The 7238th Medical Support Unit handed over its responsibilities to the 7248th Medical Support Unit during a transfer of authority ceremony held Thursday, July 17, at the Stayton Theater, marking a significant transition in military healthcare support.

The ceremony began with the 7238th Medical Support Unit proudly attaching the Army Safety Excellence Award streamer to its guidon. This streamer shows their strong commitment to preventing accidents and managing risks. A unit earns this award by completing 12 consecutive months without a Soldier/unit-at-fault Class A or B accident and achieve 100 percent completion of Composite Risk Management (CRM) training and complete the Army Readiness Assessment Program (ARAP). The streamer can be displayed for one year, after which the unit must prove its excellent safety record again to retain the award.

After the streamer was attached, the transfer of authority began with 7238th MSU leadership casing their flag and guidon, signifying completion of their mission.

“To William Beaumont Army Medical Center leadership and staff, thank you for your support,” said Lt. Col. Jehovanna C. Torrespollard, commander of 7238th MSU, in an outgoing speech. “Thank you for the seamless transition and your continued support. Thank you for your professionalism and the spirit of collaboration because here at Fort Bliss, we are one team.”

The outgoing 7238th Medical Support Unit, part of the U.S. Army Reserves Medical Command (AR-MEDCOM), completed a highly successful tour. From August 2024 to July 2025, the unit expertly validated over 46,000 Soldiers through the Fort Bliss Soldier Readiness Processing Center, ensuring they were medically fit for duty. They also worked together with the 5th Armored Brigade to greatly improve the process for approving Line of Duty (LOD) reports, boosting the completion rate from 45 percent to an impressive 95 percent and finishing most cases in less than 24 hours.

"To every Soldier present here or still working, your efforts of excellence have not gone unnoticed,” said Torrespollard. “You have met shifting demands with professionalism, you have adapted to ambiguity and you're ready, resilient and reliable every day, even in the worsts days, you were there, and I'm very proud of you. I urge you to continue leading from where you stand, with vigilance, discipline and care for each other. Finally, I thank you for allowing me to serve alongside you and please press forward with care, with courage, and with pride."

Lt. Col. Abraham Neth, commander of the 7248th MSU, then took the stage to provide a speech, in which he thanked the WBAMC for their support. He also pledged his commitment to the mission and his Soldiers.
“I want our team to be a high-performing team,” said Neth. “I am looking forward to the next year. I am proud to serve and it’s a real honor.”

The incoming 7248th Medical Support Unit, also with AR-MEDCOM, is local to El Paso, Texas, and according to Neth, about 60 percent of their Soldiers are native El Pasoans. The unit will continue the vital mission of the SRPC, which is to check and confirm that service members, government workers, and contractors are medically and dentally ready for deployment. The unit will also manage the Troop Medical Clinic, which provides sick-call procedures, emergency care, and referrals to places like the Soldier Family Medical Clinic and Chambers Dental Clinic, as well as conducting important health exams for service members leaving the military, which is called the Separation Health and Physical Examination (SHPE).

After Neth’s speech, he and his senior-enlisted advisor uncased and unfurled their unit guidon, signifying the start of their mission at Fort Bliss. The ceremony then completed with the singing of the U.S. Army song.

Photo by: Amabilia Payen
Caption: The 7238th MSU is originally from Fort Hamilton, in Brooklyn, New York and will return to their home station.
First Sgt. Lenin Ramirez and Lt. Col. Jehovanna C. Torrespollard, leadership to the 7238th Medical Support Unit, Army Reserves Medical Command (AR-MEDCOM), attach the U.S. Army’s Safety Award streamer onto their unit’s guidon, on July 17, during a transfer of authority ceremony in Stayton Theater. To earn the streamer, units must complete 12 consecutive months without a Soldier/unit-at-fault Class A or B accident and achieve 100 percent completion of Composite Risk Management (CRM) training and complete the Army Readiness Assessment Program (ARAP).