Alumnus James Gilman Takes Over Command of Army's Fort Detrick

Thursday, June 25, 2009 (0 Comments)
Posted by: Office of Alumni Affairs

Through 30 years of military service, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology alumnus James Gilman is used to change and taking over command of U.S. Army medical operations throughout the country. Earlier this month, Gilman became the new commander of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command at Fort Detrick, near Frederick, Md.

Fort Detrick is a premier quad-services installation that's home to the Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, the National Cancer Institute and 37 mission partners. The primary missions include biomedical research and development, medical materiel management and global telecommunications. The operations also host a National Interagency Confederation for Biological Research and National Interagency Biodefense Campus.

Gilman, a 1974 biology alumnus and a major general in the Army, previously served as the commander of Brooke Army Medical Center (Texas) and the Great Plains Regional Medical Command, which overseas Army hospitals and clinics in 16 states. Other assignments have had him serving as commander of the Walter Reed Health Care System, which includes Walter Reed Hospital; director of health policy and services directorate for the Office of the Surgeon General; commander of the USAMEDDAC at Fort Wainwright (Alaska); deputy commander for clinical services at Madigan Army Medical Center (Wash.); deputy commander for clinical services at Fort Hood (Texas); and chief of cardiology services at Brooke Army Medical Center. He completed overseas tours in Alaska and Germany and served with the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Haiti.

"The main order of business is to learn as much about this command as rapidly as possible," Gilman told The Frederick News-Post at the change of command ceremony. He said the future of medical research and medical logistics will be more collaborative across the armed services and outside the Department of Defense.

Lt. Gen. Eric Schoomaker, Army surgeon general and commander of the U.S. Army Medical Command, praised Gilman, stating "Jim really has been a beacon of rationality, compassion, integrity and honesty. Jim is one of those people who really speaks truth to power. I never have lost sleep knowing Jim has been in command."

Gilman earned his medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine. He is board certified in both internal medicine and cardiovascular diseases, and is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (Fort Leavenworth, Kan.), and the U.S. Army War College (Carlisle Barracks, Pa.). Gilman's awards and decorations include the Rose-Hulman Alumni Association's Career Achievement Award, and the U.S Army's Legion of Merit, the meritorious service and commendation medals, and the expert field medical and staff badges. He is a member of the Order of Military Medical Merit and holds the U.S. Surgeon General's "A" proficiency designation.

A native of Hymera, Ind., Gilman is married to the former Jeffri Lynn Sweet of Shelburn, Ind. They have three daughters - Sarah, Katy and Emily.

« Back to Index