Redstone reminds battalion’s new leader of her home
Lt. Col. Susan “Andi” Tallman assumed command of the 2nd Medical Recruiting Battalion, the Gladiators, in a ceremony Friday. She succeeded Col. Warren Stewart, commander the past two years.
By Skip Vaughn Rocket editor skip.vaughn@theredstonerocket.com / Published June 19, 2019
The top-ranked battalion in the Medical Recruiting Brigade has a new commander.
Lt. Col. Susan “Andi” Tallman assumed command of the 2nd Medical Recruiting Battalion, the Gladiators, in a ceremony Friday. She succeeded Col. Warren Stewart, commander the past two years.
Stewart is leaving after receiving a prestigious Harvard senior service college fellowship. He was selected for the National Security Fellowship Program and will now attend the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
“It’s been quite a ride,” Stewart said of his two years in command.
Col. Edward Mandril, commander of the Medical Recruiting Brigade, gave him the Meritorious Service Medal for his service as commander since July 2017. Stewart’s wife, Lori, received a spouse appreciation certificate and a coin of excellence.
“Lori is the reason I’ve been successful,” Stewart said.
Tallman, 42, from Huntington, West Virginia, last served as chief of the enlisted personnel proponent division at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. She was a recruiter from 2004-06 in Huntington. She served with the Health Services Directorate, Army Recruiting Command, Fort Knox, Kentucky, from 2006-08 as the medical service corps program manager.
“It’s a privilege to command and I will tell you God has blessed me abundantly,” she said. “I would not be standing here without my faith.”
She and her husband, Maj. Travis Tallman of South Charleston, West Virginia, have three daughters, Shelby, Abygail and Mia.
This is her first assignment at Redstone Arsenal.
“It reminds me of home,” Tallman said. “I love it. It reminds me of West Virginia.”
Tallman received her commission from Marshall University in 2002. She said her husband gave her the nickname, Andi, in college.
The 2nd Medical Recruiting Battalion has 125 Soldiers and 18 civilians. It includes companies based in Nashville, Atlanta and Orlando. In 2015, the mission for chaplain recruiting was assigned to the AMEDD brigade. The Southeast Chaplain Recruiting Team, under the 2nd Medical Recruiting Battalion, is located just outside of Atlanta in Morrow, Georgia.
