LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- Col. Elizabeth Beal relinquished command of the 19th Medical Group to Col. Elizabeth Hoettels during a change of command ceremony at Little Rock Air Force Base, July 15, 2024.
Col. Denny Davies, 19th Airlift Wing Commander, presided over the ceremony attended by families, friends, members of the 19th MDG and representatives across Herk Nation.
During her time with the 19th MDG, Beal oversaw the healthcare services for over 12,000 military personnel and over 44,000 non active duty beneficiaries in Arkansas while ensuring the readiness and capability of medical professionals supporting the wing.
Now Team Little Rock is welcoming Col. Elizabeth Hoettels who previously served as the Commander of the Inpatient Operations Squadron at the 673rd MDG, Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska.
Hoettels was responsible for 170 active duty and Veterans Affairs personnel in a joint venture operation in her former role, executing a $17.9 million operating budget and certifying military readiness to support active worldwide deployment and humanitarian missions.
After graduating from Marquette University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations in 1998, Hoettels commissioned into the United States Army Reserves and served eight years as a Medical Service Corps officer. In 2005, Hoettels received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Virginia Commonwealth University and commissioned into the United States Air Force.
With more than more than 25 years of service in the United States military, Hoettels is joining Team Little Rock with diverse career experiences including serving on the Public Health Team of the Coalition Joint Civil Military Operations Task Force in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, serving as a critical care nurse in the Expeditionary Medical Group in Balad, Iraq to support IRAQI FREEDOM and serving on the inaugural Ground Surgical Team to the Horn of Africa in support of Naval Special Warfare operations.