Leadership
COL Daniel Bridon
Colonel Dan Bridon was commissioned in the Medical Service Corps as a Distinguished Military Graduate from Canisius College, Buffalo, NY. COL Bridon’s previous position was the Chief, Portfolio and Resource Management Division, Chief Information Officer (CIO)/J-6, Defense Health Agency (DHA) at Defense Health Headquarters, Falls Church, VA.
Previous assignments include: Chief, Data Processing Center and Information Systems Security Officer at BAMC Information Management Division, DISCOM Medical Planner and Charlie Company XO, 710th Main Support Battalion, 10th Mountain Division (LI), Fort Drum, NY; Company Commander, HHC, USAMEDCOM, Fort Sam Houston, TX; CIO, Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital, Fort Polk, LA; G-6, 30th Medical Command, Heidelberg, Germany; CIO, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany; Chief, Systems Integration Branch, Solution Delivery Division, Health IT Directorate, DHA, CIO/G-6, U.S. Army Medical Department Center and School, Medical Center of Excellence (AMEDDCS MCoE), Joint Base San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston, TX; and Battalion Commander, Troop Command – Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, Fort Belvoir, VA.
COL Bridon operational experience includes: Officer-In-Charge (OIC), AMEDD Board Telemedicine Research Project, Germany and Bosnia, 1997; OIC, Telemedicine, Joint Task Force Aguila in El Salvador, 1998; Division Medical Evacuation Officer, Task Force Eagle (10th MTN DIV(LI)) in Tuzla, Bosnia, 1999-2000; S6, 10th Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad, Operation Iraqi Freedom, 2005-06; and Theater Medical Command G6, 30th MEDCOM in Bagram, Operation Enduring Freedom, 2009-10.
COL Bridon’s military education includes: Command and General Staff College; a US Army War College Fellowship at the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Washington DC; and he is a Defense Acquisition University (DAU) Certified Acquisition Professional. COL Bridon’s civilian education includes a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology/Pre-Medicine from Canisius College, the US Army - Baylor Master’s Program in Healthcare Administration, and a Master of Science in Information Technology from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
His awards and decorations include: Bronze Star Medal (1 OLC), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (4 OLC), Expert Field Medical Badge, Air Assault Badge, and the 2010 U.S. Army Medical Department Mercury Award for Information Management/Information Technology (IM/IT) Officer of the Year, for accomplishments in Afghanistan and Europe.
CSM Jose Cotto
CSM Jose L. Cotto was born in Tacoma, WA and entered reserve service on 14 February 2000 as a Multi-channel Repairer/ Maintainer. He completed Basic Combat Training at Ft Benning, GA and Advanced Individual Training at Ft Gordon, GA. He entered active service on 14 June 2002 as a Medical Laboratory Technician. He completed his second Advanced Individual Training at Ft Sam Houston, TX (phase 1) and Walter Reed Army Medical Center (phase 2).
CSM Cotto's assignments include: 1st Area Medical Laboratory (AML) SGM; United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease (USAMRIID) S3 NCOIC, Ft Detrick, MD; Chief Enlisted Subject Matter Expert, Directorate of Training and Academic Affairs (DoTAA); Center for Health Education and Training (CHET) Department of Health Service Support NCOIC, AMEDD C&S, San Antonio, TX; Detachment Sergeant, 421st Medical Battalion (Multifunctional), Baumholder, DE; Plans NCO, 421st Medical Battalion (Multifunctional), Baumholder, DE; Instructor/ Writer, Chemistry Section NCOIC, AMEDD C&S, San Antonio, TX; Chemical Section NCOIC, 1st Area Medical Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD; Blood Bank NCOIC, Ft Bliss, TX; Donor Center NCOIC, Ft Bliss, TX; Donor Center Specialist, Ft Bliss, TX; He deployed with 31st Combat Support Hospital to Operation Iraqi Freedom from January 2004 to December 2004.
His military education includes the General Dynamics Course, Multichannel Repairer Maintainer Course, Medical Laboratory Technician Course, Air Assault Course, Instructor Training Course, Evaluating Instructor Course (TIER 3), Functional Training Development Course, Retention Course, Small Arms Master Marksman Course, Primary Leadership Development Course, Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Course, Sergeants Major Academy (Class 69). His civilian education includes a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences from Trident University and Masters in Healthcare Administration from Park University.
His awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with silver Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Superior Unit Award, Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Good Conduct Medal (4th Award), National Defense Service Medal, GWOT Service Medal, GWOT Expeditionary Medal, Combat Action Badge, Air Assault Badge, Expert Field Medical Badge, Drivers Badge, and member of the Order Of Military Medical Merit.