COL Soliz enlisted in the Army as a Combat Medic in the 1980’s. He later graduated summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physician Assistant Studies and was commissioned into the Army Medical Specialist Corps in 1998. He also holds a Master of Science Degree in Family Medicine from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. His military education includes the AMEDD Officer Basic and Advance Courses and the Army Command and General Staff College.
COL Soliz began his career as a Combat Medic with the 2/187th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, Ft Campbell, KY, were he served as a Front Line Medic, and later Senior Company Line Medic during OPERATION DESERT STORM. In 1992, he graduated on the Commandant’s List from the Practical Nurse Course MOS 91C at Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Ft Gordon, GA. As a Licensed Practical Nurse he was assigned to William Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso, TX and served as a Staff Nurse, Intensive Care Unit and later Hospital Education Nurse Instructor. COL Soliz completed his enlisted career as a senior Non-commissioned Officer: Sergeant First Class/ E-7. From 1996 to 1998 he attended the Army’s PA Training Program as an Officer Candidate starting at Ft. Sam Houston, TX and culminating at Ft. Campbell, KY. Graduating as Honor Graduate he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in February of 1998. His first assignment as a Commissioned Officer was to the 82D Airborne Division, Ft. Bragg, NC and served as Battalion Surgeon for both 1st and 3rd Parachute Infantry Regiments. From July 2001 to July 2002 he returned to Ft. Sam Houston, TX and served as Executive Fellow, Allied Health Staff Officer for the Surgeon General, HQ US Army Medical Command. After completing the fellowship he assumed the position as the Officer-in-Charge, Combat Casualty Care Course (C4), Defense Medical Readiness Training Institute (DMRTI), Camp Bullis, TX. He was then assessed and selected to serve as Flight Surgeon for 3/160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Hunter Army Airfield, GA.
In July 2006 COL Soliz was recruited and selected to serve as the PA to the President of the United States and later the J3, Operations Director as a member of the White House Medical Unit, Washington DC. He served with both the Bush and Obama Administrations until July 2011. COL Soliz was then reassigned to serve as the Deputy Surgeon for Special Operation Command South (Airborne) a joint sub-unified command for SOUTHCOM, located at Homestead Air Reserve Base, FL. He then served as Aide-de Camp to the Army Inspector General, Secretary of the Army Office at the Pentagon. He later served as Chief, Orthopedic Surgery Department, Ft Meade, MD Medical Activity. COL Soliz was then selected to serve in a combat arms immaterial position as the Chief, Strategic Engagements Branch, CG’s Commander’s Action Group (CAG), US Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A) in Kabul and then stayed in theater for a follow-on position as Director, Prehospital Care for CENTCOMs Joint Theater Trauma System (JTTS) in Bagram, Afghanistan. COL Soliz previous position was as the Commander of the California Medical Detachment, Monterey, CA.
Participating in multiple deployment operations throughout his career, his combat operations included OPERATION DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM, OPERATION PROVIDE COMFORT, OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM, and supported various worldwide joint special operations contingencies.
Acknowledgments: This biography was written by LTC Amelia Duran-Stanton, MAJ Patrick Walsh, and COL Bill Soliz and was submitted to the Society in September 2017. Photographs are courtesy of COL Soliz.
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Disclaimer: The authors’ views do not reflect the official policy of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.
