JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas – The Naval Medical Forces Development Command (NMFDC) celebrated the 127th U.S. Navy Hospital Corps birthday June 17, 2025.

This ceremony honors the impact and enduring legacy of the Navy corpsman, said Rear Adm. Walter Brafford, NMFDC’s commander, as part of his opening remarks.

“For 127 years, our Hospital Corpsmen have answered the call in times of conflict and peace,” Brafford said. “Today, we celebrate their legacy and salute the 'docs' who run towards danger, forever standing ready to lay down their lives for our nation and their fellow Sailors and Marines."

Following the commander’s remarks, NMFDC Sailors read letters from Gen. Eric Smith, Commandant of the Marine Corps; Rear Adm. Darin Via, Surgeon General of the Navy; and Force Master Chief PatrickPaul Mangaran, Director of the Hospital Corps, regarding the birthday.

“It’s great to hear from so many leaders and the deep respect they have for our rate,” said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Tamarrian Rodriguez. "I've had the honor of serving as a corpsman for just over eight years, and honestly, it's been one of the best things I've ever done.”

As the youngest corpsman at NMFDC, Rodriguez had the honor to be part of the time-honored cake-cutting tradition. She was joined by the eldest corpsman, Hospital Corpsman Chief Petty Officer Franklin Ihama.


“I’ve been a corpsman for more than 19 years,” said Ihama. "From being the lead flight deck corpsman on an aircraft carrier to assisting veterans at naval hospitals, I've had the honor of serving in many different capacities. What truly makes me proud is being able to continue the legacy started by all the corpsmen who came before me. It's a real privilege to be here today, celebrating another year of our corps.”

Following the cake and a Hospital Corps history presentation, Hospital Corpsman Chief Petty Officer Timothy O’Neal led the group in the Corpsman Pledge.

“Reading the Corpsman Pledge out loud really hits home for me," O'Neal said. "It's more than just words on paper; it's a big deal, a deep commitment. Thinking about how we promise to always help people no matter how bad things get, reenforces the respect I have for what we do.”

For the command’s senior enlisted leader, the focus wasn't solely on the birthday, but on the enduring legacy it represented.

"The Corpsman birthday is an opportunity to celebrate not just the Navy’s largest, most decorated rate, but the legacy built on selfless sacrifice and service to others," said Command Master Chief Veronica Brittenum. “The sacrifices corpsmen make every day are not limited to the battlefield but occur in various environments around the globe. The life-saving skills that they provide daily, allow for the mission to be accomplished and for servicemembers to return to their families.”

As the senior enlisted leader for NMFDC, the command entrusted with shaping the future of Navy medical training – including the foundational Hospital Corps Basic and subsequent "C" schools – Brittenum doesn’t get to serve in a medical role, but she still plays a key role in the corpsman community.

“I was devastated when I lost the red cross from my CAC [common access card] but knew that I would always be a corpsman at heart,” she said. “To have the opportunity to come to NMFDC and have a way to give back and positively impact and influence the training that corpsmen receive is my way of continuing to serve. The commitment to service to others we have is something that just doesn’t go away.”

In her closing remarks, Brittenum invited those in attendance to remember the corpsmen’s sacrifice should never be forgotten, and each day should always be approached with humility, integrity, a commitment to teamwork, and the pride that comes with ‘holding the care of the sick and injured as a sacred trust.’

“We stand on the shoulders of the giants that paved the way before us and allow us to have the opportunities available to us today.
“Corpsman Up! Happy 127th Birthday Hospital Corps! Hooyah Corpsmen!” she concluded.