Category: Defence Intelligence

Source: United States Navy (Medical)

LEMOORE, Calif. (Feb. 15, 2024) Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class ReiCharles Quioco from Cavite, Philippines provides care in the public health directorate at Naval Health Clinic Lemoore. He graduated high school in 2009 and joined the Navy in 2013.

Quioco is the leading petty officer and takes care of all administrative requirements for immunizations, occupational health, preventive medicine, as well as health and wellness.

“I enjoy leading and training a diverse of group of Sailors,” said Quioco. “I assist in daily operations such as administering immunizations or completing food and health sanitation inspections.”

Quioco’s job includes helping with occupational health pre-employment physicals and health hazard physicals. He also lends a hand with the tobacco cessation program and nutrition counseling.

In the future, Quioco would like to go to a specialty school in San Antonio to be a preventive medicine technician. He looks forward to continuing his learning and helping to provide healthcare on U.S. Navy vessels.

Quioco’s proudest Navy accomplishment was when he was aboard the USS Nitze (DDG 94) and the crew conducted a medical rescue in accordance with the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974. The International Maritime Organization website states a shipmaster’s obligation is to render assistance at sea. This includes providing medical help when called upon.

“The ship received a distress call from a foreign national mariner that did not have medical capability on their ship,” recalled Quioco. “We quickly deployed our helicopter with one of the three corpsmen aboard. She did an assessment and performed medical care for the patient while aboard the helicopter.”

Meanwhile aboard the Nitze, Quioco prepared the flight deck team, stretcher bearers and a medical treatment room to receive the patient.

“Upon arrival, we quickly performed a head-to-toe assessment and gathered blood samples for a better diagnosis,” said Quioco. “Once complete, the senior medical department representative aboard deemed that the patient was safe to travel and ready to transfer to a higher level of care facility.”

A couple days later, the team received news from the patient’s home country that he arrived safely.

Quioco takes prides in being optimistic and resilient, traits he learned while growing up in the Philippines.

Naval Health Clinic Lemoore, co-located with Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Lemoore, ensures the readiness of its active-duty service members and improves the lives of military families through the delivery of high-quality healthcare to over 18,000 eligible beneficiaries at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California and NAS Fallon, Nevada.

The command also provides dental care and medical administrative support to Navy, Marine Corps, and international students at the Naval Postgraduate School, Defense Language Institute and the Center for Information Dominance in Monterey, California. The command’s mission is to advance the readiness and health of our warfighters and beneficiaries and to invest in our people and partnerships.

Source: United States Navy (Medical)

Sgt. Sharmita Cuffie, a native of Lawrenceville, Georgia, received a command coin from Capt. Matthew Marcinkiewicz, commanding officer of Naval Medical Readiness Logistics Command (NMRLC), for being given an ‘outstanding’ during the command uniform inspection.

Cuffie, a 2013 graduate of Central Gwinnett High School, joined the Army eight years ago.

“I joined the Army because I wanted to challenge myself,” said Cuffie. “Years ago, I decided to take a leap of faith and see how I would be in the military. Coming from both Navy and Army in the family, I knew that I was ready to join and put my life on the line for the ones I care about.”

Skills and values learned in the Army are similar to those found in Lawrenceville.

“Growing up I have always seen my mother as my role model,” said Cuffie. “Despite the hardships, she always pushed herself to do better to be able to provide the best for her family and others around her. During my time in the Army and being in charge of soldiers, I am able to put their needs first and ensure that they are taken care if so the mission gets complete.”

Today, Cuffie serves as an optical laboratory specialist at NMRLC, Naval Ophthalmic Readiness Activity (NORA) stationed at Naval Weapon Station, Yorktown, VA.

“My favorite part about being an Optical Fabrication Sergeant is that not only do I provide eye ware to the Department of Defense, I am able to screen patients in an optometry clinic and see the look of happiness when they pick up their prescriptions,” said Cuffie. “I am also a Master Resiliency Trainer in my unit and provide knowledge and feedback to how an individual can face challenges, and give ways to focus on a situation in a realistic, but more positive light.”

NMRLC manages the warehouse and production facility that procures, produces, manages, sustains, prepositions, and deploys rapidly deployable Expeditionary Medical (EXMED) Platforms in support of operational plans, exercise support and real-world operations.

