Category: United States of America

Source: United States Navy

The East St. Louis, Illinois, native and former intelligence chief with 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing attributes his decision to join the Navy Chaplain Corps to his passion for serving others, which he discovered during his service as a Marine, often volunteering at base chapels.

“I found in serving that it really challenged and encouraged me because I want to inspire people,” Liddell Gayden explained. “I also found it very rewarding to help people walk through scriptures and learn to grow spiritually. That laid some foundations for what came to be a ministry call.”

Liddell Gayden joined the Marine Corps in 1996 with the intention of using his service as a stepping stone for college.

“I knew that after serving in the military I could qualify for a grant from Illinois, in addition to the Mongomery GI Bill, to pay for college,” Liddell Gayden said.

Liddell Gayden began his career as an administrative clerk and decided to reenlist following his first four-year tour. When his military occupational specialty as an administrative clerk closed, he transitioned to the intelligence field.

Over 24 years, Liddell Gayden has served as an intelligence Marine at every element of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force, including tours to Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I spent the first five years at 1st Intelligence Battalion,” Liddell Gayden said. “I’ve done two tours at 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, a tour at 2nd Marine Logistics Group, 5th Marine Regiment and 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. I also completed a tour at Marine Aviation Training Support Squadron 1.”

“For him to commission after 28 years of service and to give through this new endeavor as a U.S. Navy chaplain shows his commitment to service members and the military,” said U.S. Navy Capt. Dennis Wheeler, the 3rd MAW chaplain.

Liddell Gayden leaned heavily on his faith for support throughout his action-packed Marine Corps career. He was raised in a family of religious ministers and his spiritual relationship provided familiar comfort.

“I’ve always had that influence in my life,” Liddell Gayden said. “I’ve always sought my faith for strength, especially in boot camp and in my first assignment. Being away from home and in my first few years in the Marine Corps, my time in the barracks, when I had free time, would often be spent reading the Bible. I found a lot of strength and encouragement in that.”

Upon completing seminary in his off-duty time and after many conversations with Navy chaplain mentors, Liddell Gayden began speaking with a Navy recruiter about the requirements to join the Navy Chaplain Corps. After completing the administrative process, he was interviewed by chaplains which invigorated him to continue pursuing his goal.

As a chaplain, Liddell Gayden will provide religious ministry, support the faith of service members and their families, and provide care and counsel to all service members. The Navy Chaplain Corps boasts more than 800 chaplains from more than 100 different faith groups, including Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and others. Navy chaplains support the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, immersing themselves in the daily lives of service members and deploying with them overseas.

“Those interviews helped me understand more about the weight that comes along with the job,” Liddell Gayden said. “It encouraged me to want it even more because I enjoy serving people, and I enjoy helping people—specifically service members and their families, and I think this job gives me the opportunity to do that.”

The support of Liddell Gayden’s wife, Rachel, was equally significant.

“I really am blessed to have Rachel as my wife,” Liddell Gayden said. “Just the care and concern that she has for people in general has really inspired me to continue to do more in service.”

Liddell Gayden will report to the Navy Officer Development School this fall, followed by Naval Chaplaincy School at Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island.

Source: United States Navy

Hailing from Ghana, Ensign Parker-Ansah has exemplified dedication, resilience, and a profound commitment to service throughout her journey.

“Receiving a commission in the United States Navy Chaplain Corps is a significant achievement, a dedication to service, leadership and the responsibilities that come with it,” said Cmdr. Eric Polonsky, director for administration, Naval Medical Forces Pacific. “As with any milestone, the wisest person is one who while looking forward to the journey before him or her also looks back in a moment of reflection to its beginning.”

Parker-Ansah graduated from Accra Girls Senior High School, Accra Region, Ghana, in 2008, a bustling institution with a student body of approximately 10,000. Her academic pursuits took her to the London School of Business and Finance in the United Kingdom, where she earned a degree in economics and statistics in 2012. She further honed her skills and knowledge at Duke University, graduating in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. By 2018, she had completed a Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Administration from Emory University and is currently on track to graduate from Liberty University in 2025 with a Master of Divinity, focusing on Military Chaplaincy.

