Navy Surgeon General Calls for Future Medical Capabilities Assessment

From U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery Public Affairs

RESTON, Va. (NNS) -- Navy Medicine held a conference March 19-21, 2012, in support of its Expeditionary Health Service Support (EHSS) Capability Based Assessment (CBA) bringing together nearly 100 medical and operational specialists across the Navy and Marine Corps to discuss how best to plan for future operations.

The EHSS CBA and the Joint Capability Integration and Development System (JCIDS) is designed to provide a long-range look at aligning Navy Medicine's future capabilities with the needs of the warfighter from 2015 through 2025.

The assessment is being conducted at the behest of the Navy Surgeon General Vice Adm. Matthew L. Nathan who believes support to the warfighter and their families is the top priority of Navy Medicine.

"The CNO's Sailing Directions highlight warfighting first, operating forward, and readiness over the next 10 to 15 years, so efforts to improve capabilities across the spectrum and develop our personnel will be the foundation of the Navy's future success in these areas," said Nathan. "JCIDS and the EHSS CBA will give Navy Medicine the framework to join with the Marine Corps to operate and fight as expeditionary partners and ensure we are meeting the future needs our services."

According to Dr. Michael Malanoski, deputy chief, Future Operations for the U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED), the EHSS CBA marries health services requirements, afloat and ashore, with Navy, Marine Corps, and Defense Health planning, programming, budgeting and execution processes.

"EHSS is essentially Navy Medicine's core mission and this assessment looks at where we are now, where we need to be in the future, and what we need to do to get there in the operational area," said Malanoski. "It is a critical step in being able to meet future missions and operate in a joint, agile environment across a wide range of military operations."

The CBA will also conduct functional area review in many areas including casualty management, patient movement, human performance, health engagement operations and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief, as well as reviewing Navy Medicine's ability to support U.S. civil authorities if a disaster were to strike on American soil. The assessment will need approval from senior leaders across the board to ensure that requirements and associated risks are appropriate in an environment of limited resources.

Malanoski stated that the impacts of the assessment will be vast and across multiple fields and will have a direct impact in shaping of the force. Ensuring there is an appropriate balance of uniform and civilian personnel in our facilities to support continued operational readiness both at home and overseas remains critical to Navy Medicine meeting its mission. He added that the CBA will also impact future resource levels and the Navy Medicine training continuum.

Nathan was pleased with the status of the future readiness initiative and believed the groups work would have long-term benefits for warfighters of the future.

"I have said many times, when the world dials 911, it is not to make an appointment," said Nathan. "The EHSS CBA is one more tool in our arsenal to ensure we are equipped and ready at a moment's notice to meet the challenges that lie ahead."

As the Navy Surgeon General and Chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Nathan leads 63,000 Navy Medicine personnel that provide health care support to the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, their families and veterans in high operational tempo environments, at expeditionary medical facilities, medical treatment facilities, hospitals, clinics, hospital ships and research units around the world.

Health and wellness are important elements of the readiness area of the 21st Century Sailor and Marine initiative which consolidates a set of objectives and policies, new and existing, to maximize Sailor and Marine personal readiness, build resiliency and hone the most combat-effective force in the history of the Department.