The U.S. Navy Hospital Corps marks its 127th birthday on June 17, honoring a legacy of valor and medical support to the Navy and Marine Corps.

Hospital Corpsmen (HM) move the Navy mission forward on all fronts, and even after serving their country as part of the U.S. Navy, many go on to use their expertise to support the DoD in other capacities.

At Naval Medical Research Command (NMRC), the mission to ensure the health, fitness and readiness of U.S. service members has benefitted from the contributions of past corpsmen, as well as those active-duty HMs who serve today.

“Corpsmen are the foundation of medical care for the Navy and Marine Corps,” explained Jerrold Diederich, a former HM and the current manpower manager with NMRC. “Corpsmen save lives and provide healthcare and critical support in clinics, hospitals, ships and operationally austere environments. Corpsmen quickly adapt and provide critical lifesaving care in any location.”


Diederich left service as chief petty officer in 2015. Prior to his current job at NMRC, he served at the command’s senior enlisted leader.

“This birthday commemorates the sacrifices of thousands of corpsmen who have cared for the wounded, sick and injured, each adding to the history of the Hospital Corps,” Diederich added. “This is a time for all corpsmen to reflect on our responsibility, unique role and calling to save lives.”

While the Navy commissions individuals with advanced degrees directly into the Medical Service Corps as researchers and scientists, many of these highly skilled officers have a prior enlisted background, often as hospital corpsmen. Current and former HMs with NMRC bring many skills, such as in public health and disease prevention, to the medical research mission. These HMs engage in a broad range of service member-focused research in the laboratory and in the field, in NMR&D headquarters and in austere and remote areas of the world.

In addition to work in laboratories, current NMRC corpsmen perform logistics and administration support, and serve in leadership roles for the command. Former corpsmen, whether commissioned, retired from active status or continuing a career in Navy Medicine, can be found across NMRC, serving in roles such as compliance officer, department heads, human resources liaisons and tracking hundreds of external scientific publications.

Capt. Guillermo Pimentel, deputy commander of NMRC, is known for his work in biodefense research and his rapid deployment of mobile laboratories during the Ebola epidemic, demonstrating how foundational corpsman experience can inform high-level scientific and public health leadership.

Pimentel joined the U.S. Navy Reserve as an HM in 1988, and received his commission as a Lieutenant in 1999. He has served in leadership positions across the globe, in the U.S., Egypt, the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia.

“When I went through Hospital Corps school at the age of 17, it never hit me how important the HM community is for our Sailors and Marines,” said Pimentel. “It was during my deployment in the First Persian Gulf War that I understood how critical an HM is for our forces. It means trust, hope, and confidence in carrying the mission. When a Sailor or Marine calls you ‘doc’, it means business!”

“Corpsmen are important because they are present across all domains, ensuring that military personnel are medically ready to carry on with the mission and to take care of the wounded,” Pimentel added. “It gives confidence to our troops that someone will be there for them, no matter the circumstances. It gives hope that they will return home! For the 127th birthday celebration, we continue commemorating the sacrifices of our corpsmen—especially the ones that are not with us today. We continue celebrating our commitment to take care of our troops anytime, anywhere!”

“Hospital Corpsman are embedded throughout the NMR&D community worldwide," said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Bethany Ivey, NMRC's Directorate for Administration leading petty officer. "Whether it’s providing administrative assistance, conducting medical equipment maintenance, assisting in clinical trials, or traveling to various platforms to conduct and train biological lab testing, hospital corpsman flawlessly demonstrate their versality and adaptability in any environment, continuing the legacy HM’s are revered for.”

The extensive training required to become an HM encompasses everything from combat casualty care and basic first aid to advanced trauma management, preventative medicine and assisting surgeons. They are often the first responders in critical situations, bridging the gap between injury and definitive medical care, directly contributing to the survival rate of service members.

Master Chief Hospital Corpsman Philip Jean-Gilles, NMRC ‘s command master chief, spoke about his admiration for hospital corpsmen.

“As we celebrate the HM Birthday, I am deeply honored to serve as the command master chief for NMRC. It fills me with immense pride to witness not only the dedication of our corpsmen currently serving, but also the continued contributions of prior corpsmen who now hold significant leadership roles within NMRC such as Capt. Pimentel, our Deputy Commander; Mr. Legette, NMR&D [Navy Medicine Research & Development] DFA [director for administration]; Mr. Leconte, NMR&D Facilities Program Manager; Mr. Diederich, NMR&D Manpower Manager and many others.”

Jean-Gilles also reflected on understanding his place in the long-storied history of hospital corpsmen

“Their ongoing commitment is a testament to the rich history and enduring heritage of the hospital corps,” Jean-Gilles said. “Our legacy is built on generations of devoted corpsmen who have answered the call to serve, and I am proud to stand alongside each one of them.”

“Being an HM meant acceptance, purpose and value to me,” said John Leconte, a former corpsman and current facilities program manager with NMRC, “I enlisted in the U.S. Navy at the age of 20, less than a year after immigrating to the United States from Haiti. In that role, I directly supported the healthcare of U. S. Sailors, Marines and their families. That experience gave me a profound sense of purpose. It affirmed my values of service, compassion and dedication. It also welcomed me into a closely bonded community, where unity was forged through shared mission and mutual respect.”

Leconte elaborated on the value that the hospital corps brings.

“In the Hospital Corps, the strength of the United States military and the compassion of humanity come together. These are strong and capable individuals called not only to serve, but to care. They are role models in any society. Commemorating its birthday reminds me that there is still a place in the American fabric for a small thread like me – a reminder that every contribution matters.”

Jon Fletcher, a research coordinator with NMRC, spoke about what it meant for him to be in the Hospital Corps. Fletcher has been with NMRC for over 20 years, having joined as a Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class in 2000, and transitioning directly into contract work for the command in 2006, then becoming a civilian in 2007.

“I was deeply honored in the trust given to me during my time as an HM. It meant being responsible for lives and supporting others,” Fletcher said.

On June 17, 1898, the Fifty-First Congress passed an act to establish the Hospital Corps, to provide critical medical care for U.S. Sailors and Marines as the nation expanded its global presence. Medical duties before the corps were performed by untrained personnel, or "loblolly boys"; as they were informally called. The creation of the Hospital Corps professionalized naval medicine, providing dedicated and skilled caregivers.

Hospital corpsmen have served in every battlefield capacity and on every ship where U.S. forces have operated, from World War I to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Their presence has provided life-saving medical attention under challenging circumstances across the globe.

As the Navy Hospital Corps celebrates another year, it continues to evolve, adapting to modern medical advancements and the dynamic demands of global operations. The enduring legacy of the Hospital Corps is one of unwavering commitment, compassionate care and profound impact on the readiness and well-being of the U.S. military.