CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti (Aug. 25, 2025) — Hospital Corpsman Chief Select Kazia Marecheau, a Midcoast Maine native, has been selected for advancement to chief petty officer and for a direct commission into the Medical Service Corps after 15 years of naval service.

While forward-deployed to Camp Lemonnier with Expeditionary Medical Facility (EMF), she will complete chief petty officer (CPO) initiation before returning stateside to commission as an active-duty social worker.

As a Navy reservist, Marecheau is assigned to USNS Comfort, a Mercy-class hospital ship homeported in Norfolk, Virginia, while working a civilian job at Sentara Healthcare. She pursued this deployment to challenge herself and open doors to future opportunities.


At Camp Lemonnier, Marecheau serves as a behavioral health technician, providing essential care to strengthen mental health and readiness. She leads the cognitive behavioral therapy program for patients with insomnia and serves as the leading petty officer for Expeditionary Medical Facility’s Directorate for Clinical Support Services, where she oversees five departments and mentors Sailors.

“My time here at Camp Lemonnier has been an invaluable learning experience, with countless opportunities for growth and development,” Marecheau said. “I’ve had the privilege of being mentored by both senior enlisted and officers, and that’s something I’m deeply grateful for and will carry with me throughout my naval career.”

Her journey now includes commissioning through the Navy Social Work Fellowship Program. Marecheau will attend Officer Development School in Newport, Rhode Island, before reporting to Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Virginia, where she will complete fellowship rotations as an active-duty social worker.

“Thank God for connecting me with the mentors who guided me through the process,” Marecheau said. “From the packages to the letters, everything came together through faith and their support.”

As the only Level II military trauma center on the African continent, Camp Lemonnier’s EMF operates as a force healthcare system providing emergent care, preventative medicine and veterinary services to support Camp Lemonnier and forward-deployed units in the region.

Camp Lemonnier is an operational installation that enables U.S., allied, and partner nation forces to be where they are needed to ensure security and protect U.S. interests. The installation provides world-class support for service members, transient U.S. assets, and 36 local tenant commands.