda K. Ellison, of Luray, VA, on October 9, 2023. Many of you knew Brenda, an Army Dietitian, who retired from the Army in 2014 and settled in the Virginia mountains.

    Brenda's obituary is posted here: https://www.thebradleyfuneralhome.com/obituary/Brenda-Ellison

    A memorial service will be held on October 18, 2023, at the Luray United Methodist Church, 1 West Main Street, Luray, VA 22835. Brenda’s good friend the Rev. Nikki Butler will be officiating the service with the Rev. Erich D. Bennett. Viewing will be held at the church beginning at 12:30 p.m. with the Memorial Service at 2 p.m.

    In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Central Virginia Horse Rescue or the Lucky Dog Animal Rescue (Arlington, VA) in Brenda’s memory:

    • Central Virginia Horse Rescue, 31262 Eagle Hill Trail, Fredericksburg VA 22407
    • Lucky Dog Animal Rescue, 5159 Langston Blvd., Arlington VA 22207



  • 3 May 2023 5:45 PM | Anonymous

    COL Martha A. Cronin is a Living Pioneer in the Army Medical Specialist Corps. She was first commissioned in 1965 and retired in 1990, after a career of several “Firsts” for the SP Corps. She graciously agreed to write this article about her career.  We hope to have additional articles of other pioneers in future SP News.

    "I grew up in the City of Medford a few miles north of Boston, MA the youngest of three children all close in age. We lived on the first floor apartment of my Grandparents two story house, the same house my Father was born in, attended the same public schools he had attended, and my Grandfather played the organ at Mass every Sunday.

    At the age of nine, I decided I wanted to become a Dietitian and planned my life accordingly. I started working after school at age 13 to earn money to pay for my college tuition. While in high school, I learned about the Army Dietetic Internship Program and that sounded like it would be interesting. I attended Framingham State College to study in the Foods and Nutrition Department knowing I would also have to earn my teaching certificate. Since I already knew about the Army, I was really excited when the Army Recruiter came. In 1963, the fall of my junior year in College, I enlisted in the Army Student Dietitian Program for a six year commitment which included my two years in college as a PFC and paid $96.00 a month, my 12 month internship, then three more years. It was the perfect program for me.

    After graduation from Framingham in 1965, I flew to FT Sam to be commissioned and attend the AMEDD Officer Basic Course. Following OBC, I went to Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center (FAMC) for my Dietetic Internship, along with my fellow interns (class of 7…6 females and 1 male) we had a great time. We worked hard, learned a lot, polished our shoes, did our case studies, were prepared for class and met all the requirements for ADA. During that year, a negotiation of the union contract was taking place with our employees so we really learned a lot about union contracts. I really loved my internship and it certainly started me on the right track for years to come. But “they” needed a Dietitian at Ft Polk and I left my Internship a month early, thus never appearing in the Graduation picture class of 1966. Ft Polk was a challenging assignment for a girl from Boston who was not used to landing on a dirt runway, working in old containment type hospital running ramps, or living in a trailer. I had a great time in spite of it all. I was there only about 9 months when I was assigned to AMSC Recruiting at Ft Meade with duty station at Forest Glen, Walter Reed covering a seven state area and DC. Next off to Heidelberg, Germany 130th Station Hospital as Chief. I loved Germany, the people, the food, the wine and the culture.

    A year later I was off to DaNang, RVN to 67th Medical Group with duty station on the 5th Trans CMD compound. I was the only Military female on the compound but we did have 2 females with Special Services. The Dietitians before me did a great job getting garrison equipment so when water and electricity were available things went well. Next was ensuring the availability of rations especially milk as the train was often blown up. I had 8 Hospitals and 2 AirAmbulance companies to visit from Qui Nhon, to the DMZ and into Pleiku. We provided consultation to each unit and insured the patients were feed properly. Food Service was staffed with a Warrant Officer, a 94F and a clerk. We flew on Medivacs mostly, but also C123, or C130, Otters, or anything we could get as we were on the road at least 20 days a month. We had new problems to solve everyday none that you would find in a text book. It was indeed a challenge. After several months, I was assigned to 3rd Field Hospital in Saigon. This Hospital presented a new set of problems. We had more severe malnourished children, patients with renal problems, lots of wounded troops and even VIPs visiting country. Vietnam was a very maturing process for me both personally and professionally. In Aug of 71, I was off to Lincoln, Nebraska for graduate school to pursue a MS in Institutional Administration and minor in Business.

    My next assignment was at BAMC where I was Chief of Production and Service and then Internship Director. I taught all aspects of administrative dietetics, administered the Internship and made sure we were ADA compliant. We had a Clinical Instructor teaching all aspect of Clinical Nutrition. I also was part of ADA’s committee on Internship Standards. This was a great assignment, enjoyed teaching the Interns and they taught me a few things too.

