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Navy Medicine Support Command Hosts Change of Command, Reorganization

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS120711-15
7/11/2012

From Navy Medicine Support Command Public Affairs

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- The Bureau of Medicine and Surgery's (BUMED) command in charge of Navy Medicine education, training, public health, and human resource management hosted a change of command ceremony July 11 at Naval Air Station Jacksonville's ceremonial hangar.

Navy Medicine Support Command (NMSC) Commander Rear Adm. Eleanor V. Valentin, turned over command of NMSC - renamed the Navy Medicine Education and Training Command (NMETC) during the ceremony - to Capt. Gail L. Hathaway.

Deputy Surgeon General of the Navy and BUMED Deputy Chief Rear Adm. Michael H. Mittelman served as the presiding officer.

Valentin is scheduled to report as implementation director, reporting to the assistant secretary of defense for Health Affairs, Defense Health Agency. Hathaway is reporting from the Medical Education and Training Campus at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas.

Valentin, also the director of the Medical Service Corps, served at the NMSC helm for nearly three years. She remarked during the ceremony on the impact the command has had on Sailors, Marines, Airmen, Soldiers and Coast Guardsmen and their families since its inception.

Nearly 150 service members, and Department of Defense (DoD) and contract employees served at the former NMSC headquarters as NMSC staff members and members of several Navy Medicine-wide program offices.

"This command had a life of only seven years," Valentin said. "But in that time, the original commands grew in prestige and importance in Navy Medicine, demonstrating their indispensable value to not only the U.S. Navy, but to the Military Health System and Department of Defense."

Navy Medicine Support Command, commissioned Nov. 1, 2005, was renamed NMETC during the ceremony, with the former NMSC's responsibilities re-scoping, focusing primarily on the BUMED education and training mission. The realignment of NMSC stems from Navy Surgeon General's vision of streamlining Navy Medicine into a more effective, efficient and responsive organization that improves accountability, and command and control.

Valentin spoke to the nearly 150 distinguished visitors - including the commanding officers of the former NMSC's subordinate commands - on the uniqueness the now-named NMETC perpetuates throughout the BUMED hierarchy, singling out individual organizations during her final address as the NMSC commander.

"It is truly mind boggling what this command does. Its parts comprise the infrastructure that enables Navy Medicine to accomplish its mission to stand always ready to care for those in need, providing world class care, anytime, anywhere," Valentin said.

During her tenure, Valentin had command and control over numerous lower echelon commands including the Navy Medicine Information Systems Support Activity; Navy Medicine Logistics Command; Naval Medical Research Center; Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center; Navy Medicine Professional Development Center; Navy Medicine Operational Training Center; Navy Medicine Training Support Center and Navy Medicine Support Command Reserve Unit.

Valentin also commented on the relationship she shared with the service members, Department of Defense employees and contract workers at the former NMSC headquarters in Jacksonville.

"For the past 34 months - almost three years - I have had the honor and privilege to work with the men and women of the Navy Medicine Support Command," Valentin said. "You have made this the most professionally and personally rewarding assignment of my career. I am humbled by what you have taught me, and I will never forget you."

NMETC and BUMED Detachment Jacksonville are part of the Navy Medicine team, a global health care network of 63,000 Navy medical personnel around the world who provide high-quality health care to more than one million eligible beneficiaries. Navy Medicine personnel deploy with Sailors and Marines worldwide, providing critical mission support aboard ship, in the air, under the sea and on the battlefield.