Photo By Julius Evans | Lt. Nathan Wedwick, NMLC’s Audit Readiness and Response Coordinator, serves Capt....... read more read more
FREDERICK, Md. - Naval Medical Logistics Command (NMLC) celebrated the Navy’s 68th Medical Service Corps birthday during a ceremony held at its headquarters building on Fort Detrick, in Frederick, Md., Aug. 4.
Cmdr. Michael J. Kemper, NMLC’s executive officer, opened the ceremony by reading several letters written by Navy Medicine leadership including Rear Adm. T. J. Moulton, Director, Medical Service Corps; Rear Adm. S. M. Pachuta, Chief, Dental Corps; Rear Adm. R. C. Bono, Director, Medical Corps; Rear Adm. R. J. McCormick-Boyle, Director, Nurse Corps; Hospital Corps Force Master Chief, S. E. Boss, and Vice Adm. M. L. Nathan, United States Navy Surgeon General.
Through his written comments, the Surgeon General said, “The Medical Service Corps is truly our most diverse corps in terms of what they bring to Navy Medicine. This group of dedicated professionals encompasses our scientists, researchers, medical providers, and administrators in addition to the many subspecialties that characterize this talented corps.
“President Harry S. Truman signed the Army-Navy Medical Service Corps Act Aug. 4, 1947, establishing a permanent, commissioned corps of specialists to complement the standing medical department officer corps. Initially comprised of four specialties, including supply and administration, medical allied sciences, optometry, and pharmacy, the Navy’s Medical Service Corps now has more than 3,000 active duty and reserve officers in 31 specialties.”
NMLC’s former commanding officer, Capt. James “Bernie” Poindexter, Chief of Defense Health Agency’s Medical Logistics Division, was the guest speaker. In his remarks, he reflected, in part, on his time as a Medical Service Corps (MSC) member and the importance of building and sustaining relationships with those who comprise the MSC.
“When I reflect upon my 32 plus years of active duty service and specifically on my time in the MSC, and all the jobs I’ve had, I think about how I became successful -- and that came through the relationships I have built and sustained over time.”
He continued, providing comments that centered on the conclusion of his naval career, as his September 2015 retirement date approaches.
“Whether you know it or not, you are a mentor – be that in a formal or an informal relationship – and I think this is absolutely critical to our development as professionals, and it is critical to where we are going as a corps. So I encourage you to continue to cultivate both formal and informal mentoring relationships.
Capt. Mary S. Seymour, NMLC’s commanding officer, closed out the ceremony by presenting Capt. Poindexter with a commander’s coin.
“I gave a lot of these out when I was the commanding officer here, but I never got one of these for myself,” Poindexter quipped. In closing, he directed his remarks to an audience comprised partly of MSC officers.
“We must stay focused on the mission, stay purposeful, maintain our relationships and build on those relationships. That’s how we become successful -- build relationships by listening, respecting and trusting. We are only as effective as the relationships we build throughout our careers.”
Naval Medical Logistics Command’s mission is to deliver patient-centered logistics solutions for military medicine. Its vision is to become the Department of Defense’s premier medical logistics support activity.
| Date Taken: | 08.04.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 08.11.2015 12:26 |
| Story ID: | 172754 |
| Location: | FREDERICK, MD, US |
| Web Views: | 302 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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