Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Travis Decker | 250617-N-KC192-1014 PORTSMOUTH, Va. (June 17, 2025) Rear Adm. Kevin Brown, commander,...... read more read more
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (June 17, 2025) – Naval Medical Forces Atlantic (NMFL) held a change of command ceremony aboard Naval Medical Center Portsmouth at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Hampton Roads – Portsmouth Annex, June 17. Rear Adm. Kevin Brown relinquished command to Rear Adm. Robert Hawkins: he will also serve as Director, Defense Health Network (DHN)-Atlantic.
The ceremony marked the conclusion of a distinguished tour for Brown, who assumed command in July 2024 and led more than 26,000 personnel across 22 commands in the Atlantic region, Europe and the Middle East. Throughout his tenure, Brown propelled Navy Medicine toward the Navy Surgeon General’s 2027 North Star vision — ensuring medically ready forces and ready medical forces worldwide.
“Kevin and his team ensured operational readiness while manning newly established requirements and platforms, including our Expeditionary Resuscitative Surgical Systems, Expeditionary Medical Units, and En-Route Care Systems,” said Navy Surgeon General and chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Rear Adm. Darin Via. “In laymen’s terms: he and his team made sure we have the right people and gear in place, to ensure we are ready to save lives today and tomorrow.”
Under Brown’s leadership, NMFL achieved a 30% growth in manned, trained and equipped deployable medical platforms, delivering eight systems to combatant commanders across three continents. He reduced medically non-deployable rates by 19%, saving more than 44,000 lost man days across the fleet. He expanded access to care by 37,000 appointments per month, recaptured 93% of Right of First Refusal patients, and drove enterprise improvements in trauma readiness, billet alignment and performance accountability across his network. These efforts directly advanced operational readiness and force health protection for Navy and joint forces alike.
During his farewell speech, Brown addressed both the NMFL and DHN-Atlantic staffs, “you are an exclusive team,” he said. “You are a critical part of the expeditionary fighting force. You deliver more than healthcare - you help secure the freedom so many take for granted.” Following his departure, Brown will take over as commander, Naval Medical Forces Pacific in July.
Rear Adm. Robert J. Hawkins brings decades of operational and clinical expertise to the helm. A former enlisted submariner and nurse anesthetist, Hawkins has deployed aboard multiple amphibious assault ships and led medical units at every level, including as commander of the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center and Director of Maritime Operations at the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery. Most recently, he served as Director of Operations; Strategy, Plans and Policy; and Education, Training and Readiness at the Defense Health Agency and as the 27th Director of the Navy Nurse Corps.
During his first address to those under his command, Hawkins expressed one of his goals is to ensure the teams stay unified and integrated and build on the success of the teams over the past year. “You stand as a pillar during this time of uncertainty. I pledge to lead from the front, so you are empowered to carry out our critical mission,” he said. Hawkins’ leadership in military health policy, education, and operational medicine positions him to continue driving Navy Medicine forward, reinforcing its expeditionary focus, public health integration and support to combatant commands.
NMFL delivers operationally focused medical expertise and capabilities to meet fleet, Marine and joint force requirements by providing equipment, sustainment, and maintenance of medical forces during combat operations and public health crises. NMFL provides oversight for 21 Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Commands, logistics, public health and dental services throughout the U.S. East Coast, U.S. Gulf Coast, Cuba, Europe and the Middle East.
Navy Medicine – represented by more than 44,000 highly-trained military and civilian health care professionals – provides enduring expeditionary medical support to the warfighter on, below, and above the sea and ashore.
| Date Taken: | 06.17.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.17.2025 14:53 |
| Story ID: | 500854 |
| Location: | PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 132 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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