DIEGO GARCIA, British Indian Ocean Territory – On Oct. 3, 2025, medical personnel from U.S. Naval Hospital (USNH) Yokosuka’s Branch Health Clinic (BHC) Diego Garcia swiftly responded to an emergency call aboard a vessel operating in the Indian Ocean.
The BHC Diego Garcia team, primarily staffed by U.S. Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Unit Sailors to meet outpatient medical and dental readiness requirements in this remote and crucial area of the region, immediately deployed to the point of injury to provide urgent medical assistance, stabilizing and transporting the patients to the clinic for further care.


As aeromedical evacuation coordination began, clinic personnel leveraged the Joint Tele-Critical Care Network (JTCCN), a Defense Health Agency (DHA) initiative that links deployed or remote medical teams with critical care specialists around the world. Through real-time telemedicine consultations, clinic staff received expert guidance to support complex clinical decision-making and enhance patient stabilization efforts.
“This is exactly what the JTCCN was built for,” said Capt. Torrin Velazquez, USNH Yokosuka director and commanding officer of U.S. Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command. “By connecting our medical professionals in Diego Garcia to global expertise in minutes, we amplify readiness and ensure our Sailors and partners receive world-class care—no matter how remote the location.”
Cmdr. Joseph Labarbera, officer in charge of BHC Diego Garcia, commended his team’s dedication and coordination during the response.
“I am incredibly proud of the teamwork exhibited by the clinic staff,” Labarbera said. “It truly was an all-hands event where our small crew came together in a moment’s notice to provide lifesaving care. From our emergency vehicle operators and emergency medical technicians first on the scene, to our admin team coordinating reporting and medevac requirements, to clinical staff performing life-saving measures, to our ancillary department providing critical diagnostic support, our unit exceeded our capability to care for these individuals.”
The event highlighted how telemedicine capabilities serve as a force multiplier in remote operational environments. Without a full-time specialist on station, access to virtual consultations through the JTCCN enabled BHC Diego Garcia clinicians to make rapid, evidence-based decisions that improved patient outcomes.
“Technology like this transforms what’s possible in military medicine,” Velazquez added. “It ensures that even in the most isolated locations, our medical teams have the resources and reach of an entire network behind them. It is in line with the Secretary of the Navy’s priorities to foster an adaptive and warfighting culture while also improving the health and welfare of our Sailors, Marines, and civilian personnel.”
Through readiness, innovation, and collaboration, Navy Medicine and DHA continue to deliver trusted care and ensure the medical lethality and resilience of the joint force — anywhere in the world, at any time.