(Photo: Col. Kremers is pictured with his daughter, Clara, and son, George, during his retirement ceremony on Oct. 18)
After more than three decades of military service, including deployments overseas, leadership roles in the Arkansas National Guard and a history-making promotion, Col. Eric T. Kremers is preparing to close a distinguished chapter of his life.
Kremers, who serves as science lab manager for the Wilson Science Center at University of the Ozarks and as an instructor in the University’s health science promotion and exercise science programs, will officially retire from the military on Nov. 1, 2026, concluding a 31-year career marked by service, leadership and achievement.
His military career was celebrated Oct. 18 during a special retirement ceremony hosted by the Arkansas Medical Readiness Detachment at Camp Robinson in North Little Rock. More than 200 people attended the event, including family members, friends and numerous soldiers who had served under his command.
“It was pretty special to have so many friends and families and people there I served with,” Kremers said. “What made it even more special was having two of my three children there, including Clara, who is in the National Guard. To have her there in her uniform was especially meaningful.”
The ceremony also brought an unexpected honor for Kremers, who spent much of his military career as a Medical Service Corps officer. He was presented with the prestigious Order of Military Medical Merit, an award bestowed by the U.S. Army Medical Department on individuals who demonstrate “high integrity, moral character, and sustained contributions to Army Medicine.”
“To receive the Order of Military Medical Merit was really quite an honor,” Kremers said. “To know that they give out only a few of those each year, across all of the military branches of service, was pretty significant. I’d always heard about that award, but it’s not something you even dream about receiving. To get that honor as I’m wrapping up my military career just made it even more special.”
The recognition was a fitting tribute to a career that included breaking new ground within the National Guard. In 2021, Kremers became the first science officer in National Guard history to be promoted to the rank of colonel. The historic promotion followed his return to active duty in 2020 and 2021, when he helped lead the state’s Covid testing and vaccination distribution operations.
Kremers’ efforts during the Covid crisis helped the state at the time receive the top ranking in health equity by the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
“Governor [Asa] Hutchinson wanted to handle the vaccination distribution as equitable as possible and that’s what we tried to do,” Kremers said. “We tried to have even distribution across all counties and to not play favorites to certain parts of the state, even though there was some pressure to do that. I was fortunate to have a good team working under me and we were able to accomplish the governor’s intent.”
For Kremers, the journey to earning colonel began decades earlier, when he was a ninth-grade student in Clarksville with aspirations of serving his country.
“I knew I wanted to serve in the military from a pretty young age,” Kremers said. “There was no doubt that that was going to be something I would do.”
A 1995 graduate of Clarksville High School, Kremers enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves as a combat engineer just a month after his 18th birthday. He earned his commission as a Medical Service Corps officer in 2000, and three years later found himself serving as a platoon leader during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Kremers continued on active duty until 2013, when he transitioned back to the National Guard, beginning another chapter of military service that would ultimately culminate in his historic promotion and retirement as a colonel.
Kremers has a doctorate in public health with a specialized track in disaster response from the Uniformed Services University in Washington, D.C.
He previously served as the chief of health physics and installation radiation safety officer at Ft. Hood, Texas. In 2005 he was assigned to the 72nd Civil Support Team (WMD) in the Nebraska Army National Guard as the science officer and subsequent deputy commander. While there, his operational missions included presidential inaugurations, Olympic swim trials, Hurricanes Ike and Katrina, Super Bowls, College World Series, and the Great Plains Flood of 2010.
His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster, Army Achievement Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters, Air Force Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal with 4 oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and the Iraq Campaign Medal.
“I’ve been very fortunate in my career,” Kremers said. “I’ve worked with and around a lot of great people and the stars aligned just right for me. I leave the service with a lot of gratitude and appreciation.”
Kremers has three children—Clara, Genevieve and George— and his parents, Tom and Coleen Kremers, reside in Clarksville.
Topics: Faculty Spotlights