Colonel Elba M. Villacorta
Public Health Command–Pacific Commander
Colonel Elba M. Villacorta’s most recent assignment was the Deputy Commander for Inpatient Services at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.
Born in San Salvador, El Salvador, COL Villacorta immigrated to the United States when she was six years old, settling in Los Angeles, California. She was commissioned in the Army Nurse Corps in July 1997 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps.
Her civilian education includes a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Southern California in 1997 and a Master of Science in Nursing Administration with a minor in Education and Informatics from the University of Texas Health Science, San Antonio, in 2008. She is a board-certified Operating Room Nurse.
COL Villacorta’s military schools include the AMEDD Officer Basic and Advance Course, Perioperative Nursing Course, Combat Casualty Care Course, the Combined Arms & Services Staff School, resident Command and General Staff College, the Defense Strategy Course, the AMEDD Executive Skills Course, and the AMEDD Pre-Command Course. COL Villacorta is a 2017 graduate of the Army War College with a Master of Strategic Studies.
Her military assignments include USA MEDDAC, Heidelberg, Germany, where she served as a clinical Staff Nurse in a multi-service ward; Madigan Army Medical Center, Washington, serving as a Post-Surgical Staff Nurse and Operating Room Staff Nurse; Brooke Army Medical Center, Texas serving as an Operating Room Staff Nurse. She assumed command of Brook Army Medical Center Delta Company in June 2004. In 2008, she became the Nurse Officer-in-Charge of the Operating Room and Central Material Service at Munson Army Health Center, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; deployed with TF 115th to Camp Cropper, Iraq as the Officer-in-Charge of the Surgical Services from 2008 to 2009 then returned to Munson as the Chief of Perioperative Nursing Services. In July 2010, she was selected to serve at the U.S. Army Human Resources Command at Fort Knox, Kentucky as an Assignment Officer for over 1,000 Lieutenants and later served as the Executive Officer for the 3rd Medical Recruiting Battalion. A Centralized Selection List (CSL) battalion command selectee, she commanded the McAfee US Army Health Clinic, White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, from 2014 to 2016. Afterward, she served as an Arroyo Center Research Fellow in Santa Monica, California, with a follow-on utilization tour at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center as the Surgical Services Line (3SL) Director.
COL Villacorta’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism, Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Meritorious Unit Commendation Award, the Army Superior Unit Award, and the German Proficiency Badge.
She is a member of the Order of Military Medical Merit.
COL Villacorta is married to LTC (Ret) Jason L. Grant. They have one daughter, Maria (MEG).