Shrewsbury – Army Col. John P. Collins, the son of Dr. John P. Collins, 12 Cider Mill Dr., Shrewsbury, recently assumed command of the 62nd Medical Brigade, Fort Lewis, Wash., and is scheduled to be deployed to Afghanistan early next year.

A 1978 graduate of Holliston High School, Col. Collins has also served as Commander of Winn Army Community Hospital, Fort Stewart, Ga., and as Chief of Staff , at the Western Region Medical Command, during his 26 years of service in the U.S. Army Medical Department.

Col. Collins graduated magna cum laude from Providence College and was a Distinguished Military Graduate of the ROTC program there. He has four graduate degrees including one from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces where he was also designated as a Distinguished Graduate.

A Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, Col. Collins has received numerous awards and decorations, including the Order of Military Medical Merit Medallion, the Parachute Badge and Expert Field Medical Badge.

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