Source: United States Navy (Medical)
United States Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Sigonella is honored to recognize Beth Archer as the Fiscal Year 2024 Command Civilian of the Year. Originally from York, United Kingdom, Beth has dedicated the past five years to serving as a Local National within the Defense Health Agency. She holds a master’s degree in Psychological Studies from Brunel University and bachelor’s degrees in both Music and Voice from the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London. When asked about Ms. Archer’s contributions within the Human Resources Department, USNMRTC Sigonella’s Executive Officer, Capt. Michael Mercado said, “Ms. Archer has made substantial contributions to our Command in her role within the Human Resources team. She consistently and willingly goes above and beyond to assist the team, from facilitating an Awards Board to assisting a member with pay issues, she understands the importance of taking care of our staff so that they can take of our patients.”
In her current position as an Administrative Support Assistant in the Human Resources Department (HRD), Beth is responsible for managing and processing correspondence for over 500 local national and government civilian staff members across three geographical command locations. Her contributions resulted in a 95% increase in updating staff Position Descriptions and she accelerated the completion of the project ahead of the fiscal year-end deadline. In addition to her professional responsibilities, Beth is an engaged member of the Naval Hospital Sigonella Choir, where she regularly performs at various instillation events. She has performed at the Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella Navy Ball, the Tactical Operations Center Commissioning Ceremony, the Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Detachment (AIMD) Calibration Lab Retirement Ceremony, the Navy Computer and Telecommunications Station (NCTS) Change of Command, the USNMRTC Sigonella Change of Command, the Task Force 67 Change of Command, the Chief’s Pinning Ceremony, and the USNMRTC Sigonella Holiday Party.
When asked about her hobbies, Ms. Archer expressed, “I love spending as much time as possible outdoors, engaging in activities such as hiking, surfing, skiing, and paddleboarding. At home, I enjoy singing and drawing or painting.” Regarding her decision to pursue a career within the Defense Health Agency, she shared, “I applied for a job at USNMRTC Sigonella because I wanted to continue working in an English-speaking environment that mirrored the work ethic I was accustomed to back home in the UK. Additionally, my grandfather, LT John Archer, was a British Navy veteran, which inspired my interest in serving in this capacity.”
Beth embodies the hallmarks of a consummate professional and serves as an impeccable ambassador for the country. The Director for Administration, Cdr. Joseph Fromknecht said this about working with Beth, “I have had the pleasure to work with Beth for the last 2+ years. Her dedicated commitment to both the staff and mission is second to none. She successfully navigated the Commands Human Resources functions through the DHA transition, she is a staunch advocate to ensure that Civilian staff are submitted for the Quarterly and Yearly awards, and she truly cares about her Sailors in HRD. Beth is the heartbeat within HRD! I am very excited to see what the future holds for her! Keep up the strong work!”
US NMRTC Sigonella is one of The Defense Health Agency’s Overseas Military Treatment Facilities (MTF). The staff are comprised of active duty service members, General Service (GS), contractors, and Local Nationals. It ensures maximum readiness by providing high-quality, safe patient and family-centered care to maximize force health protection for all beneficiaries, to included NATO and transient DoD forces in the U.S. Fifth Fleet and U.S. Sixth Fleet areas of operation.
Written by: LT Julius C. Wiseman III, MSC, USN