Surgeon General
Acting SG 4th of July Message
Shipmates,
On July 4th, 1776, thirteen American colonies signed the Declaration of Independence. Ten months before that momentous document was signed, the Continental Navy was born, and their ships became an extension of American influence and power around the world. On the decks of those wooden ships stood Sailors trained to take the lives of those that threatened America’s interests and territorial sovereignty and those charged with saving the lives of their comrades in arms. Therefore, Navy Medicine was forged by the sea. From the beginning, Navy Sailors have been saving lives and treating the physical and emotional wounds of war for 247 years.
Today, Navy Medicine is a global force for good. Our Medical, Dental, Nurse, Medical Service, and Hospital Corps along with our valued civilians provide the highest quality of care to Sailors, Marines, and their families here at home, overseas, and while deployed to the pointy tip of the spear. Our scientists are pioneering breakthroughs in physiology, microbiology, biomedical engineering, psychology, epidemiology, and using artificial intelligence to help diagnose and treat diseases. Our ability to provide competent medical personnel, deployable platforms, and exceptional care is foundational to America’s ability to defend our interests, maintain territorial sovereignty, and honor commitments to our maritime partners around the world.
On behalf of a grateful nation, I want to extend a heartfelt debt of gratitude to all our active-duty, reserve, civilian, and contract personnel serving on expeditionary medical platforms, conducting cutting-edge medical research for our warfighters, and working in military medical treatment facilities around the world for the lifesaving work they do. All of us in Navy Medicine are doing work that has a real and tangible impact on the lives of our service members, their families, and humanity.
I wish you all a safe and enjoyable Fourth of July. Thank you for what you do each day for Navy Medicine, the Navy, and this Nation.
V/R,
RDML Darin K. Via
Medical Corps, United States Navy
Acting Navy Surgeon General
Acting Chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery
RADM(s) Darin Via Nominated to Be Next Surgeon General
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III announced today that the president has made the following nomination:
Navy Rear Adm. (lower half) Darin K. Via for assignment as surgeon general of the Navy, Falls Church, Virginia. Via is currently serving as deputy chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery; deputy surgeon general of the Navy; and director, Medical Resources, Plans and Policy Division, N0931, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Falls Church, Virginia.
Acting SG’s Message
One Navy Medicine Shipmates,
Last week Navy Medicine said farewell to Admiral Gillingham after 40 years of impeccable selfless service and more than three and a half years as the Navy’s 39th Surgeon General. Thank you to all those who tuned in to watch the retirement ceremony via Facebook Live and all those who helped ensure a great send-off.
As he enjoys his well-earned terminal leave, the engines of Navy Medicine continue to move forward here at Headquarters and across the enterprise. Late last week, we released our first Fragmentary Order (FRAGO) to the FY23 Navy Medicine Campaign Order. This FRAGO is a result of continuous assessment in the organizational design process to adjust, modify, and add tasks in the annual Campaign Order as part of our five-year Campaign Plan to meet our Force Development, Force Generation, and Force Preservation objectives in support of Distributed Maritime Operations, Littoral Operations in Contested Environments, and Expeditionary Advance Basing Options providing critical capabilities to the Navy and Marine Corps.
The Campaign Order and FRAGO direct us to be prepared to conduct sustained medical support in high intensity combat operations in a peer warfighting scenario. Executing the important actions in these orders will ensure that our medical warfighters have the right people, with the right skills, training, and equipment, to preserve the force and save lives on the battlefield. Please click on the CAC-enabled link below to read these orders and understand the actions we’re taking across One Navy Medicine to deliver manned, trained, equipped, maintained, sustained, and certified medical units that provide enduring support to the Fleet, Marine Corps, and Joint Forces.
At the Echelon four and five NMRTC/Us you all maintain warfighter readiness daily through the assurance that our operational forces are prepared to fight now!! Performing that mission from DHA’s platforms that are otherwise known as MTFs, is just as critical to supporting the National Defense Strategy as deploying as part of the medical department on an SSN, CVN, DDG, MEU, ERSS, ERCS, or EMF. Thank you to all of you, no matter where you serve in the organization, for all you do every day to support our Sailors, Marines, and their families. I’m truly appreciative of your continued dedication and drive, and I am humbled to be a part of One Navy Medicine. Keep up the incredible work!
