NATCHITOCHES – In continuing its tradition of honoring those who serve in the nation’s Armed Forces, Northwestern State University named Colonel Aristotle Vaseliades the honorary captain during its final home football game of the season on November 19.

Vaseliades was born and raised in Gulfport, Florida, and is a 1997 graduate of Florida Southern College where he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Medical Service Corps. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Chemistry and a Master’s in Healthcare Administration from Baylor University.

His previous assignments include Deputy Commanding Officer, Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Executive Officer/Chief of Staff, 65th Medical Brigade/Medical Activity Korea, Camp Humphreys, Korea; Deputy Commander for Administration, 121st Combat Support Hospital/Brian-Allgood Army Community Hospital, Seoul, Korea; Commander, Ansbach Army Health Clinic, Ansbach, Germany; Deputy Commander for Administration, SHAPE and Brussels Healthcare Facilities, SHAPE, Belgium; Executive Officer Healthcare Delivery and Patient Care Integration, Office of the Surgeon General, Falls Church, Virginia; Army Fellow, Humana Inc., Miramar, Fla.; Administrative Resident, Deputy Chief of Managed Care, and Chief Clinical Support Division, Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii; Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment Commander, 21st Combat Support Hospital, Fort Hood, Texas; S-6, 1st Medical Brigade, Fort Hood; Chief Information Management, Managed Care/ Patient Administration, Rader Army Health Clinic, Fort Myer, Virginia.

Vaseliades’ combat deployments include Alpha Company Commander, 21st Combat Support Hospital, Operation Enduring Freedom (2002); Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment Commander and S-4, 21st Combat Support Hospital, Operation Iraqi Freedom serving in Balad and Mosul, Iraq (2003).

His military education includes the Army Medical Department Officers Basic and Advanced Course, Command and General Staff College, Signal Officer Advanced Course, Medical Information Management Course, NATO Staff Officer Course, AMEDD Pre-Command Course, AMEDD Executive Skills Course, Brigade Pre-Command Course, Senior Officer Legal Orientation Course, Joint Medical Executive Skills Institute Capstone Course for Military Health System Leaders, the Unit Movement Officer Course and the US Army War College.

His military awards include the Bronze Star, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (with five oak leaf clusters), the Army Commendation Medal (with two oak leaf clusters and V Device), the Army Achievement Medal (with two oak leaf clusters), National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Humanitarian Service Medal and the overseas ribbon (5th Award). He is a member of the Order of Military Medical Merit and holds the Expert Field Medical Badge, the Army Staff Officer Identification Badge and the German Proficiency Badge (Silver).

Vaseliades is a board-certified Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE). He also serves as the chair for the Army’s Regional Advisory Council Congress and Education Committee.

Vaseliades was escorted on field by Dr. Marcus Jones, President of Northwestern State University, and Lieutenant Colonel Josh Drake, Northwestern’s Professor of Military Science.