Navy Entomology Center of Excellence (NECE) staff trained and equipped active duty preventive medicine and civilian pest control personnel representing U.S. Navy, Air Force, and Army during the largest inter-agency pesticide certification course delivered in nearly five years on Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida, Jan. 23, 2023.

Over 22 Department of Defense (DoD) personnel stationed in Cuba and six additional commands across the continental US attended this highly specialized training offered only at NECE. The three-week course officially certified enlisted, officers, civilian employees, and contractors in arthropod, vertebrate, and vegetation management, meeting mandated DoD standards in pest management readiness.

“This course is a federally guided requirement for DoD preventive medicine specialists,” said Ms. Jennifer Remmers, Head of the Readiness and Training Department at NECE. “Our pest management training program has been in place since 1950, ensuring that DoD pest management professionals use the most environmentally safe and effective surveillance and control practices.”



Classroom-style lectures were provided by certified Navy Entomologists and Preventive Medicine Technicians as well as hands-on activities in critical skills such as pest identification, surveillance, and pesticide application in real world settings. Students were required to operate a variety of pesticide application equipment and were taught about the importance of proper equipment calibration and maintenance.

“One of the biggest takeaways I received from this training was how much it increased my understanding of the DoD pest management resources and capabilities available to military entomologists,” said Air Force Capt. Ben McMillan.

Students who complete these NECE-led courses will take the lessons learned and apply them to military operations, both foreign and domestic, improving the public health conditions of their work sites and enhancing mission readiness. The nature of these courses also provides a learning environment that encourages networking between military branches under the umbrella of preventive medicine, as well as enabling NECE entomologists to sharpen their highly specialized pest management skills.

“Teaching is one of the best aspects of my job,” said Lt. Cmdr. Alister Bryson, NECE Operations Director and class instructor. “I love hearing about all of the different pest management backgrounds from the course attendees, and that lightbulb moment when students learn new surveillance and management concepts is very rewarding.”



NECE is the Navy and Marine Corps’ Center of Excellence for operational entomology located at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida. NECE’s unique DoD mission is to develop and evaluate novel products, pesticides, and technologies to better protect deployed forces from vectors of disease. NECE also provides operational medical entomology and support through pest management training to DOD military and civilian personnel and is the program manager for all Navy shipboard pest management. NECE plays a key role in supporting national strategic interests though engagement and exchange with foreign health and military partners.
https://www.med.navy.mil/Navy-Marine-Corps-Public-Health-Center/Field-Activities/Navy-Entomology-Center-of-Excellence/