Naval Medical Forces Pacific

🐾 They serve with us. They protect us. And now, our corpsmen are training to save THEM on the battlefield! 🐕‍🦺

Recently, Navy Hospital Corpsmen at NMRTC Twentynine Palms teamed up with Army veterinary personnel for a specialized Canine Tactical Combat Casualty Care (K9 TCCC) course. For the first time, this life-saving training was broadly offered to corpsmen across the command, equipping them with the skills needed to treat our Military Working Dogs (MWDs) in austere environments.

From trauma assessment and hemorrhage control to treating heat injuries and managing airways, our corpsmen are learning how to bridge the critical gap between an injury in the field and definitive veterinary care. Because when a K9 is injured on a mission, a corpsman is often the very first medical provider on the scene.

The best part? The principles of K9 casualty care closely mirror the human TCCC our corpsmen already know, proving once again how adaptable and ready our corpsmen are.

🗣️ "K9s play a big role in the military whether it's sniffing bombs or any sort of drug bust. So, it’s only right to treat them like they're one of us," said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Jaeden Masse.

We couldn’t agree more! Shoutout to our Navy and Army teams for this incredible joint-service collaboration. When different branches work together, our entire force gets stronger. 💪

Drop a 🐾 in the comments to show your support for our Military Working Dogs and the medical personnel who keep them in the fight! 👇

Today and Every Day, We Remember: Memorial Day Observance at NMFP

Our Sailors and civilian personnel paused this morning for a solemn colors ceremony to observe Memorial Day and honor the fallen heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our nation.

Standing together in silence, we reaffirm our commitment to the values these brave men and women defended. Their legacy of selfless service continues to inspire the Navy Medicine mission to support our warfighters and ensure a ready medical force.

Today and every day, we remember.

Artemis II Recovery Team: The ERSS 14 and ERCS 11 Experience

A huge THANK YOU to Lt. Cmdr. Kristine Tolentino Parra and Lt. Stephanie Ryan for sharing their experiences supporting the historic Artemis II recovery mission this past April.

Parra, a general surgeon for Expeditionary Resuscitative Surgical System (ERSS) 14 at NMRTC Camp Pendleton, and Ryan, with En Route Care System (ERCS) 11 at NMRTC San Diego, gave our Naval Medical Forces Pacific (NMFP) team an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at this historic event.

Their firsthand accounts highlighted the critical role of our Expeditionary Medicine (EXMED) teams in real-world, no-fail operations. During their presentation, they emphasized that mission success in such a complex environment requires seamless integration. They detailed how familiarizing themselves with the recovery ship, mastering the equipment, understanding partner medical teams' capabilities, and rigorously drilling together were the keys to ensuring a highly effective medical response.

Through their careful preparation, these teams provided comprehensive medical support to the Artemis II astronauts and the entire Navy team assigned to the recovery event.

The NMFP team enjoyed learning from their operational insights. We could not be prouder of how our EXMED teams represented NMFP and Navy Medicine, proving our expeditionary capabilities on the world stage.

Celebrating 118 Years of the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps

NMFP proudly celebrates the 118th Birthday of the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps, honoring a legacy defined by this year's theme: "Total Force, One Mission, Nursing Excellence from Shore to Sea." Our Navy nurses represent the best of our Navy, blending clinical expertise with strategic leadership and tireless commitment to our warfighters and their families. Whether stationed at the hospitals or serving in austere operational environments, the Navy nurses are the vital link ensuring our Sailors and Marines remain a ready force.

Capt. Karen Belcar, regional chief nursing officer for NMFP and DHN-PR, highlighted the Nurse Corps' unique role.

"Our legacy is built on resilience, leadership, and service before self," Belcar said. "We stand at the intersection of readiness and healing, ensuring our force remains medically ready while delivering safe, high-quality, and compassionate care."

Happy Birthday, Nurse Corps!

