Leadership changes hands at NMRTC, Naval Hospital Jacksonville
Capt. Cindi Palacios assumed leadership of Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Jacksonville and Naval Hospital (NH) Jacksonville from Capt. Craig Malloy during a Change of Command ceremony at the All Saints Chapel aboard Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Aug. 13.
The dual-hatted leadership role reflects the organization's complex, two-fold mission. As commander of NMRTC Jacksonville, they execute Navy Medicine’s mandate to generate, train, and deploy expeditionary medical forces (EXMEDS) in support of global fleet and Marine Corps operations. Concurrently,as director of NH Jacksonville, the leader oversees a Defense Health Agency (DHA) medical treatment facility (MTF) dedicated to delivering high-quality healthcare to beneficiaries.
Rear Adm. Robert Hawkins, Commander, Naval Medical Forces Atlantic and Director of Defense Health Network Atlantic, presided over the ceremony. Hawkins emphasized that successful commands depend not only on their leadership, but on the Sailors, civilians, partners and families who make the mission possible.
“The mission doesn’t get done without the whole team — team of teams, whatever term you want to use,” he said. Addressing the command’s personnel directly, he added, “You have high value, and what you do matters.”
That mission extends across one of Navy Medicine’s broadest operational footprints. NMRTC Jacksonville supports Naval Hospital Jacksonville, its five branch health clinics, and five Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Units, Expeditionary Medical Facility-150 Mike (EMF-M), Expeditionary Medical Unit One, Sprint Team Six, and Navy Reserve Expeditionary Medical Unit Jacksonville while supporting hundreds of operational commands across Florida, Georgia, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
Hawkins, who had worked with Malloy before his command tour, said his commitment to both people and mission was evident long before he arrived.
“You cared about the mission. You cared about the people,” he said. “It’s just part of your fabric. It’s in the heart and heart matters.”
During Malloy's tenure, the command expanded opportunities for Navy Medicine personnel to maintain critical clinical skills needed for operational assignments. Partnerships with civilian health systems increased access to advanced clinical experiences, while expeditionary training provided personnel opportunities to practice capabilities required to deliver care in operational environments.
Hawkins pointed to the breadth of experience Palacios brings as preparation to lead the command as Navy Medicine continues adapting for future operational requirements.
“From your enlisted days, from all of your experience through operational tours, through your headquarters experiences, through your policy and manpower skill sets, through your leadership as the executive officer in San Diego, you've got what it takes,” said Hawkins.
The transfer of command continues a Navy Medicine presence in Jacksonville that has supported the Fleet for more than eight decades. While leaders, technology and operational requirements have changed, both NMRTC and NH Jacksonville's responsibility remains centered on preparing people and capabilities to meet the needs of the Fleet.
“The fact of the matter is, each of you are why this stuff gets done,” Hawkins told the command. “You have high value, and what you do matters.”
Acting Surgeon General of the Navy and Chief of Bureau of Medicine and Surgery Rear Adm. Mathew Case served as guest speaker at the event. He noted the numerous previous hospital directors in attendance, himself included, and of a bond they share.
“Naval Hospital Jacksonville identifies, it grows, and it provides the Fleet to support the Fleet. We train here every day, including corpsmen and nurses, to do what needs to get done and train a few Medical Service Corps (MSC) officers along the way,” he continued.
Case also remarked that he had given Palacios, a fellow MSC officer, a preview of what her new role would entail.
“I told you (Jacksonville) was special. I had just left Jacksonville and didn’t want to leave here. Cindi was enjoying D.C. and I said, ‘Just wait until you get to the MTF.’”
Malloy thanked the staff for keeping their commitment to patient care.
“We have consistently exceeded expectations, setting new benchmarks for excellence within Navy Medicine,” said Malloy. “Our success, not my success, our success is a testament to the unwavering dedication, and the expertise of every single Sailor, civilian and contractor.”
NH Jacksonville and its five branch health clinics support 5 installations, 68 operational units, 119 enrolled commands, and 257 non-enrolled commands each year, along with 175,000 beneficiaries (including about 45,000 enrollees).
During Malloys’s tenure, NH Jacksonville and NMRTC Jacksonville has seen numerous successes including establishing an EMT program and the Navy’s first graduate. The continuity of care was extended to more patients by having a Navy endocrinologist offer quarterly appointments to local patients, adding huge savings to military health.
Malloy successfully executed a partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs, with veteran patients being treated in numerous clinics around the facility and bringing in claims of $416k in less than six months. The initiative improves access for veterans, optimizes resources while enhancing the continuity of care. The partnership has been called one of the most successful in military health.
During the past two years, NH Jacksonville and its five branch health clinics contributed to the safe delivery of 540,176 outpatient visits, 109,996 dental visits, 4,931 admissions, 5,163 surgeries, 1.2 million prescriptions, 603,053 million laboratory tests, and 1,142 baby deliveries for the DHA.
The Family Residency Program established a new collaboration with University of Florida Health to create more learning opportunities. Additional new partnerships included St. Vincent’s, Winn Army Community Hospital, Gainesville Veteran’s Administration, and Moody Air Force Base.
The command deployed personnel to support the Continuing Promise 2025 humanitarian mission onboard the USS Comfort. The mission took the team to six different counties in four months.
Malloy, a native of New South Wales, Australia, is a Nurse Corps officer. During the ceremony, he was awarded the Legion of Merit Award for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service. Malloy’s next assignment will be to serve as deputy commander for Naval Medical Forces Pacific, San Diego, California.
Palacios, the 48th commanding officer, previously served as executive officer of NMRTC San Diego. In 1996, she started her career as a hospital corpsman and was then commissioned as a Medical Service Corps officer in 2002.
While settling into her new home, Palacios shared how the unexpected was preparing her for her upcoming new position.
“After an accident with the moving truck, our household goods were delayed by 4 hours. Then a rainstorm came yesterday afternoon. It reminded me, in chaos, be calm and that is my promise to you,” she said.
Palacios touched on a few of her upcoming changes to the facility for the staff.
“I will release my philosophy today, which will be lead with heart and drive with purpose.The philosophy is centered around commitment to the people, the mission and ourselves. I look forward to serving with you,” she said.
Naval Hospital Jacksonville and Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Jacksonville deliver health care and readiness. NH Jacksonville and its five branch health clinics serve 175,000 active duty, family members, and retired service members, including 45,175 patients enrolled with a primary care manager. NMRTC Jacksonville and its five units support warfighters' medical readiness to deploy and clinicians' readiness to save lives. To learn more, visit: https://jacksonville.tricare.mil.
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