Photo By André B. Sobocinski, Historian | As part of Women's History Month we spotlight CAPT Franca Jones, Commanding Officer...... read more read more
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On April 9, 2021, Capt. Franca Jones took the helm of the Naval Medical Research Unit (NAMRU) No. 6 in Lima, Peru. In doing so, she became the first woman to hold command at NAMRU-6 as well as the first woman microbiologist to serve as commanding officer of a Navy research command.
For Jones, medical research has long been a passion. The daughter of a physician and a nurse, Jones had desired to follow in her parents’ field of medicine while growing up in Brooklyn, New York and Cape Coral, Florida. After obtaining a B.S. and M.S. in biology from St. John’s University she worked as a medical technician in a physician’s office and then a research technician at Rockefeller University in New York.
“As a research technician I found that I could pair my passion for understanding the intricacies of how the human body works in health and how it fights off infection with my persistent questioning personality,” said Jones.
This personality guided her to a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C. and pursue postdoctoral studies at the University of Virginia.
While attending the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) General Meeting in May 2001, Jones met several Navy physicians and microbiologists who introduced her to the history of Navy medical research overseas. As far back as the 1940s, Navy Medicine has operated a vigorous research program overseas—providing medical assistance to local authorities, fighting epidemics, training local medical personnel and conducting disease surveillance. For Jones this opened up a new world of possibilities.
“I began to feel that there was more I could do with my degree than be a tenure-track professor,” said Jones.
The following September, while on a trip through Egypt as a tourist, she reconnected with some of the Navy microbiologists who were attached to the NAMRU-3, then located in Cairo. Seeing firsthand the impact of Navy medical science and the capabilities of the overseas labs was appealing, but Jones still remained uncommitted.
All that changed on September 11th. As tragedy was unfolding in New York City, the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania, Jones was flying back home to New York. Her flight was one of 50 rerouted to Canada. Like many Americans she made the decision on that day to join the Navy. This decision was reaffirmed after the Amerithrax attacks in late September and October 2001. Jones knew then the Navy could use her skills as an infectious disease microbiologist and that she could help make a difference.
Capt. Jones was directly commissioned as a Navy Lieutenant in April 2002. Her first duty station was NAMRU-6—or as it was then known, Naval Medical Research Center Detachment (NMRCD) Lima, Peru.
NMRCD was established though an agreement by the U.S. Navy and Peruvian Navy Surgeon Generals on October 21, 1983. Located at the Peruvian Naval Medical Center in Callao, the port city adjacent to Lima, the laboratory has been one of the leading biomedical research organizations in the fields of infectious diseases and global health over the last four decades. In 2010, the Naval Medical Research Center re-designated the detachment a command (NAMRU-6).
During these formative years, Jones witnessed firsthand the power of an overseas Navy laboratory. Each day NAMRU-6 was on the vanguard of developing medical products for the service and host nation, conducting health surveillance and engaging with strategic partners—all of which remains critical for enabling future force readiness to operate globally.
“I had a lot to learn, but my first impression was everyone was dedicated to the mission, worked hard and treated each other like family,” said Jones. “I felt like I fit in right away.”
When she left in 2004, Jones looked forward to returning one day, possibly in a leadership position. But as they say, life is what happens when making plans. After leaving NAMRU-6, she gave birth to her daughter Elizabeth who was diagnosed with Down Syndrome.
“I had to modify my aspirations in order to ensure the best medical care and education for Elizabeth,” explained Jones. “That didn’t mean I stopped looking for assignments where I could have an impact and continue my career progression.”
Over the next two decades Capt. Jones—with the support of her husband—continued to play critical roles in Navy Medicine Research and Development and overseas laboratories, infectious disease surveillance programs, and global health engagement in support of readiness.
Through the tutelage of several mentors, Jones further honed her skills in biodefense and national security. She served on two leadership tours at the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs (OASD (NCB)), and in the White House Office of Science and Technology where she worked closely with the National Security Council on biodefense policy. Her experiences in the Ebola countermeasures program and DoD’s inadvertent shipment of live anthrax helped further underscore the immense value of medical science and science expertise in improving the lives of military and civilians alike.
In 2009, as the Navy was taking over command of the NATO Role III Military Medical Unit in Kandahar in Afghanistan, Jones served as one of its Plans, Operations, and Medical Intelligence Officers (POMI). And more recently Jones served as the Chief, Global Emerging Infections Surveillance at the Defense Health Agency (DHA) (2015-2019) and Executive Officer (XO) at the Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC) in Silver Spring, Maryland (2019-2021). While XO, Jones was promoted to Captain becoming only the third woman microbiologist in Navy history to reach O-6.
Capt. Jones returned to NAMRU-6 while the command and, its host nation, was in the throes of the second COVID-19 wave. During the pandemic, the Peruvian hospital system had collapsed under the highest pandemic death rate in the world. The lab lost an employee to the disease and staff members lost more than 50 family members. But these experiences only increased the close-knit bonds at NAMRU-6 that Jones had first witnessed in 2002, and staff persevered in spite of the devastation. For Capt. Jones, what they have accomplished throughout the pandemic makes them true role models.
“The dedication, motivation, and closeness of the staff remained,” remarked Jones. “And it is stronger than ever given the personal tragedy that COVID-19 has caused.”
Throughout it all NAMRU-6 continued to work closely with the Peruvian Navy and National Institutes of Health. Through funding from the U.S. Centers of Disease Control (CDC), NAMRU-6 established two cohorts in Peruvian hospitals to track SARS-CoV-2 and positive cases were further characterized by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). This project provided vital data on COVID incidence as well as the evolution of variant strains in-country. And Jones and her team have worked hard to break down existing stovepipes and facilitate maximum teamwork across the command.
After two decades of service CAPT Jones’ passion and advocacy for Navy medical research and global security is stronger than ever. She is proud of her career experiences, the opportunity to serve as a role model for women in the military and in the sciences and the chance to mentor the next generation of Navy medical leaders.
“I am constantly amazed at the breadth of knowledge and experience of our junior leaders,” said Jones. “One of my key goals is to help them harness their skills and enable their success to lead Navy Medicine Research and Development into the future.”
As Capt. Jones approaches her twentieth year there is no question she would do it all again. And for someone thinking about a career in Navy Medicine, CAPT Jones has one piece of tried and true advice for them:
“Seize opportunities as they arise! Be creative—there’s much you can do with your degrees. Succeed outside of your comfort zones. There is room for family and extracurricular activities—make it a priority! And have fun!”
| Date Taken: | 03.22.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 03.22.2022 08:57 |
| Story ID: | 416895 |
| Location: | FALLS CHURCH, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 2,799 |
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