Meet Lt. Col. Poitinger Published July 12, 2011 By 2nd Lt. Melanie Holliday 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The love of camaraderie led this Airman from one fraternity to another. "Being in the Air Force is almost like being part of another fraternity," said Lt. Col. Kevin Poitinger, 325th Medical Operations Squadron commander. "You meet so many different types of people and you always have someone there you can count on." Colonel Poitinger replaced Lt. Col. Dana James as the 325th MDOS commander June 24. Born in Toledo, Ohio, Colonel Poitinger knew from a young age he wanted to go into a career field involving science. "In high school I really liked all my science classes," he said. "I felt like I could bring something different to the table, so I decided to go to nursing school." Colonel Poitinger enrolled in the nursing program at the University of Toledo. During college, he was a member of the Ohio Iota Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. "I learned a lot of leadership traits from being part of a fraternity," Colonel Poitinger said. "I learned what traits were good to have and which traits weren't so good." He also played intramural sports during college. "I enjoyed playing intramural sports for my fraternity," he said. "I played everything. I was even voted UT's Intramural Athlete of the Year." In 1989, Colonel Poitinger was one of just eight men of out of the 180 students to graduate from the University of Toledo's School of Nursing. After working in the nursing field for a few years, Colonel Poitinger decided it was time for a change. He received a direct commission in 1990 and went on to his first assignment, Wilford Hall Medical Center, at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Since his first assignment Colonel Poitinger has been assigned to Scott Air Force Base, Ill., the Air Force Academy, Colo., Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio and Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. During his last assignment, Colonel Poitinger served as chief nurse for the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron at Pope Field, N.C. Colonel Poitinger and his wife Tammy have two daughters, Autumn, 16 and Lauren 14, and a son Kent, 9.