Navy MSC Deputy Corps Chief, MSC Policy & Practice Officer visit NAMRU San Antonio
Photo By Burrell Parmer |
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON – (March 4, 2026) – Naval Medical Research......read moreread more
Photo By Burrell Parmer | JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON – (March 4, 2026) – Naval Medical Research Unit (NAMRU) San Antonio Commanding Officer Capt. Michael Tiller, Medical Corps, speaks with Capt. Kris Hodapp, deputy Corps Chief, Medical Service Corps (MSC) and Capt. Bryan Pyle, MSC Policy and Practice officer, during a visit to NAMRU San Antonio at the Battlefield Health and Trauma Research Institute (BHT). During the visit, Hodapp and Pyle toured research laboratories at BHT and the Tri-Service Research Laboratory and conducted independent record reviews with MSC officers. Additionally, they gave a State of the MSC briefing with emphasis on Navy Medicine’s North Star and Lines of Effort. Other areas of briefing included career progression, community values, manpower, promotion trends, and maintaining accuracy of military records. The MSC mission is to provide specialized healthcare, administrative, and scientific support to Naval forces, maximizing operational readiness and optimizing the "human weapon system". Comprised of professionals in clinical, scientific, and administrative fields, the MSC supports Navy Medicine’s mission to deliver manned, trained, and equipped medical units to the Fleet, Fleet Marine Force, and Joint Forces. NAMRU San Antonio, part of Navy Medicine Research & Development, conducts gap-driven combat casualty care, craniofacial, and directed energy research in support of Navy, Marine Corps and joint U.S. warfighter health readiness and lethality while engaged in routine and expeditionary operations. (Navy Photo by Burrell Parmer, NAMRU San Antonio Public Affairs/Released) see less
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Navy MSC Deputy Corps Chief, MSC Policy & Practice Officer visit NAMRU San Antonio
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON – (March 4, 2026) – U.S. Navy Capt. Kris Hodapp, deputy corps chief, Medical Service Corps (MSC) and Capt. Bryan Pyle, MSC Policy and Practice officer visited with leadership and MSC officers assigned to Naval Medical Research Unit (NAMRU) San Antonio at the Battlefield Health and Trauma Research Institute and Tri-Service Research Laboratory.
During the visit, Hodapp and Pyle toured NAMRU San Antonio research laboratories and conducted independent record reviews with MSC officers.
Additionally, they gave a State of the MSC briefing with emphasis on Navy Medicine’s North Star and Lines of Effort. Other areas of briefing included career progression, community values, manpower, promotion trends, and maintaining accuracy of military records.
According to Lt. Cmdr. Loreli Owens, NAMRU San Antonio’s director for Administration, the visit provided the Office of the MSC Corps Chief with a direct, firsthand understanding of the specialized and vital research conducted at NAMRU San Antonio.
“It highlighted the diverse range of specialties within the MSC at the command, including Healthcare Administration, Radiation Health, and Research Psychology,” said Owens. “The visit also demonstrated the command's growth with the upcoming addition of a research physical therapist and physician assistant this fiscal year.”
As an MSC officer, Owens said the visit from the deputy MSC corps chief was an incredibly valuable and multifaceted experience.
“I truly enjoyed the opportunity to not only showcase our command's unique capabilities, but also to engage in meaningful, face-to-face discussions about the current state and future direction of the MSC Corps,” Owens said. “I also feel that one of the most significant benefits was the opportunity to have my record reviewed and receive personalized advice on my next duty station.”
Lt. Cmdr. Cameron Burnett, director, Directed Energy Health Effects, echoed Owens’ remarks.
“It was great to talk with Capt. Hodapp and Capt. Pyle about the state of the Medical Service Corps and show them how our directed energy research efforts are helping support operational forces,” Burnett said. “Capt. Hodapp’s familiarity with the Radiation Health community was awesome and I appreciated her record review and the mentorship provided by both captains.”
The MSC mission is to provide specialized healthcare, administrative, and scientific support to Naval forces, maximizing operational readiness and optimizing the "human weapon system". Comprised of professionals in clinical, scientific, and administrative fields, the MSC supports Navy Medicine’s mission to deliver manned, trained, and equipped medical units to the Fleet, Fleet Marine Force, and Joint Forces.
Navy Medicine represents 97 officer and 40 enlisted medical specialties and subspecialties. It is distinguished by six distinct corps consisting of Medical, Dental, Medical Service, Nurse, Hospital, and Civilian that serve around the globe.
Navy Medicine Research & Development (NMR&D) supports Navy Medicine’s four Lines of Effort of delivering expeditionary medicine systems, increasing Sailor and Marine deployability, providing quality healthcare, and recruiting and retaining medical personnel.
NAMRU San Antonio, part of NMR&D, conducts gap-driven combat casualty care, craniofacial, and directed energy research in support of Navy, Marine Corps and joint U.S. warfighter health readiness and lethality while engaged in routine and expeditionary operations.