    My next assignment was a student at CGSG class of ‘78 at FT Leavenworth,KS, then Washington DC to administer the AMSC recruiting programs at Buzzards Point, followed by an assignment as Deputy Director of Food Service, WRAMC. The new Walter Reed had been opened about 2 years but it still had many challenges, was a very large facility, with a Dietetic Internship. From 79-81 I completed ICAF’s Defense Management Program at night learning a great deal about DOD, logistics and deployment. I stayed at WRAMC about 2 years before going to Fitzsimmons as Chief of Food Service and COR monitoring the food service contract while keeping Clinical Dietetics in house. This was a very different assignment insuring the contractor stayed within limits of the contract.

    I left FAMC after about 18 months as I was selected to be the first AMSC to attend the Army War College. This was not only an honor to be one of three females in the class, but also a challenge to succeed as an AMSC Officer something most of my classmates never knew existed. While studying there, I had the opportunity to personally interview 2 of the 4 AMSCs who had been POWs of the Japanese from April 1941 to February 1945 in the Philippines. One was a PT Brunetta Kuehlthau and the Dietitian was Ruby Motley. Their stories were fascinating. They were considered Nurses to retain military protection while POWs. They were commissioned in 1943 but unable to take their oath of office as 1LT until 1945 at Leyte, PI upon liberation.They told how they kept their patients treated or feed, and how they survived the ordeal. I learned a great deal at AWC, made great friends and graduated in the Class of 1984. I am so glad this has become a tradition in the Corps and is far exceeded by todays Corps accomplishments.

    In July 84 I reported as the first AMSC Staff Officer in the FORSCOM Surgeon Office. Since this was a newly established position, I had to learn how we as a Corps would fit. That came easily as we were extensively established in the Reserve Components. As an additional duty, we designed 5 Medical Reserve Training Center throughout the US and began getting them established. This project was moving along quite well when I left FORSCOM in Dec 85.

    I moved to DC (Baileys Crossroads) to assume the duties of Chief, Dietitian Section and Assistant Chief of the Corps. As all Chiefs before me, we built upon what had been done and also guided us into new directions. Task Force 2000 was established by SECDEF thru DSLOG to examine how to feed deployed troops and patients in the year 2000 and beyond. It was run by a Retired 4 Star with several committees. I led the committee which explored what was available currently on the market in terms of packaging, shelf life, suitability for troop feeding, patient feeding, etc. I had a Veterinary Officer, and 3 industry/ university executives. We looked at industries in Illinois, Michigan, Natick Labs, Germany and England and made our recommendations. Not much in industry meet our shelf life requirement beyond 18 months. Field Feeding had always been a priority of mine. These duties were done along with the “routine duties” of the Chief Dietitian and we were also able to convert 94F to 91M through the help of the Academy.

    In April 1990, I medically retired after 26.6 years of service. Any accomplishments I may have made or any firsts I might have done were not made by me alone. All the Chiefs of all our specialties that proceed me, taught me and made way for the future, and all the junior officers and enlisted personnel and civilians who helped me see the way was greatly appreciated. May God Bless the Leadership of the Army Medical Specialist Corps past and present.

    As with any profession, I have seen many, many changes. The growth of Dietetics and Nutrition has paralleled the growth of science and technology. We did not have computers in food service when I was an Intern but that development was soon to come. First with mainframes and punch cards to the modern day computerizations. We did cooks worksheets by hand, ordered by menu and experience, had weekly menu meetings, and if supplies weren’t available we substituted with what we had on hand. Medical Nutrition Therapy has changed tenfold with research thru Applied Science and Performance breakthroughs. The work being done by our current Dietetic Interns is a prime example. They, now in a Masters program with Baylor, study bone scans, performance standards, weight lifting, ration requirements and more all in trying to recommend adjustments to the nutritional requirements and intake of soldier's. Their challenges and their potential will help multiply the fighting strength of soldiers in all weather conditions, altitudes and build upon the research being done in conjunction with research by PT, OT, Natick Labs, etc. There is no limit to the achievement of AMSC research and I see great things to come. However we must not loose site of the requirements of basic nutrition and feeding especially our patients and the greater USA population. We must help filter through the abundance of TV ads that state “supplements” or other products will solve all our problems as money often goes down the drain. We must educate the differences in these products between the good and the worthless.

    From the few to the many ... yes, I have seen many changes in the Army over the years especially where women are concerned. At one time you may have been the only female officer on post/compound, there are now many since the removal of the combat exclusion clause and others restricting the number of women. Women who can meet the physical and mental demands of combat specialties are now allowed. This is indeed a positive change for it allows women the opportunity to schools that were once eliminated thus opening more opportunity for promotions and higher level jobs. You also see more rank among the enlisted and officers from SGM to 4 star GEN. If I am not mistaken, when I was an intern the highest rank we saw in Food Service was a promotable LTC. To have a BG within our corps not only is history making but represents pride in the work done by all of our specialties."

    COL Martha A. Cronin

  • 13 Mar 2023 5:23 PM | Anonymous

    The 20th Biennial Meeting has come and gone, and was a huge success! 

    Our next meeting is 24-27 June 2024 in Tacoma, WA.  Learn More...

  • 3 Feb 2022 5:20 PM | Anonymous

    An initiative from the SP Corps office, started this year, gives all of us an opportunity to use our knowledge, skills and experiences in mentoring the next generation of SP officers. The SP Corps is looking for retired officers from all areas of concentration to participate at installations around the globe. The details are below. If you are interested, please reach out to your regional director to get connected with an IST.