Parker-Ansah enlisted in the Navy on January 7, 2019. With educational background in health care, she was motivated to serve as a Navy health care administrator. Since joining the Navy, Parker-Ansah had significant assignments, such as working in the operating room at Walter Reed National Military Center during the COVID-19 pandemic, where she played a crucial role in life-saving surgeries.

At Naval Medical Forces Pacific, Parker-Ansah received a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for exceptional meritorious service in her multiple roles with the command. For her primary role as administration assistant, she processed thousands of official correspondences and coordinated command trainings resulting to 99 percent compliance rating for two quarters in a row in 2023. Additionally, as the assistant command diversity officer, she championed diversity and workplace equality.

Her journey toward becoming a chaplain began in February 2023 when she learned about the Chaplain Candidate Program Officers. Parker-Ansah submitted her package for the program in April 2024, marking a new chapter in her career. She aims to bridge healthcare and chaplaincy in the Navy, leveraging her background as a registered nurse and her advanced degrees in healthcare administration and divinity. Her passion for ministry and healthcare uniquely positions her to address mental health issues among service members, including reducing suicide rates.

“I was drawn to this field because I want to impact the lives of our Sailors by providing a safe space for them to express their concerns without judgment,” she said. “I have a passion and call to ministry, so I intend to touch their lives by sharing my experience and faith with them. I specifically want to help reduce mental health related issues like suicide.”

She also recollects a commitment she made in the past after a tragic experience before joining the Navy. While visiting her family in Ghana, a gang of armed intruders breached into her family’s home that claimed the life of her grandmother.

“With guns pointed into our heads, I prayed to God to keep us alive in exchange for my service to Him (God),” Parker-Ansah said during her remarks. “Standing here before you this morning is a testament I’ve dedicated my soul in the business of saving souls.”

Parker-Ansah is supported by her husband, Daniel and their two-year-old son Damian. One of the biggest challenges she faced in her Navy career was giving birth to her son in the absence of her husband, managing the demands of work and school on her own. These experiences have revealed her strength and resilience, further motivating her to pursue her goals.

“My beloved son, Damien, you make all the hassle worth it,” she said during her commissioning ceremony. “Thank you for choosing me to be your mother. I really found the strength I didn’t know I embodied. I hope someday when you’re old enough, you will be proud of me. My handsome and gentle husband, thank you so much for standing by me. You are my gift from God wrapped in human form, and I love you dearly.”

Her mentors, Chief Hospital Corpsman Rashanta Pippins, NMFPs command senior enlisted leader, and Cmdr. David Alexander, NMFP’s force chaplain have been instrumental in guiding her.

“NMFP really is home for me,” Parker-Ansah said. “This command gave me all the necessary tools I needed to succeed in my career. The leadership was amazing and shaped me into the best version of myself. This command is indeed a family, and I will forever cherish you all.”

Alexander praised her steady, deliberate pursuit of her dream and her deep spiritual life, which he believes makes her an excellent addition to the Chaplain Corps.

“I am impressed by the spirit in which she has pursued her dream,” Alexander said. “She has been steady, deliberate, patient, and singularly focused. Nothing was going to keep her from this path, and she accepted the adversities that came calmly without breaking her stride. She loves people and wants to help them flourish. Also, she possesses a deep spiritual life. In those two attributes, she has everything she needs to set out on this path.”

Parker-Ansah envisions completing her Divinity Program and pursuing certification in Clinical Pastoral Education. As a member of the Chaplain Corps, she aspires to be a beacon of hope and resilience, providing spiritual guidance and support to those in need.

The U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps promotes the spiritual, religious, moral, and personal well-being of Navy and Marine Corps members. Comprising clergy from various religious traditions, the Chaplain Corps supports service members’ free exercise of religion and provides vital support in times of adversity, reinforcing morale and ethical conduct during military operations.

