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News | June 15, 2018

Medical director says farewell after three decades of service

By Shaun Eagan DLA Troop Support Public Affairs

The Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support Medical supply chain director was recognized during a retirement ceremony June 13.

Army Col. Alex Zotomayor retired after 30 years of service.

Richard Ellis, DLA Troop Support deputy commander, presided over the ceremony and commended Zotomayor’s dedication and commitment to his country and the Army as key factors to his success.

“Even as times have changed over the past few decades, your commitment to service and leading the people under you have been a staple of your proud military service,” Ellis said.

Zotomayor held numerous positions in the Army medical community during his career, including two assignments at DLA Troop Support and deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Honduras, Kuwait and Egypt.

“The experiences, assignments, people and the missions I was performing, along with the type of individual that I was, were part of the growth that I had as an Army officer,” Zotomayor said. “It’s part of who you see here today.”

Zotomayor was born in the Philippines and raised in Chicago. In 1988, he earned his commission as a second lieutenant in the Medical Services Corps through the Army ROTC at Loyola University of Chicago and endured personal hardships during the course of his career.

“Twenty years ago, my father passed away and then 30 days after that my older brother passed away,” Zotomayor recalled. “Those two events made me realize that life is too short to worry about the little things in life, and that I should look towards the more positive aspects of whatever situation I may be in.”

Zotomayor thanked his family, friends and colleagues for their support and hinted at what his post-military life would consist of.

“People keep asking me what am I going to do next, and my response to that is one word: nothing,” Zotomayor said. “Where does that take me beyond that? I don’t know, and that’s okay.”