Martin Army Hospital commander leaving Fort Benning for post at Fort Knox

More than two months after breaking ground on a new hospital, Army Col. Koji Nishimura is leaving Martin Army Community Hospital and his command of the Fort Benning Army Medical Department Activity.

 Nishimura, who is a family practice physician, will turn over his duties to Col. Timothy Lamb during a July 13 ceremony on Soldier Field at the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center. Nishimura has been assigned as a senior medical adviser at the Accessions Command, Fort Knox, Ky.

 On April 29, Nishimura joined other medical personnel, the Army’s surgeon general Lt. Gen. Eric Schoomaker, and U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop to break ground on a $350 million new hospital on Bass Road. The 70-bed facility will replace the 53-year old hospital on Marne Road, one of the Army’s oldest. It is expected to see its first patients by September 2014.

 Serving at Fort Benning for two years, Nishimura played a key role in coordinating the needs of patients in the new hospital. The plumbing, heating and electrical systems break down frequently at Martin Army and there are no spare parts available.

 Nishimura was unavailable for comment Wednesday.

Lamb moves to Fort Benning after serving as director of logistics, office of the surgeon general, Falls Church, Va.

 A native of Portsmouth, Va., he received a bachelor of arts degree in 1983 from Norfolk State University and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army’s Medical Service Corps.

 Since 1984, Lamb’s career has included assignments at Fort Campbell, Ky., Panama during Operation Just Cause, the Pentagon in Washington, Fort Bragg, N.C. and Heidelberg, Germany,

Among his awards, Lamb has received the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, Expert Field Medical Badge, Airborne Badge, the Order of Military Medical Merit and others.     

 

This story was originally published July 6, 2011 at 5:05 PM with the headline "Martin Army Hospital commander leaving Fort Benning for post at Fort Knox."