Capt. Cynthia Gantt, chief operating officer, Tidewater Military Health System’s Enhanced Multiservice Market Office, earned the 2018 Association of Military Surgeons of the United States Lifetime Achievement Award.
“I am thrilled and honored beyond words to have received this award,” said Gantt. “I am so grateful for all the opportunities that I have been afforded during my entire career, and receiving the lifetime achievement award towards the end of my naval career was like a gift I never expected to receive.”
Gantt was nominated for her distinguished career of consistent contributions to Navy Medicine, including advancing healthcare safety through her leadership, clinical achievements, and mentorship.
Gantt was commissioned as a lieutenant junior grade in the Navy Nurse Corps in 1990, and has since served Navy Medicine as a clinician, in health promotions, as an educator, and in command.
In the past year alone, Gantt served as the commanding officer of the NATO Role III Multinational Medical Unit, Kandahar, Afghanistan, where she led fellow Sailors to care for patients in trauma and casualty care clinics.
“Gantt has established herself as a leader in the military health system, as well as a lifetime advocate for patient safety, quality healthcare, and positive policy change throughout her long and celebrated career,” said Rear Adm. Anne Swap, commander, Navy Medicine East.
Before volunteering in Kandahar, Gantt held several leadership positions including chief of staff at Navy Medicine East, supporting 20 military treatment facilities and Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center; commanding officer of Naval Hospital Lemoore; and executive officer at Robert E. Bush Naval Hospital, to name a few.
After commissioning, Gantt served as a family nurse practitioner and a primary care manager at three separate duty stations until 2000, when she decided to go back to school and earn her PhD at the University of San Diego. Upon graduation, she went to Naval Medical Center San Diego as the first department head of population health.
“Throughout her career, Gantt has distinguished herself not only as a highly trained and competent nurse, but also a strong mentor and teacher,” said Swap. “She is an exceptional professional who is dedicated to quality healthcare, the cornerstone for Navy Medicine’s mission of providing exemplary healthcare in any environment. I have personally observed her performance, and congratulate her on her lifetime of accomplishments.”