USNMRTC Yokosuka hosted historic meeting of Allied Surgeons General

Photo By Gabriel Archer | United States Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (USNMRTC) Yokosuka, hosted a historic meeting of Allied Surgeons General for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic at United States Naval Hospital (USNH) Yokosuka.  

KANAGAWA, JAPAN

11.04.2022

Story by Gabriel Archer 

U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka

YOKOSUKA, Japan—On November 5, United States Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (USNMRTC) Yokosuka, hosted a historic meeting of Allied Surgeons General for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic at United States Naval Hospital (USNH) Yokosuka. Rear Admiral Bruce L. Gillingham, Surgeon General of the United States Navy and Rear Admiral Hitoshi Ogawa, Surgeon General of the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force began the meeting with thanks and appreciation for the continued partnership throughout the trials of COVID-19. Both were grateful that the return to a new post-pandemic normal was underway. This assembly reaffirmed the promotion of the projection of joint medical power throughout the INDO-PACIFIC region. Additional leaders in attendance, Rear Admiral Satoshi Tsukazaki and CAPT T. Blair Hines committed to future partnership opportunities demonstrating a mutual pledge to expanding medical cooperation between the two Navies.

"It was an honor to meet with Admiral Ogawa and reconfirm the close bonds Navy Medicine shares with our Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force partners," Gillingham said. "Our strong alliance with Japan continues to grow stronger as our medical teams work together to take care of people and promote regional stability and prosperity."

“JMSDF and USN Medicine have built integral partnership through various occasions, such as subject matter expert exchange, exercises, and training,” said RADM Ogawa. “In our meeting with RADM Gillingham, we reaffirmed that we will continue our efforts to promote our partnership and interoperability for regional stability. Mutual participation and support are important for creating tight bonds and we thank US Navy Medicine.”

“This meeting marks an important occasion for reaffirming our U.S.-Japanese partnership and serves as an opportunity to collaborate in readiness, build rapport, and renew commitments,” said USNMRTC Yokosuka Commanding Officer, CAPT T. Blair Hines. “We stand with our partners to ensure allied medical forces are prepared to face the challenges of today and tomorrow.”

USNMRTC Yokosuka is the largest Military Treatment Facility in the INDO-PACIFIC area of responsibility, serving over 337,000 operational forces, including Seventh Fleet commands; III Marine Expeditionary Force assigned to mainland Japan; USFK in South Korea; and Military Sealift Command in Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. USNMRTC Yokosuka provides a vast array of healthcare to our service-members, families, and Allied Forces from primary and specialty medical care to dental services. USNMRTC Yokosuka leads the AOR with breakthrough performances in healthcare delivery Key Performance Indicators and consistently implements innovative programs to deliver specialty healthcare services efficiently across vast distances.

Images of the event can be found at the links below:

LINK

Public Affairs Points of Contact:
Navy Medicine and Readiness Training Command (NMRTC): Mr. Gabriel Archer, Office: 243-2502, DSN: 315-243-2502, Cell: 080-6784-9065; 080-7661-7583. E-mail: [e-mail]; Ms. Sarah Marek, Office: 243-7194. E-mail: [e-mail]

• Date Taken: 11.04.2022
• Date Posted: 11.28.2022 22:07
• Story ID: 434082
• Location: KANAGAWA, JP