Joel Schofer's Career Planning Blog

A Message from the Acting Surgeon General – Nautical Headings: Executive Rudder + FY24 Campaign Order + SORM

Posted on October 11, 2023 Updated on October 7, 2023

Shipmates,

With Fiscal Year 2023 now closed out, the work that began under RADM Gillingham continues unabated as we move into FY24.  Because of the exceptional dedication, professionalism, and enduring commitment to the principles of “Get Real, Get Better” all our One Navy Medicine Team, together, have made tremendous strides towards achieving our North Star:

Navy Medicine will deliver manned, trained, equipped, maintained, sustained, and certified medical units to provide enduring support to the Fleet, Fleet Marine Force, and Joint Forces in high-end competition, crisis, and combat. Navy Medicine will be organized to facilitate all phases of Force Development, Force Generation, Force Preservation, and full restoration of the warfighter.

(1) Executive Rudder:

As Acting Surgeon General, I will continue on our same course and speed, focusing on four distinct Lines of Effort to achieve our North Star objectives:

1) Delivering Expeditionary Medicine (EXMEDs) Capabilities

2) Increasing Deployability

3) Providing Quality Healthcare Across the Naval Forces

4) Recruiting and Retaining Navy Medicine Shipmates 

Our Expeditionary Medical (EXMED) capabilities are the platforms we use to accomplish our mission.  Increasing deployability ensures we have Sailors and Marines healthy, ready and on the job, and that we eliminate any medical administrative barriers prolonging recovery.   Providing Quality Healthcare Across the Naval Forces is what we do – regardless of being aboard a ship, serving in the field, or in an MTF – we owe our very best to our warfighters.  Our officers and enlisted Sailors – active and reserve – and civilians, are truly our most vital assets. We must recruit and retain our Navy Medicine Shipmates – it’s our People who make the mission happen!

Learn more by reading my 8-page “Executive Rudder”: https://esportal.med.navy.mil/bumed/Documents/Rudder.pdf

(2) Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Campaign Order:

Last year, we published our first Campaign Order to prepare and posture Navy Medicine for sustained medical support in high-intensity combat operations.  This year, we continue to build upon that good work, and the FY24 Campaign Order details specific actions we will take to align our people and our platforms to enhance warfighter health, wellness, and performance.  The order spells out concrete and measurable tasks that advance and strengthen the Naval Medical Enterprise as we embrace a “Get Real, Get Better” mindset to achieve our North Star.

Executing these crucial actions through this order ensures we have the right people, with the right skills, training, and equipment, to prevent warfighter injury, and to save warfighter lives.  Learn more about the FY24 Campaign Order by clicking here: https://esportal.med.navy.mil/bumed/CampaignOrder/

(3) Standard Organization and Regulations Manual (SORM):

As outlined in our North Star, Navy Medicine will be organized to facilitate all phases of Force Development, Force Generation, Force Preservation, and full restoration of the warfighter.  To help facilitate that organization, the third strategic document is our recently signed Standard Organization and Regulations Manual (SORM), which provides straightforward descriptions of how Navy Medicine’s headquarters is structured to support our Echelon III, IV, and V Commands, the Fleet, Fleet Marine Force, and Joint Forces.

As we sail into year two of our five-year campaign plan, we are well on our way to modernizing our culture and organization.  Last year, we set up our Maritime Headquarters (MHQ) and Maritime Operations Center (MOC) structures at our Echelon 2 and 3 Commands.  These changes have enhanced our problem-solving ability and greatly increased our speed to decision across the entire enterprise.

We have codified these improvements with an updated Standard Organization and Regulations Manual (SORM).  This document provides clear descriptions of how Navy Medicine’s headquarters is organized.  The revised SORM will drive additional actions throughout command echelons as position descriptions are updated to reflect N-code structures and ensure we’re properly staffed to do our mission.  To learn more about the SORM visit: https://esportal.med.navy.mil/bumed/SORM/

Each of these documents (Executive Rudder // FY24 Campaign Order // SORM) supports our nautical headings as we support the National Defense Strategy at ALL Levels of our organization 

Keep up the outstanding work, thank you for what you do every day, and I look forward to seeing you in the Fleet.

V/R,

ASG

RDML Darin Via, MC, USN

Acting Surgeon General

Acting Chief of BUMED