Navy Medicine FY23 Campaign Order and FRAGO (CAC-enabled website):
https://esportal.med.navy.mil/bumed/campaignorder/Pages/default.aspx
VR/
RDML Darin Via, MC, USN
Reminder – Retirement Ceremony for RADM Bruce L. Gillingham – Monday, March 27th, 1000 EST
The Surgeon General will retire on March 27 at 10 a.m. after 40 years of dedicated service to Navy Medicine, the Navy, and our great Nation. Unfortunately, given the space limitations of the ceremony venue, it will only be possible for some to attend.
BUMED’s Communications team has arranged for the ceremony to be viewable via Facebook Live, so all are invited and encouraged to “attend” virtually by using this link:
https://www.facebook.com/events/6524291220928699/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A%5b%5d%7D
SG Message – Farewell Navy Medicine Shipmates!
Esteemed Shipmates,
On Monday, March 27, my 40 years of service in the Navy, and my tenure as your 39th Surgeon General, will come to an end. Of course, I say goodbye knowing that Navy Medicine and its people have left an indelible mark on my life and career. These last three and a half years as your Surgeon General have been a time of tremendous change and progress. Our One Navy Medicine team has shifted its focus from the day-to-day oversite of MTF-based care to delivering expeditionary Medical Power for Naval Superiority.
We’ve realigned our entire enterprise with new organizational structures to strengthen command and control functions, while increasing our ability to make informed decisions and take action. Under these frameworks we’ve seen the future USNS CODY – the first EPF with Flight II designation – christened, the first ERSS team assembled, and the expansion of strategic military-civilian partnerships – that along with the “reps and set” we receive in MTFs – will ensure our people have the skills necessary to save lives at sea and on land.
As we sail toward our North Star of delivering agile, scalable, and certified medical units, we also fought against a deadly global pandemic that altered how our naval force operates. As a high-reliable organization, we quickly incorporated the lessons learned during our EMF deployments and built scalable medical response teams. These lessons have been built into our future theater/ashore medical capabilities.
Our COVID-19 response efforts were second-to-none. We executed the simultaneous deployments of USNS COMFORT and USNS MERCY and supported DSCA missions at many civilian hospitals and vaccination centers across the country. Throughout the fight, more than 5,600 Navy medical personnel deployed and delivered critical medical capabilities and high-value research products across the Department of Defense, and to our Nation. It was incredible to see how we all came to together (virtually and in-person) to solve tough challenges as we provided the biological body armor to keep Sailors, Marines, and their families safe.
We have accomplished so much together; and yet, we still have much to do as we prepare to care for warfighters in environments where our dominance on sea, land, air, space, and cyberspace will be challenged. As outlined in the current National Defense Strategy (NDS), China remains our most consequential strategic competitor and pacing challenge. We must be ready to meet potential adversaries head-on. This requires us to continue to take hard looks at how we develop and generate our force, and ultimately, how we restore and preserve the force during times of conflict.
Our newly issued Campaign Order and 5-year Campaign Plan will assist us in transforming into the medical force we need to be. Our core mission remains focused on supporting the warfighter wherever they go whether they are on the ground, sailing atop the waves, cruising silently beneath them, or roaring through the blue skies above. We’ve done that well and will continue to get even better at keeping them in the fight.
After I am piped ashore and no longer wear the uniform, one thing I can say for certain, I will always be part of Navy Medicine; my blood is blue and gold. As the next chapter of Navy Medicine begins, you can be assured that I will continue to be your biggest fan cheering you on from the sideline.
I know our organization will be in capable hands with RDML Darin Via, our DSG, assuming the role of Acting Surgeon General until the Department of Defense and the White House selects a nominee to the Senate for confirmation. Once confirmed, it will be publicly announced on the Senate website.
In closing, I could not say “goodbye” without saying THANK YOU – to all our women and men in uniform, to our civilians, and to our contractors, and to their families. All the successes we have had are truly YOURS. Collectively, you have understood that achieving our mission requires both a unity of effort and unity of purpose. Thank you for your dedication in supporting the operational readiness of the Naval Force and upholding the highest standards of conduct and reflecting our core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment.
With my continued respect and admiration,
Bruce Gillingham
Rear Admiral, Medical Corps, US Navy
39th Surgeon General of the Navy
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