Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet Health Service Support team hosted the 2024 Fleet Medical Symposium at Naval Warfare Development Center aboard Naval Station Norfolk, Jan. 30-31, 2024.

Vice Adm. Doug Perry, commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet, kicked off the two-day conference speaking about how critical it is that 2nd Fleet and Navy Medicine remain synchronized for mission readiness and success.

“This year marks the sixth anniversary since 2nd Fleet was reestablished, and today we face a dangerous and unpredictable security environment,” Perry said. “Our mission is more critical than ever in increasingly contested environments, and we remain committed to setting the conditions for success with your medical teams.”

This year’s symposium brought Hampton Roads area medical teams together with representatives from U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet to synchronize health service support and share operational medicine best practices and lessons learned to ensure mission readiness across Fleets and services.

Rear Adm. Pamela Miller, medical officer of the Marine Corps and vice chief of Bureau of Medicine and Surgery for Reserve Policy and Integration, believes it is imperative that Marine Corps and Navy health services work to align efforts to the greatest extent possible.

“Leaders at all levels in operational health service support of both services must seek opportunities to train as we fight,” said Miller. “Integral to our future training is the concept that we must partner not only as a Naval Force but as a Joint Force. We must gain efficiencies and effectiveness regarding our materiel management and health service support capabilities to optimize the critical support provided to the warfighting effort of our Sailors and Marines.”

Capt. Carolyn Rice, fleet surgeon of U.S. 2nd Fleet, explained that synchronizing with the medical communities drives the evolution of medical processes.

“Our symposium focused on the road to crisis specifically the medical response to include patient movement and cold weather operations,” said Rice. “It was truly a ‘One Navy Medicine’ response and agenda to align and learn from recent deployers and experts and leverage novel solutions and capabilities to support warfighting and the warfighters.”

U.S. 2nd Fleet, reestablished in 2018 in response to the changing global security environment, develops and employs maritime ready forces to fight across multiple domains in the Atlantic and Arctic in order to ensure access, deter aggression and defend U.S., allied, and partner interests.
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