Courtesy Photo | Capt. Janiese Cleckley (left), commanding officer of Navy Medicine Readiness and...... read more read more
TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. — Lt. Andrew Crane, Psy.D., a Navy clinical psychologist formerly assigned to Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Twentynine Palms, received the Navy Psychology CDR Erin Simmons Award on Dec. 22, 2025, for leading impactful process improvements that expanded access to mental health care and strengthened operational readiness for Marines.
A native of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Crane detached from NMRTC Twentynine Palms in October 2025 and is now stationed at Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay with 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment. As the regimental OSCAR psychologist, he provides mental health support to three battalions and the regiment in direct support of the Marine Corps mission.
The CDR Erin Simmons Award honors the late Cmdr. Erin Simmons, an active-duty Navy psychologist renowned for her commitment to mental health, and recognizes Navy psychologists who design and implement meaningful programs while exemplifying leadership through teaching, mentoring and service. “This award was focused on process improvement and clinical program development as well as leadership implementation,” Crane said.
During his time at NMRTC Twentynine Palms, which supports Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms and its branch clinics in China Lake and Bridgeport, Crane led efforts to optimize personnel utilization within the mental health clinic by developing new standard operating procedures and expanding the role of behavioral health technicians. Those changes reduced patient wait times by 50%, increasing timely access to care for service members. He also leveraged virtual health resources to broaden availability, increasing access to care by 780 appointments annually. In addition, Crane strengthened collaboration between medical staff and Marine Corps commands with a focus on medical readiness, helping eliminate barriers to care and better align mental health services with operational demands.
Crane’s efforts centered on creating multiple pathways for Marines and Sailors to seek support. These included psychoeducation sessions led by behavioral health technicians, greater awareness of chaplain resources and connecting service members with virtual providers when appropriate.
“Ideally, this standard for mental health technician utilization will expand to other clinics increasing access to care and reducing wait times,” Crane said.
The impact of Crane’s work at NMRTC Twentynine Palms extended beyond internal clinic metrics. By reducing wait times and expanding appointment availability, his initiatives directly supported the readiness of Marines aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, the Marine Corps’ largest live-fire training installation. Faster access to care and diversified treatment pathways ensured service members could address mental health concerns while maintaining focus on mission requirements.
“I would encourage leaders to consider innovative strategies when assessing problems or barriers to success,” he said. “Additionally, I would encourage Navy officers to invest in their corpsman, all the accomplishments in the mental health clinic were significantly supported by our corpsman. Their willingness to learn, implement, and sustain programs was a key to our success.”
Crane’s recognition with the CDR Erin Simmons Award highlights the vital role Navy psychologists play in supporting the warfighter and advancing the Navy Medicine mission. As he continues his service in Hawaii, he carries forward the model he helped build at Twentynine Palms—one focused on efficiency, access, and readiness—reinforcing the enduring connection between psychological health and mission success.
| Date Taken: | 04.02.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 04.02.2026 18:45 |
| Story ID: | 561893 |
| Location: | TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Hometown: | VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 56 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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