⚓️ Happy 9th Anniversary to the Civilian Corps!

NMFP proudly celebrates our incredible civilian professionals who work alongside our Sailors. Our civilian personnel play a vital role in strengthening NMFP every single day.

Our civilian workforce is the steady foundation and the engine powering Navy Medicine's readiness. From driving innovation and securing supply chains to delivering clinical care, their deep institutional knowledge directly enables the warfighter. As our military engages in operations around the globe, it is this commitment that ensures our Sailors and Marines are always postured to win.

To all our civilian teammates: Thank you for your dedication, your excellence, and your continued service to our Navy and our Nation. We could not accomplish our mission without you!

Bravo Zulu to Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Kathleen Peterson for being named the 2025 NMFP Senior Sailor of the Year!

Representing Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command San Diego, Peterson’s relentless dedication to the mission and her Sailors sets the ultimate standard for excellence. Here is a look at the incredible impact she has made:

As the leading petty officer for the Directorate for Clinical Support Services, she guided hundreds of personnel across six departments to execute thousands of critical medical services while sustaining Total Force Medical Readiness. Demonstrating outcome-focused leadership, she implemented the command's first battlefield acupuncture treatment modality and pioneered the region's first Physical Therapy Technician Phase II Program, significantly expanding access to care and fleet technical proficiency. Her drive for operational readiness ensured 13 Expeditionary Medicine platforms are mission ready. Beyond daily operations, she served as a foundational pillar for her community by mentoring dozens of Sailors, leading advancement boards, and processing advancement exams.

Congratulations, HM1 Peterson! Thank you for your exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment to the Navy Medicine team!

When NASA’s Artemis II astronauts splashed down in the Pacific Ocean after returning from their historic mission around the moon, Navy Medicine teams were at the ready to bring them home safely. 🚀🌖

Among them was Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Brian Romero, a search and rescue medical technician (SMT) from Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms' NMRTU/BHC China Lake. HM1 Romero embarked aboard USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) as part of a highly specialized En-Route Care System (ERCS) team, standing ready to provide critical care and transport for both the astronauts and the recovery personnel, if needed.

Operating far beyond a traditional clinical setting, HM1 Romero perfectly summed up the strength and flexibility of Navy Medicine personnel:

🗣️ "I think it was a perfect opportunity to show that the Navy Medicine team is like a Swiss Army knife—great at their jobs, but also very versatile and adaptable. It’s a well-trained team capable of achieving any task."

From rescuing ejected fighter pilots in the desert to recovering astronauts from the Pacific, our Corpsmen are always ready to answer the call.

Read the full story in the comments below to learn more about how our highly trained medical professionals are supporting the mission and making history! 👇

🫡 Bravo Zulu to our Navy Medicine personnel from across the Pacific who provided critical expeditionary medical support for the successful recovery of the crew and Orion spacecraft aboard USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) on April 10 and 11! 🚀

Our highly skilled teams, including teams from En-Route Care System (ERCS) 2, 3, and 11 and Expeditionary Resuscitative Surgical System (ERSS) 14, were on deck and ready to provide immediate, life-saving care. These mobile teams are designed to be at the forefront of operations, with ERCS providing care during patient transport and ERSS delivering surgical capabilities close to the point of need.

These dedicated Sailors represent the best of Navy Medicine, hailing from commands and military medical treatment facilities (MTF) across the Pacific Rim, including:

⚓ NMRTC San Diego / Naval Medical Center San Diego
⚓ NMRTC Camp Pendleton / Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton
⚓ USNMTRC Guam / U.S. Naval Hospital Guam
⚓ NMRTU / BHC China Lake (NMRTC / Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms)

Their clinical skills are kept sharp through their daily work at our MTFs, ensuring they are always ready for any mission, anywhere.

Congratulations on a job well done!!! 👏

Swipe through to see the dedicated professionals who helped make this historic mission a success. 📸

Commander, U.S. Third Fleet