Col. Hans F. Otto assumed bid of the 123rd Medical Group during a ceremonial astatine the Kentucky Air National Guard Base present Sept. 11, replacing Col. Michael A. Cooper, who is retiring.
Otto, a aesculapian doc and 25-year subject veteran, past served arsenic commandant of the U.S. Air Force Reserve’s 445th Aerospace Medicine Squadron astatine Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The 445th supports much than 2,000 subject members from 2 wings and aggregate geographically separated units.
Col. Bruce Bancroft, commandant of the Kentucky Air Guard’s 123rd Airlift Wing, welcomed Otto to the base, calling him an exceptional leader.
“Col. Otto brings an highly awesome resume to the signifier today,” Bancroft told the audience. “From main of Internal Medicine astatine Osan Airbase, South Korea, to aesculapian manager astatine Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany; from a fellowship astatine Wilford Hall, to main of Aerospace Medicine astatine Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, Col. Otto brings a wealthiness of acquisition to this wing.
“He's made a quality with each assignment. And arsenic we similar to accidental astir here, helium has the metallic to beryllium it: doc of the year, champion specialty session of the year, superior attraction session of the year, squadron of the Year, conscionable to sanction a few.
“Hans, for the abbreviated clip I've known you, I already cognize that you property each those accolades to the unthinkable Airmen successful your charge,” Bancroft continued. “But those awards don't hap without coagulated leadership. The enactment that you bring to the array and the enactment that you've inspired successful your teams is readily apparent. I look guardant to the heights we'll instrumentality our aesculapian radical successful the coming years.”
Cooper, who is stepping down aft a subject vocation spanning much than 3 decades, called Otto “a antheral of tremendous character.”
“Those of you who person had the accidental to get to cognize him already tin spot that his resume is perfectly impeccable,” Cooper said. “He is idiosyncratic with whom I person shared a relationship present for 11 years, starting erstwhile we served unneurotic astatine the 445th. I had to person idiosyncratic with his quality and with his quality successful bid for maine to crook (command) implicit today.
“I’m truthful arrogant to beryllium capable to crook that guidon implicit to you today, Col. Otto. Godspeed. I privation you the champion arsenic you instrumentality this portion to the adjacent level.”
Cooper, who served arsenic commandant of the 123rd Medical Group since 2014, past relinquished the group’s guidon to Bancroft, who bestowed it upon Otto, formally recognizing the transportation of power.
Otto expressed appreciation to his household for their support, and to Cooper for his decades of superior leadership.
“I'd similar to convey you for your tireless enactment these past 30 years, and for the fantabulous illustration that you person set,” Otto said, addressing Cooper directly.
For the Airmen of the 123rd Medical Group, Otto promised a wide way guardant — focused connected ngo accomplishment and unit development.
“As your caller commander, I’m humbled by the caliber of radical present — the warriors that I get to support institution with. Your committedness to this helping arsenic good arsenic to the aesculapian radical is awe-inspiring. You epitomize those Air Force halfway values of integrity first, excellence successful each you bash and work earlier self.
“I americium present to springiness you your direction, to archer you my commander's intent, and past to region obstacles for you to execute those goals,” helium said. “We volition get determination together, and we volition absorption connected the commander's priorities, (which are) threefold. We person a peace-time ngo of aesculapian care. We person a wartime ngo to beryllium acceptable for the adjacent combat — and that could beryllium arsenic soon arsenic tomorrow. And we person a 3rd precedence of processing our Airmen.
“We volition absorption much connected these implicit the coming weeks and months,” helium added. “But for the remainder of today, I'm arrogant and honored to get to observe Col. Cooper.”
Otto holds a bachelor’s grade successful biology from Wright State University, a master’s successful concern medication from the University of Massachusetts and doctorate of medicine from Ohio State University. He is committee certified successful allergy/immunology.
The formation surgeon and doc received his committee successful 1997 done the Health Professions Scholarship Program, and served successful the U.S. Air Force Reserve for the adjacent 4 years portion attending aesculapian school. Upon graduation successful 2001, helium entered progressive work to statesman a three-year interior medicine residency astatine Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Throughout his career, Otto has served successful assorted roles starring superior attraction and specialty clinics, squadrons and deployed expeditionary groups.
In his civilian capacity, Otto is aesculapian manager of objective operations, spouse and practicing allergist/immunologist successful what is present the nation’s 2nd largest allergy/immunology group. He has been recognized annually by Cincinnati Magazine arsenic 1 of the region’s "Top Doctors" since 2013.
The Kentucky Air Guard’s 123rd Medical Group is comprised of much than 100 unit who supply aesculapian enactment to 1,200 Airmen here. The portion besides provides combat enactment to Air Force units worldwide, arsenic good arsenic homeland defence and disaster-response capabilities.
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