Located in Williamsburg, Virginia, NMRLC supports readiness by providing deployable medical systems, high-quality eyewear and ophthalmic devices, and fleet logistical solutions. The EXMEDs provide Combatant Commanders’ desired capabilities regarding standardized, modular, scalable combat service support and medical/dental capabilities to advanced-base environments across the entire range of joint military operations.

NMRLC is at the heart of Navy Medicine’s enterprise-wide operational capability of designing and delivering agile and integrated capabilities to the Fleet and Fleet Marine Forces in the Distributed Maritime Operations. These unique capabilities provide medical assets to Combatant Commanders in theatres around the world.

When asked about her role in the military, Cuffie shared that she has had many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.

“My proudest accomplishment in the Army for me was becoming the NCOIC of the Optometry Clinic,” said Cuffie. “Even though my main focus is glasses fabrication, I will able to be in charge of the optometry section and gain firsthand experience about the clinic and learn from the medical side of my MOS.”

As Cuffie and other Soldiers continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the U.S. Army.

“Serving in the Army means facing new challenges physically, mentally and emotionally,” added Cuffie. “I have been tested quite a bit in my eight years of serving. It takes resilience in order to keep myself moving forward and I learned that as I progressed in my career.”

Source: United States Navy (Medical)

The namesake of Navy Medicine Readiness Training Unit Everett’s clinic has a gravitational pull readily visible to every staff, patient and visitor who enters onto the quarterdeck of the military treatment facility.

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro was drawn to the hallowed remembrance of Hospital Corpsman David R. Ray, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient (posthumously), killed in action March 19, 1969, for his actions during the Vietnam War at Phu Loc 6 near An Hoa in Quang Nam Province, Vietnam.

“Great Americans. Everyone,” stated Secretary Del Toro, acknowledging Ray and other Navy Medicine Congressional Medal of Honor recipients formally displayed on the quarterdeck before he met with assigned staff and toured their clinic while visiting Naval Station Everett, Feb. 14, 2024.

The clinic tour provided Secretary Del Toro the opportunity to meet and greet several of the approximately 80 staff members comprised of Navy Dental Corps, Hospital Corps, Medical Corps, Medical Service Corps, Nurse Corps and Civilian Corps personnel.

There was candid discussion on services provided by the clinic, including primary care, immunization and behavioral health, and the need to utilize the network for advanced specialty care. Current challenges were examined, such as the continued need for more mental health specialists, acknowledged as a nation-wide shortage issue.

“Active-duty access to primary care needs is less than a day here. Active-duty access to specialty care is almost 14 days and can be almost double for behavioral health,” explained Cmdr. Michael Bowers, NMRTU Everett officer in charge.

According to the National Council of Mental Wellbeing, the average wait time to access behavioral health services is about six weeks. Parent command Naval Hospital Bremerton has initiated walk-in office hours every Thursday morning for active-duty personnel for behavioral health services.

Secretary Del Toro also took a moment to openly share heartfelt sentiments with those he met.

“If it wasn’t for our caretakers and all you do for our Sailors, Marines and their families…it’s not enough just to say thanks,” said Secretary Del Toro. “I care so much for you folks that we’ve named a ship class, the USNS Bethesda-class expeditionary medical ship in honor of all our caretakers. The next in line will be USNS Balboa. Because you deserve it.”

Secretary Del Toro pointedly inquired from staff where they were from, where they went to school, and/or how long they had served in the Navy,

“Tell me where a dentist in the civilian sector can have as much fun as serving in the Navy,” Secretary Del Toro asked Lt. Ryan Dull, Dental Department head.

“That’s true,” replied Dull, who has served on both sides of the Pacific. “We were stationed at Okinawa before coming here. It’s been a great experience.”

Branch Health Clinic Everett on a weekly basis averages (approximately) 350 primary care visits, 125 dental appointments, 75 physical therapy treatments, 50 mental health calls, 40 occupational health and 55 optometry visits, as well as dispenses some 400 prescriptions.

“The majority of who we see are active duty. But we also provide care for family and retirees – especially at our pharmacy – up to age 65,” added Bowers.

“It’s so important to take care of our own the right way,” stressed Secretary Del Toro.

The Honorable Carlos Del Toro was sworn in as the 78th Secretary of the Navy, August 9, 2021, and is responsible for over 900,000 Sailors, Marines, reservists and civilian personnel.

One of his stated priorities is strengthening a naval culture of inclusiveness and respect.

The nearly 80 staff assigned to NMRTU Everett David R. Ray Clinic can attest to that.