Chief of Staff (COS)

Ms. Kathryn "Kathy" Mercer

Ms. Kathryn “Kathy” Mercer is the Chief of Staff of the Naval Medical Forces Development Command, an Echelon 3 regional headquarters, shore-based activity with responsibility to provide ready medical capabilities to protect, prepare, and train shore-based and operating forces for the full range of global military activities. In this role, she is responsible for the day-to-day operation, performance of duty, readiness and direct administration and operations of the headquarters staff.
 
Ms. Mercer joined the command as the Director of Resource Management in May 2020 where she oversaw the $142M budget of Operation and Maintenance Navy, Reserve Personnel and Defense Health Program appropriations.
 
Prior to her duty with NMFDC, Ms. Mercer, served as the Deputy Comptroller at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility. There, she managed a $1.7B budget and oversaw the pay and entitlements of 13,500 civilians. She oversaw the training of 60 financial managers and over 100 funds administrators.
 
Ms. Mercer is also a Colonel in the Air Force Reserve where she is the Director, Financial Management and Comptroller, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, IL. She oversees the Air Force Reserve’s $5 billion annual budget and accounting activities including formulation, justification and execution. She provides in-depth financial analysis, responses and testimony to inquiries from the Secretary of the Air Force, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Office of Management and Budget, and Congress. She ensures compliance with regulations, Department of Defense directives, and Government Accountability Office decisions and oversees financial system development. She leads the force development program for Reserve Financial Management Officers as Career Field Manager and Development Team chair.  She has served at the base level, major command, combatant command and at the Air Staff.