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Photo by Bernard S. Little
Navy Capt. Jennifer Vedral-Baron conducts her first Captain’s Call as commanding officer of the new Navy Element of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) on July 23 in Memorial Auditorium.
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WRNMMC Navy commanding officer hosts Captain’s Call
Navy Capt. Jennifer Vedral-Baron conducted her first Captain’s Call as commanding officer of the new Navy Element of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) before a packed Memorial Auditorium, July 23.
“This is new and has never been done in Navy Medicine,” said Vedral-Baron, who also commands Fort Belvoir Community Hospital (FBCH) at Fort Belvoir, Va. She explained “Walter Reed NMMC (Navy),” the name of the new Navy element at Walter Reed Bethesda, falls under Navy Medicine East, and subsequently, Surgeon General Vice Adm. Matthew Nathan, Deputy Surgeon General Rear Adm. C. Forrest Faison III and Force Master Chief Sherman Boss, director of hospital corps.
Vedral-Baron explained her command team for Walter Reed NMMC (Navy) includes Lt. Cmdr. Melissa K. Burke, officer-in-charge of WRNMMC Navy Medicine Support Detachment, and Walter Reed NMMC (Navy) Command Master Chief Tyrone Willis, who is also WRNMMC’s senior enlisted leader.
Established in February, Walter Reed NMMC (Navy) includes two administrative detachments – one at WRNMMC and the other at FBCH, serving approximately 2,000 Sailors. The immediate commander of Walter Reed NMMC (Navy) is Rear Adm. Terry J. Moulton, who leads Navy Medicine East.
Vedral-Baron added Walter Reed NMMC (Navy) will provide “oversight of Navy-specific programs” at WRNMMC and FBCH. In addition, Walter Reed NMMC (Navy) will administer “non-judicial punishment authority” over Sailors at WRNMMC and FBCH, and “ensure alignment with Navy Medicine while assigned to a joint command.”
Although new to Navy Medicine, Vedral-Baron added Walter Reed NMMC (Navy) is similar in structure to the U.S. Army Element in place at Walter Reed Bethesda, with Soldiers administratively attached to Troop Command-North, commanded by Lt. Col. Richard A. Villarreal and Command Sgt. Maj. Gary Williams, and falling under the Northern Regional Medical Command, led by Brig. Gen. Robert D. Tenhet and Command Sgt. Maj. Benjamin H.S. Scott Jr.
Operationally, all service members at WRNMMC fall under Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Jeffrey B. Clark, the medical center director who oversees Walter Reed Bethesda’s day-to-day mission of providing world-class patient-friendly health care, Vedral-Baron explained.
Also during the Captain’s Call, Vedral-Baron recognized 37 naval officers and 76 enlisted Sailors within Walter Reed NMMC (Navy) selected for advancement. She praised the efforts of those responsible for making this year’s Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) campaign at WRNMMC and FBCH “a success,” adding that WRNMMC finished in the top 10 among Navy and Marine Corps facilities in the National Capital Region with contributions totaling more than $17,396 to the agency which helps Sailors, Marines and their families with emergency financial and educational assistance. Last year, NMCRS provided financial assistance to service members and their families for basic living expenses (food, lodging), transportation (insurance, car payment, rental), car repairs, transportation due to family member illness, family emergency, pay entitlement shortfalls, predatory loan avoidance, funeral expenses, household set up, medical and dental expenses and education expenses, totaling more than $48 million.
Vedral-Baron also praised Walter Reed NMMC (Navy)Sailors for a successful Personal Fitness Assessment (PFA) cycle, citing more than 460 excellent or outstanding results earned by Sailors. Following Vedral-Baron’s briefing, Willis, who became WRNMMC’s new senior enlisted leader July 11, also had encouraging words for Sailors and Soldiers. Agreeing with Vedral-Baron, Willis emphasized opportunities for growth and advancement for service members at WRNMMC and FBCH. Regardless of the uniform service members wear, the unit they are assigned, and whether or not personnel are civilians, contractors or volunteers, “our purpose is patient-centered care, and our passion is taking care of patients. That is our vision,” said the command master chief.
To accomplish this vision, Willis said, takes the entire “Walter Reed Bethesda (and FBCH) family working together doing the very best job we can do in everything that we do. It takes a village.” He concluded by encouraging all staff to continue to enthusiastically attend all Walter Reed Bethesda events, forums, town halls and gatherings.