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JOEL T. AKE
Joel Thomas Ake of Williamsburg, son of Tom and Rosamond Ake, retired from the Army Reserve on June 1, 2025, at the rank of lieutenant colonel, after a 32-year career.
Mr. Ake enlisted in the Army Reserve in May 1993. After completing training at Fort Jackson South Carolina and Fort Sam Houston Texas, he served as a 91B, Combat Medical Specialist, assigned to 1/314th Infantry Battalion (Mechanized), 157th Infantry Brigade, Lock Haven.
In 1995, Spec.Ake transferred to the 298th Maintenance Company, Altoona, completing Phase I and II, 45B Small Arms and Artillery Repair Specialist school at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland, in 1996. This same year, he graduated from Saint Francis University, Loretto, with a bachelor of science in nursing. After his promotion to sergeant, he served as Unit Armorer and Arms Repair Section Team Leader.
Sgt. Ake remained with the 298th Maintenance Company until 2000, when he received a direct commission as 2nd Lieutenant, Army Nurse Corps, 66H Medical Surgical Nurse. 2LT Ake then served with the 339th Combat Support Hospital, 8th Med Brigade, Coraopolis, as 66H Medical Surgical Nurse, and completed the Officer Basic Course in 2001. In 2002, 2LT Ake was mobilized as part of a 125 Soldier task force to support Operation Enduring Freedom, Expeditionary Forces, Afghanistan, under the 44th Medical Brigade, where he helped establish and operate the first modular 44 bed Combat Support Hospital of OEF, at Bagram. During this deployment, he was promoted to first lieutenant.
1LT Ake completed the Captain's Career Course in 2005. During his tenure at the 339th he was promoted to captain and participated in multiple training exercises and missions, including two overseas Medical Readiness Training Exercises (MEDRETE) in the Dominican Republic and Honduras, where his team provided medical care for more than 2,000 local civilians in remote areas. In 2012, he was promoted to the rank of major, and transferred to the 7301st Medical Training Support Battalion, Medical Readiness Training Command, serving in the role of Observer Controller/Trainer. Maj. Ake worked in increasing roles of responsibility, participating in multiple training exercises including Global Medic, Regional Medic and Guardian Response.
Maj. Ake completed the Command and General Staff Officers Course in 2015 and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in October 2018. In the summer of 2021, Lt. Col. Ake was chosen to instruct Army personnel mobilized on Medical Assistance Teams in response to COVID-19. In October 2021, he was selected to serve as Battalion Team Chief, Health Service Support. Since 2018, Ake has served in various roles including Observer Controller/Trainer, Exercise Scenario Officer and Lead OC/T in multiple Guardian Response exercises held at Camp Atterbury Indiana, where active-duty Army units train for Homeland Security response.
Ake concluded his career June 1, 2025, after 32 years of service. His awards include five Army Achievement Medals, five Army Commendation Medals and the Meritorious Service Medal.
Ake holds a bachelor of science degree in psychology from Penn State and a bachelor of nursing degree from Saint Francis University.
He is married with two children and retired in 2021 from the State Correctional Institution, Huntingdon, after serving 21 years as a registered nurse.
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