Third annual Navy Medicine campaign order released to enhance naval force readiness

Story by Bobbie Camp

U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery

The Navy Surgeon General released the third annual Navy Medicine campaign order in support of a 5-year plan to achieve the 2027 North Star end state, which is to deliver agile, scalable, trained, and certified medical units to provide enduring support to the fleet, Fleet Marine Force, and joint forces in high-end competition, crisis, and combat, Oct. 1.

The campaign order is aligned with the Chief of Naval Operation’s Navigation Plan for America’s Warfighting Navy, the National Defense Strategy, and other Navy and Marine Corps strategic documents. It builds the foundation for Navy Medicine to enhance warfighter medical readiness and successfully operate in the high-end fight.

“This year’s campaign order continues to prepare and posture Navy Medicine for sustained health service support in high intensity combat operations in a future peer warfighting scenario,” said Rear Adm. Darin Via the Navy Surgeon General and chief, BUMED. “These foundational changes will meet the operational requirements of combatant commanders, fleet commanders and the Fleet Marine Force.”

The campaign order supports the Surgeon General’s four lines of efforts, which are organized under the CNO’s priorities of warfighting, warfighters, and the foundation that supports them. The involvement and active contribution of fleet stakeholders and non-medical counterparts is a crucial element to the execution of a successful transition and efficient transformation.

“Everyone of us has a crucial role in advancing our lines of efforts and reaching our North Star,” concluded Via. “Every Navy Medicine Sailor, active and reserve, and civilian should take the time to familiarize themselves with the Fiscal Year 2025 Campaign Order.”

In the previous two campaign orders, more than 400 functional tasks were successfully executed that propelled Navy Medicine closer to its 2027 North Star. In fiscal year 2025, 250-plus tasks have been identified with certain timelines and milestones to increase modernization and expand unit capacity.

Quarterly updates on the progress toward Navy Medicine Operational Design in support of our North Star will follow the campaign order. Successes will be measured against the Navy Medicine Campaign Plan and will require integrated efforts across internal and external processes and stakeholders.

As a maritime medical force, Navy Medicine’s mission is to develop and deliver manned, trained, equipped, maintained, and certified medical forces that develop, generate, and preserve the naval human weapon system.

The Navy Medicine Enterprise — comprised of more than 40,000 highly-trained military and civilian health care professionals — provides enduring expeditionary support to the warfighter on, below, and above the sea, and ashore.