Photo By Christopher Jones | TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. — Rear Adm. Matthew Case (center-left), Chief of the Navy...... read more read more
TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. — Rear Adm. Matthew Case, Chief of the Navy Medical Service Corps (MSC) and Acting Assistant Director for Healthcare Administration for the Defense Health Agency, visited Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Twentynine Palms on July 30 to commemorate the corps’ 78th birthday and highlight the continued importance of military medical readiness in an increasingly challenging global environment.
Over the course of his visit, Case toured key facilities, including the hospital and Adult Medical Care Clinic to learn firsthand how the command helps keep the warfighter in the fight. He met with NMRTC Twentynine Palms commanding officer Capt. Janiese Cleckley, executive officer Capt. Candace Foura, acting command master chief Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman Matthew Ritchie, and Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center commanding general Maj. Gen. Mark Clingan to discuss how the command bolsters medical readiness while delivering high-quality care to service members and their families.
The two-star admiral’s visit centered on celebrating the MSC’s’ legacy while addressing the challenges and responsibilities ahead for both Navy Medicine and the Defense Health Agency as a whole. During a traditional cake-cutting ceremony, Rear Adm. Case, the most senior MSC officer present, joined Lt. j.g. David Naiman, the youngest MSC officer, along with Capt. Cleckley and the command’s director for administration Cmdr. William “Bill” Lawson, to cut the ceremonial birthday cake together — marking 78 years of the Medical Service Corps.
Case also hosted an all-hands call with MSC officers at Robert E. Bush Naval Hospital, with Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Detachment (NMRTD) China Lake and NMRTD Bridgeport Sailors attending virtually.
“We have an incredible mission,” Case told the assembled officers. “We have to be prepared for the fight tonight—not tomorrow, but tonight. Because, we do have adversaries in the world that threaten us.”
Case outlined four strategic priorities that guide the MSC: warfighting requirements, force generation, force preservation and force development. He emphasized the need to balance direct patient care with long-term operational readiness.
“These areas are all connected,” he said. “We’re generating and preserving force, we’re developing ourselves and our teams, and we’re standing ready to fight. That’s what we do.”
The visit came as part of a larger effort by Navy Medicine leadership to stay connected with front-line personnel. Case’s stop at the Twentynine Palms installation underscored the vital role MSC officers play in supporting both healthcare delivery and the warfighter mission — especially in remote and resource-limited environments.
He also touched on the Navy’s laser focus in the Pacific region, noting the importance of ensuring medical support remains agile, distributed and capable across long distances.
“Pacific operations are at the center of our planning,” he said. “We must maintain the same standard of care in forward-deployed environments as we do in major medical centers.”
Case encouraged ongoing professional development and the power of learning every day, urging officers and all Sailors to take advantage of every learning opportunity to better serve the fleet and their country.
“Our adversaries can outnumber us, but they will never outsmart us. That, and the fact that we are a volunteer fighting force–not a conscripted one–is what makes us the leading military in the world.”
Case also emphasized the critical role military families play in supporting service members' missions, describing military service as "a package deal" that affects entire families through frequent relocations, deployments and the uncertainties of military life.
"Sometimes the stuff we get to do is kind of cool, but our spouses and loved ones are dealing with other things, trying to move forward, maybe going to school for the first time or going to a new school for the seventh time," Case said, encouraging service members to actively thank their families for their support.
Established in 1947, the Navy Medical Service Corps is composed of healthcare administrators, clinical specialists and support personnel who enable the delivery of care across the fleet. Officers serve in specialties ranging from medical logistics and operations management to research and clinical practice.
At NMRTC Twentynine Palms, Medical Service Corps officers support a range of services critical to both patient care and operational success. The hospital plays a key role in preparing Marines and Sailors for combat and responding to any potential injuries sustained during live-fire training at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center.
"We need to take care of the next patient through the door, not only take care of them safely, but take care of them and make sure that they're doing well," Case said. "That's a lot, but you all signed up for it. Thank you for signing up for it. Thank you for choosing this profession."
The visit underscored the continued relevance of the Medical Service Corps and the critical role it and the Defense Health Agency play in supporting medical readiness around the world.
| Date Taken: | 08.01.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.01.2025 18:13 |
| Story ID: | 544578 |
| Location: | TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 41 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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