Medical Forces Atlantic Reserve leadership highlight importance of mission readiness

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Travis Decker

Naval Medical Forces Atlantic

Reserve Component Naval Medical Forces Atlantic (RC NMFL) held a 4-day annual leadership sync for 20 commands within the region that focused on Navy Medicine and Navy Reserve priorities on board Naval Support Activity (NSA) Hampton Roads-Portsmouth Annex, Jan. 18-21.

Nearly 50 Navy Reserve Component commanding officers, executive officers and senior enlisted leaders were brought together to discuss higher-level operational overview, strategic alignment, and mission expectations.

“The leadership sync is significant because the teams had the opportunity for one-on-one mentoring,” explained Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Oakes, the reserve program manager at NMFL. “Our goal was to get the leadership here and working together as a team from the start.”

The event included question-and-answer sessions, open dialogue on best practices, mentorship, challenges, and resiliency. Leadership highlighted the importance of reserve support for expeditionary medicine platforms, priorities of current readiness, and future operations requirements.

“We have the opportunity to lead the next generation’s ready medical force, offering opportunities never before seen for professional development,” said Master Chief Hospital Corpsman Jeff Tabor, the RC NMFL senior enlisted advisor. “We are here to support them while being their conduit for operational and augment readiness responsibilities.”

Leaders were empowered to integrate the gained knowledge and resources at their own commands throughout the region, and the importance of ensuring Sailors under their responsibility receive the training they need to perform their duties.

“The main takeaway is to always be ready,” concluded Rear Adm. Eric Peterson, the deputy commander of RC NMFL and director, Navy Reserve Nurse Corps. “Readiness is the bottom line that we bring to the Sailors every day.”

NMFL, headquartered in Portsmouth, Virginia, delivers operationally focused medical expertise and capabilities to meet Fleet, Marine and Joint Force requirements by providing equipment, sustainment and maintenance of medical forces during combat operations and public health crises. NMFL provides oversight for 21 NMRTCs, logistics, and public health and dental services throughout the U.S. East Coast, U.S. Gulf Coast, Cuba, Europe, and the Middle East.

Navy Medicine – represented by more than 44,000 highly-trained military and civilian health care professionals – provides enduring expeditionary medical support to the warfighter on, below, and above the sea, and ashore.