The Utah Army National Guard Medical Command is scheduled to conduct a change of command Saturday, May 3, at 3:45 at the Lundell Readiness Center auditorium here followed by a retirement ceremony for its former commander. At the ceremony, Col. Bryce J. Taggart, commander of the Utah Medical Command, will relinquish command to Lt. Col. David J. Coates as his final official act prior to retirement from the Utah National Guard after 25 years of service. Taggart, of Lehi, has commanded the Utah Medical Command since October 2012. During his command the medical readiness for Utah National
The Utah Army National Guard Medical Command is scheduled to conduct a change of command Saturday, May 3, at 3:45 at the Lundell Readiness Center auditorium here followed by a retirement ceremony for its former commander. At the ceremony, Col. Bryce J. Taggart, commander of the Utah Medical Command, will relinquish command to Lt. Col. David J. Coates as his final official act prior to retirement from the Utah National Guard after 25 years of service. Taggart, of Lehi, has commanded the Utah Medical Command since October 2012. During his command the medical readiness for Utah National Guard forces increased from 83% to an 89%. He also established many medical standard operating procedures and implemented the clinical quality management program to ensure the sustained excellence of the unit. He has served in a multitude of important military assignments in his career that include deputy commander, Utah Medical Command; battalion commander, 2nd Battalion, 640th Regiment, Regional Training Institute; chief, Compliance Branch, Environmental Division, G4, National Guard Bureau; chief, Officer Personnel Branch, G1, Utah Joint Forces Headquarters; and commander, Headquarters Company, Utah State Area Command. Taggart deployed to Iraq from 2010-2011 in support of United States Forces Iraq, J7, engineers, where he served as deputy commander and was responsible for closing the 100 largest bases in Iraq. Coates, a South Jordan resident, is currently serving as state dental officer, Dental Section, Utah Medical Command. He has deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006 and Operation Enduring Freedom in 2010. A 1995 graduate of the University of Utah, Coates currently owns and operates a successful dental practice in South Jordan, Utah. With his new assignment, Coates will assume command of the 94-member unit with responsibility to provide medical support to the over 5,500 Utah National Guard servicemembers throughout the state.
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