Col. John D. Muther, Topeka, will turn over command of the Kansas National Guard Medical Detachment to Col. Gordon D. Kuntz, Hays, during a change of command ceremony Sunday, June 9. The 10 a.m. ceremony will take place at Salina Army National Guard Armory, 2910 Arnold Ave., Salina, Kan.
“I am very honored to take command of the Kansas Army National Guard Medical Detachment,” said Kuntz. “This unit has consistently demonstrated its ability to provide professional medical support to Kansas Soldiers. The improvements made with the Periodic Health Assessment process have been significant and greatly attributed to Kansas being consistently ranked in the top ten percent nationally for medical readiness. As we move forward, the bar will continue to rise and I am confident the Medical Detachment will meet the challenge.”
“It has been an amazing four years of command,” said Muther. “The Kansas Medical Detachment has met every challenge and set the standard for meeting our medical readiness mission.”
The Medical Detachment is headquartered in Lenexa and is part of Joint Forces Headquarters Kansas-Land Component. The state medical command plans, programs, and provides and sustains health force protection and medical/dental support to meet operational, training and mobilization medical readiness requirements of Army National Guard units and soldiers.
Col. Gordon D. Kuntz
Col. Gordon D. Kuntz entered the United States Army March 10, 1975, completing Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson, S.C. He attended Common Basic Electronics Training for Tactical Microwave Repair at Fort Gordon, Ga., and was stationed at Fort Jackson as a COBET instructor. Kuntz re-enlisted as a patient care specialist in 1978 and was assigned to the pediatrics unit at Madigan Army Medical Center Fort Lewis, Wash. One year later, he completed the patient care specialist course and was assigned to Company B, 1st Medical Battalion, Fort Riley, Kan., until leaving active duty Feb. 29, 1984, with nine years of active duty.
After one year, he joined the Kansas Army National Guard and was assigned as the medical noncommissioned officer at the Kansas Military Academy in Salina, Kan., where he immediately entered Class 30 of the Kansas Officer Candidate School. Upon graduation, Kuntz remained as the medical noncommissioned officer while he completed his nursing education. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the infantry, assigned as a junior tactical officer at the KMA until the time of his direct commission in the Nurse Corps in January 1988, where he served as the nurse/medical officer at the KMA. Other duty assignments included clinical nurse, nurse practitioner, training officer and head nurse for Physical Examination Team B with Detachment 5, Headquarters State Area Command, Lenexa, Kan. Kuntz has served as the executive officer and deputy commander for the Kansas Medical Detachment prior to attending the United States Army War College in July 2006. Upon completion of the War College, he was assigned as the Medical Detachment commander until his deployment as the senior medical nurse with the 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 137th Infantry Regiment to the Horn of Africa in June 2010. His most recent assignment has been the deputy commander for clinical services, Kansas Medical Detachment.
His education includes a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Washburn University, Topeka, Kan., and a Master of Science degree in nursing from Wichita State University. He is a life time member of the National Guard Association of Kansas, a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans and a member of the Kansas State Nurses Association. Kuntz is a graduate of the United States Army War College, Advance Joint Professional Military Education Program and the Medical Strategic Leadership Program. He has over 37 years of military service.
Kuntz’s awards include Meritorious Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal with silver oak leaf cluster, Army Achievement Medal with silver oak leaf cluster and two bronze oak leaf clusters, Good Conduct Medal with bronze clasp, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with silver oak leaf cluster and two bronze oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Ribbon with bronze star, Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terror Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with silver hourglass and M device, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon with numeral two and other awards.
Kuntz is employed as a psychiatric nurse practitioner with High Plains Mental Health Center. He lives in Hays, Kan., with his wife Kara.