Commanding Officer

Medical Service Corps, United States Navy
Commanding Officer, Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Twentynine Palms

A native of the West Indies, Captain Janiese Cleckley joined the Navy in 1989 as a seaman recruit and later excelled to the rank of chief petty officer. Cleckley earned her undergraduate degree in healthcare management from Southern Illinois University of Carbondale and in 2002, she was selected for direct commissioning through the Medical Service Corps In-service Procurement Program and reported to Naval Ambulatory Clinic Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

In 2004, Cleckley was selected through the Duty Under Instruction process and earned her master’s degree in healthcare administration from Baylor University; her utilization tour was at Naval Health Clinic Key West, Florida, as the administration officer. Her strong leadership attributes and keen managerial acumen led to her selection as the interim officer in charge for nine months.

In 2010, Cleckley was by-name selected to serve as flag aide to the 16th Director, Medical Service Corps and Commander, Navy Medicine Support Command, Jacksonville, Florida, and in 2012 she applied for screening for executive medicine milestone assignment and was selected as the director for administration, Navy Medicine Education and Training Command, San Antonio, Texas. In this role she was instrumental in the disestablishment of Navy Medicine Support Command. In 2013 she reported to U.S. Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay, as the director for administration, and was dual hatted as special assistant to the Joint Medical Group Surgeon, Joint Task Force.

In 2015 she was competitively screened and slated as officer in charge to Naval Health Clinic Fallon, Nevada. In 2017, she was selected for special assignment to serve on a three-star flag staff, as the executive assistant and deputy chief of staff to the director of the Defense Health Agency.
In 2019, Cleckley was selected to serve as a detailer and then later promoted to deputy, branch head for the Medical Department Assignments and Detailing Branch, which encompassed 11,000 officers. In June 2023, she reported to Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, as the executive officer and Naval Health Clinic Hawaii as the deputy director.

In 2025, Cleckley reported to NMRTC Twentynine Palms, where she currently serves as commanding officer, and Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms, where she serves as the director.

Notable career recognitions include: The Joint Federal Sector Senior Officer for Inclusion/Diversity and the Military in Excellence award(s), and the Joint National Leadership Image Award for meritorious service. Cleckley is a board-certified Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Cleckley’s decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (five), Joint Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (two), Joint Service Medal and the Navy Achievement Medal (two).