A Message from the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs
Colleagues,
I am deeply concerned by the news from Israel over the past few days, as I am sure you are, too. As I follow reports of the continuing conflict and take in the horrific images of war, I can’t help but think of our solemn responsibility for readiness. What’s happening now in Israel is a stark reminder that peace can turn to war in the blink of an eye, that vigilance must be constant, and that we must be ready, at all times, in all places, to carry out the defense of our country.
What this means for us is a renewed understanding of and emphasis on readiness – the readiness of our forces to meet the physical, psychological, and emotional demands of conflict and the readiness of our medical providers to take care of them. Everything we do is oriented to that mission, that sacred trust those who serve our nation have placed in us.
I renew my commitment to all of you and to all we serve to bring the very best I have to this job every day, and I know I can count on you to do the same. The challenge is real and is not going away. We must be even more resolute in every decision we make and every action we take to help our people be stronger, healthier, and ready for whatever we must face.
Very Respectfully,
Lester
Lester Martinez-López, M.D., M.P.H.
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs
High Reliability Organization (HRO) Live Event with CAPT (ret) Mark Brouker
On behalf of RDML Matthew Case and the High Reliability Organization (HRO) team, we are excited to announce the next HRO Live Event with CAPT (ret) Mark Brouker as our guest speaker. CAPT (ret) Brouker will be presenting Part 2 of the Leadership Behaviors that Build Trust, Psychological Safety and high Reliability Organizations series.
WHO: ALL of Navy Medicine are welcome
WHAT: Part 2 of the Leadership Behaviors that Build Trust, Psychological Safety and high Reliability Organizations series
WHERE: MS Teams, please see the link and dial in information below
WHEN: 14 November 2023 from 1000 to 1130 EST
Please disseminate the invite to your respective specialties and commands. Thank you.
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Updated Medical Corps Sharepoint Site
When you link to the MC Sharepoint site, does it have Blue Buttons?
The MC Corps Chiefs Office updated the MC Sharepoint site in June. The old site has been archived, but is still available to those with the web address (600 unique users have accessed the old site since the new site launched). To access the latest MC updates, please update your Sharepoint Bookmark!
https://esportal.med.navy.mil/bumed/m00/m00c/M00C1/Pages/Homepage.aspx
Additional information is available on the MC Office Social Media sites. Please follow us on Instagram and Facebook!
Instagram: @medical_corps_chiefs_office
Facebook: Office of the Medical Corps Chief
A Message from the Acting Surgeon General – Nautical Headings: Executive Rudder + FY24 Campaign Order + SORM
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
Joel Schofer's Career Planning Blog 