Two medical squadrons welcome new leaders Published Aug. 17, 2010 By Steve Pivnick 81st Medical Group Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Two 81st Medical Group squadrons have new leaders. Col. (Dr.) Nicholas Miniotis succeeded Col. (Dr.) John Embry as commander of the 81st Dental Squadron Aug. 11. Col. Julia Stoshak assumed command of the 81st Medical Operations Squadron Aug. 12. Colonel Miniotis previously served at Keesler from June 1999-August 2004. Prior to his current assignment, Colonel Miniotis commanded the 3rd DS at Elmendorf Air Force Base where he also served on the 3rd MDG staff and commanded the Expeditionary Medical Support+10 field hospital. Colonel Embry retired after more than 40 years of federal service, 20 of them with the Air Force. He and his wife Dee reside in Ocean Springs. Colonel Stoshak's leadership experiences include element leader, three-time flight commander and squadron command, having stood up the 366th Surgical Operations Squadron at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, prior to being assigned to Keesler. She recently deployed to Afghan-istan where she worked with a Navy medical embedded training team mentoring Afghan nurses at the Afghan National Police Hospital in Kabul. She has worked primarily in inpatient services but has also led a primary care flight as well as served as health-care integrator and in quality services. Colonel Stoshak replaced Col. Jane Denton who left last month to command the 319th MDG, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.