The military has its own culture with expectations that may be intimidating to those considering joining the Armed Forces. For Lieutenant Andrew Greenhalgh, a second-year psychiatry resident with Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Camp Lejeune, joining the military is just part of the growing family legacy.
The son of a Navy doctor, Greenhalgh grew up navigating a world of frequent moves, often finding his footing and community in the water. Greenhalgh’s attributes his parents, both long-distance runners, for approaching each military move with a healthy lifestyle and mindset. This led to Greenhalgh taking up cross-country and, eventually, swimming, which became his full-time sport throughout high school and college before medical school.
“I saw the amazing opportunities being in [the Navy] afforded our family, and I knew from a pretty early age; that journey was something that I wanted to continue,” said Greenhalgh. “The Navy has always been there for my family, whether it's through the amazing opportunities we had to live overseas, the financial benefits, job security, or the health and educational benefits.”
Even after his collegiate career ended, Greenhalgh's competitive drive remained. Seeking a new challenge and the sense of community, he began training for triathlons after moving to Camp Lejeune for his residency. In July, Greenhalgh learned his training efforts had paid off; he’d been selected for the 2025 All Navy Triathlon team.
“Having competed in collegiate athletics, it meant a lot to represent the university every time I dove into the pool, now making the [All Navy triathlon team] it’s a whole different level,” said Greenhalgh. “It’s an exciting opportunity to connect with my fellow service members from different Navy communities while also pursuing healthy athletics and doing something that I love.”
For Greenhalgh, selection to the All-Navy Triathlon team is a powerful connection between his professional life with the military and his personal passion for athletics, as fitness is a vital part of both his own well-being and the care he provides his patients.
“There's a lot of data that suggests that lifestyle modifications, in particular exercise, is almost as effective as some of the medications that we're prescribing,” explains Greenhalgh. “Being an example of physical fitness and practicing what I preach for my patients and showing them that it's possible to improve yourself from a physical standpoint, which can improve your mental health, is important.”
Greenhalgh will represent the Navy and Coast Guard at the Armed Forces National Triathlon Championships in San Diego, September 10-14, 2025.
| Date Taken: | 09.05.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.05.2025 14:11 |
| Story ID: | 547345 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 36 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, An officer and an athlete: Psychiatry resident makes Navy triathlon team, by Christopher Delano, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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