Chief of Staff & Deputy Commander for Administration

Colonel Ivan D. Speights, Sr. was commissioned through the U.S. Army Reserve Officers Training Corps in 1987 and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from Hampton Institute University in 1988. He later earned his Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration in 1997 from Baylor University, and in 2003 he graduated from the Army Command and General Staff College.

Colonel Speights is honored to serve as the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, Deputy Commander for Administration (DCA) and Chief of Staff. Prior to his assignment to CRDAMC he served as the Senior Health Policy Officer, at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. In 2009, he served as the Deputy Commander of Administration of Bavaria Medical Department Activity, Vilseck, Germany; in 2007, he was the Commander of the U.S. Army Health Clinic, at Mannheim, Germany. In 2004, Col. Speights served as the Chief of the Medical Command Strategic Planning Branch, at Fort Sam Houston, Texas; and in 2002 he was selected as the Program Manager overseeing the TRICARE Lead Agent (Region 5) Provider Relations and Claims Processing, at the Pentagon, in Virginia.

His military awards and distinctions include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal with one bronze star, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon with number 2 device, Air Assault Badge, Expert Field Medical Badge, Parachute Badge and Army Staff Identification Badge.

Col. Speights is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), a Fellow of the San Antonio African American Leadership Institute, a member of various Silver Caduceus Societies, and recently he served as the chapter president of the Europe Chapter of the ROCKS, Inc., a non–profit mentorship organization.