First Baby Born at the New Roosevelt Pavilion

Photo By Ricardo Reyes-Guevara | Reign Cole Wisinger, the first baby born at the new Roosevelt Pavilion at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., on May 4, rests peacefully in his mother’s arms. The new facility offers military families state-of-the-art services and a comfortable, family-centered environment. (DOD photo by Ricardo J. Reyes)  

BETHESDA, MARYLAND, UNITED STATES

05.07.2025

Story by Ricardo Reyes-Guevara and Lenore Worthy

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

By Lenore Worthy and Ricardo J. Reyes
WRNMMC Office of Command Communications

Bells rang in Walter Reed National Military Medical Center’s newly opened Roosevelt Pavilion a little after 6 p.m. on May 3. This Navy tradition signaled the birth of Reign, a baby boy who weighed 6 pounds, 14 ounces, to Chanelle and Cryptologic Technician 1st Class Dakota Lane Wisinger.

The Wisingers, who have seven children, thanked the medical staff for their support during the pregnancy and delivery. “I felt truly cared for every step of the way, and I couldn’t have asked for a better place to welcome my little one into the world,” Ms. Wisinger said.

She added, “I’m healthy, and the baby is healthy. I delivered my last baby at Walter Reed and decided to come back because the doctors and nurses are good and always prepared. The new facility’s space is perfect for me and my family; the birth of my child went very well.”

Her delivery coincided with the opening of the updated Mother Infant Care Center (MICC), ushering in a new era of care for families at Walter Reed.

Labor and delivery nurse U.S. Navy Ens. Christine Crudup said the new MICC offers a spacious, well-organized environment with everything needed to care for mothers and newborns. Crudup described the experience as a joyful and loving moment for the mother and the entire team, emphasizing that it was truly a team effort.

For the Wisinger family, the experience underscored their long-standing trust in Walter Reed’s care, both for labor and delivery and for their children’s health needs.

The Wisingers rely on Walter Reed for all their children’s pediatric care and said they are willing to make the hour-long drive from Annapolis to Bethesda for appointments because of the quality of care they receive. When asked about the 40-mile drive, Ms. Wisinger said, “I definitely think it’s worth it.”

• Date Taken: 05.07.2025
• Date Posted: 05.08.2025 08:43
• Story ID: 497248
• Location: BETHESDA, MARYLAND, US