Photo By Julie Lucas | A guidon is passed from Expeditionary Medical Facility 150 Mike incoming Commanding...... read more read more
History was made Aug. 23 when Capt. Randy Panke ended his tour as the first ever commanding officer of Expeditionary Medical Facility 150 Mike (EMF-M) after being relieved by Capt. Jeremy Pyles, aboard Naval Air Station Jacksonville. The command was stood up Sept. 23, 2022.
Capt. Craig Malloy, Naval Hospital Jacksonville director, presided over the Change of Command ceremony. Capt. Toni Bowden, EMF-M executive officer, served as the master of ceremonies.
Malloy spoke about the complexities EMF-M faces. "It's an incredible time in Navy Medicine and both of you have been charged to continue to man, train and equip our expeditionary platforms to go forward when called upon," he said.
Malloy commended Panke's vision in establishing the command and his role.
"Your commitment to mission preparedness yet with a focus on the personnel you've led, will have a long-lasting impact. It was clear meeting you a few months ago that people must come first - thank you for that."
Malloy welcomed Pyles and his family to Jacksonville, and he stated how he was looking forward to working with the new commanding officer. "You and I will embrace the challenges of command together. We will rejoice in our successes and work in tight collaboration with both triads for the benefits of both our patients and crew."
Panke spoke about the union of the multiple commands played in remaining deployable.
“Our commands are like conjoined twins – someone has the heart, the other the lungs, and you need both to function,” said Panke. “We exist together, and we are at our best together to save and preserve lives.”
EMF-M supports 5 installations, 68 operational units, 119 enrolled commands, and 257 non-enrolled commands each year, along with 175,000 beneficiaries (including about 54,000 enrollees).
During Panke’s tenure, EMF-M completed their Operational Readiness Evaluation in April. Additionally, EMU10G-R14 returned following a six-month deployment to Erbil, Iraq.
During the ceremony as a nod to the command’s roots as a warfighter, a guidon was passed between the outgoing CO and incoming CO.
Panke, a native of Oviedo, Florida, is a Medical Service Corps officer. Following the ceremony, he was awarded the Legion of Merit Award for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service. Panke’s next assignment will be his final serving as an Occupational Health Provider at Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Pyles, the second ever EMF-M commanding officer, previously served as executive officer of NMRTC and Naval Health Clinic Oak Harbor, Washington. A native of Bradenton, Florida, he was commissioned as a Medical Service Corps officer in 1997.
Pyles spoke to the sailors on his vision for the future and remains committed to providing a learning environment. “We will embrace the tenants of Get Real/Get Better and the culture of excellence 2.0 utilizing my own philosophy,’ Do the best you can with what you have’.”
| Date Taken: | 08.23.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.26.2024 10:07 |
| Story ID: | 479398 |
| Location: | JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, US |
| Hometown: | BRADENTON, FLORIDA, US |
| Hometown: | OVIEDO, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 61 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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