    From the SP Corps Office:

    We are certainly standing on the shoulders of giants (e.g., AMSCA members) that set the stage for our success and broke the glass ceilings that enable us to operate at our peak potential. We thank you for building a strong foundation upon which we pledge to continue building.

    This is our decade to make it happen as promised and we will deliver! This is the decade of the SP Corps - in the sense that we are continually being given golden opportunities across the organization! From direct access, to command at all levels, to involvement in major readiness initiatives (such as Holistic Health and Fitness [H2F]), we SP Officers are displaying our expertise across all four of AOCs. We are demonstrating our value by doing what we do best… optimizing the health and readiness of the Force.

    Realizing this is a huge responsibility for our Corps, we are doing what we can to support our Officers in their tireless efforts. One of the ways we are working to support SP Officers is through leveraging interpersonal connections, resources, and mentorship. To that end, the SP Corps kicked off a new initiative called Installation Support Teams (IST) in May 2021. These local SP ISTs are now operating across 26 installations world-wide. The IST initiative presents an excellent opportunity for AMSCA members to get involved and continue to support our local SP Officers and their ongoing efforts across the globe.

    The purpose of an IST is to create a local support structure for all SP Officers on a given installation. Each IST is led by the senior officer on the installation and a junior officer is appointed as the “IST Representative” (functioning essentially as the IST Executive Officer). The IST Representative spearheads installation-wide SP Family (to include Officers, Enlisted, Civilians, and Retirees) networking/collaboration. The IST Representative is also responsible for sharing of lessons learned and concerns that impact SP Officers with the SP Corps leadership. In so doing, they serve as the voice for all SP colleagues across their installation. The Senior SP Officer on the installation serves as the host of the local IST meetings (typically monthly or quarterly) and mentors/guides the more junior SP Officers on the installation.

    The intent is that this local SP-led support structure, along with its associated IST activities, will foster a strong installation-wide SP Corps community that lean on each other for support in all their varied TOE/TDA missions. This structure can also serve to provide valuable information to SP leadership on issues that the Corps leadership may be able to best address at higher levels.

    This will be critical as we roll-out initiatives such as H2F and the TRADOC Medical Support structure. The IST initiative will provide a venue for professional development and for sharing best practices. Having AMSCA members participate in this initiative will greatly enhance the quality, depth, and efficacy of support that we are able to provide to our SP Officers around the world.

    If you are interested in participating and/or engaging with our Officers, please reach out to your AMSCA Regional Representative who can provide you the local IST representative POC information.

  • 2 Feb 2022 5:18 PM | Anonymous

    We are sad to report that COL (Ret) Eloise Brown Strand, OT, died Oct 27, 2021. She was 92. Her body rests at Arlington National Cemetery. Our sincere condolences to her family.

    COL Strand was commissioned into the Army in 1956 and served in the most challenging positions that the Army Medical Specialist Corps had to offer.

    • Served as the 8th Chief of the Occupational Therapist Section
    • Made history in 1978 as the first Occupational Therapist to be appointed to the position of AMSC Corps Chief
    • Awarded the “A” Professional designation, the Army Surgeon General’s award for professional excellence

    COL Strand married Michael W. Strand in Monterey, California, on July 28, 1972. She retired from the Army in 1982, after serving for 26 years.

    COL Strand was born in Stamford Connecticut, but lived much of her childhood in Bedford County, VA. She graduated from High school in Bedford, VA in 1946. She obtained her BS degree in Home Economics from Virginia State University. She earned a Certificate in Occupational Therapy from the University of Pennsylvania, a Masters in Occupational Therapy from New York University, and a Masters in Healthcare Administration from Baylor University. She was a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association.

    After her retirement, COL Strand worked part-time at the American Occupational Therapy Association as the International Program Manager from 1986 to 1999. She also served on the Admissions Committee at the School of Allied Health Services, Occupational Therapy Program, Howard University. She was a Deacon at Celebration Church in Columbia, Maryland. She was an active member of her community, contributing numerous hours to multiple community and military related organizations. Of particular note was her service to Montgomery Hospice where she served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors and was named as a “Life Director.” COL Strand enjoyed spare time activities including reading, crafts, going to the theater, frequenting flea markets, and skiing as she was an avid skier.

  • 2 Feb 2022 5:17 PM | Anonymous

    The U.S. Senate has confirmed COL Deydre S. Teyhen for promotion to the rank of Brigadier General (BG). COL(P) Teyhen is the first Active Duty Army Medical Specialist Corps Officer, Physical Therapist, and SP Corps Chief to attain general officer rank.

    A quote by the author Jacqueline Novogratz states, “Honor what is most beautiful about the past, and build it into the promise of the future”. As we reflect upon the strong 74 year history of our Corps, let us take a moment to honor and pay tribute to all the SP Corps Leaders, past and present, whose vision, leadership, and innovation paved the way for such an opportunity to exist today. Let us also strive to build an even stronger future together.

    COL(P) Teyhen's promotion date is not yet announced.  Congratulations to her and the SP Corps!


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