Parker-Ansah’s commissioning reflects the Chaplain Corps’ mission and the enduring legacy of chaplains who have served with honor since 1775.

“Some folks who know my background are asking why a nurse would want to be a chaplain,” she said. “To those folks I say, when God calls, all you have to do is answer.”

Source: United States Navy

Giangrande, assigned to Submarine Readiness Squadron (SRS) 32, received the 12th annual award for “early achievements in military psychology” and was selected from a pool of 1,200 potential military mental health professionals.

“Receiving this award exemplifies the work I have done throughout my career in the Navy,” Giangrande said. “Much of the work I do as a psychologist focuses on how I can empower others to live a more fulfilling life and overcome personal and occupational challenges.”

The Arthur W. Melton Early Achievement Award, from the American Psychological Association (APA), Division 19 (Military Psychology), recognizes outstanding early career achievements in military psychology, normally within five to 10 years of entry into the field.

The citation reads that the recipient of this award “has clearly shown the advancement of the profession of military psychology, improved effectiveness of the military psychology system, and service on behalf of the welfare of military personnel.”

“This award is a reminder that I am making an impact on the military psychology community, and that the sacrifices I have made along the way are appreciated and valued,” Giangrande added.

The award’s namesake, Arthur w. Melton, was an air force psychologist during World War II and continued to serve and revolutionize the way psychologists operate in the military. Dr. William Brim, President of APA Division 19 Society for Military Psychology, presented the award during the ceremony.

Giangrande, an Islip, New York native and 2019 graduate of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, commissioned in the Navy in 2018 after her training director encouraged her to get into military psychology.

“I expressed that I was interested in a career that challenged me, aligned with my values, and would increase opportunities for making a national and global impact,” Giangrande explained. “During my fourth year of the doctoral program, I obtained a recruiter, applied for Navy internship sites, and was matched with a Navy Psychology internship via the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC).”

Giangrande will continue to serve in the U.S. Navy Submarine Force as she transfers to Naval Submarine School next year, also in Groton.

SRS 32 medical clinic treats Groton and Portsmouth-based submariners assigned to 19 submarines homeported in the U.S. northeast. SRS 32’s primary mission is to centralize administrative and support functions, economize resources, and provide a common pool of experts who provide complete functional support to the commanders of Submarine Squadrons 2, 4, and 12. SRS 32 provides support in the areas of administration, medical, legal, chaplain, supply, combat systems, engineering, communications, and operations to improve operational readiness.

Story originally posted on DVIDS: Submarine psychologist awarded prestigious Arthur W. Melton Early Achievement Award 

Source: United States Navy

Copenhagen, DENMARK – Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro met with Minister of Defense of the Kingdom of Denmark Troels Lund Poulsen, Aug. 13.

Joined by U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark Alan Leventhal, the leaders discussed the close alliance between our nations, deepening interoperability between our navies and regional security trends from the Arctic Circle to the Baltic Sea.

Secretary Del Toro praised Denmark’s contributions to NATO, support for Ukraine and their leadership in Arctic security.  He thanked Minister Poulsen for his support to recent U.S. Navy submarine and destroyer visits to ports within the Kingdom of Denmark, as well as Royal Danish Navy participation in multilateral exercises, including Arctic Edge, BALTOPS and RIMPAC.   

While in Copenhagen, Secretary Del Toro also met with Chief of Danish Defense General Michael W. Hyldgaard and Chief of the Royal Danish Navy Rear Adm. Henrik Ryberg, aboard the frigate, HDMS Absalon.

Source: United States Navy

SINGAPORE – Navy Medicine’s top researcher, Capt. Franca Jones, commander, Naval Medical Research Command (NMRC) visited Naval Medical Research Unit (NAMRU) INDO PACIFIC from July 15-26, traveling across Southeast Asia with command leadership.

Jones oversees the eight commands that comprise the Navy Medicine Research & Development (NMR&D) enterprise, which contains three overseas units, including NAMRU INDO PACIFIC. Based out of Singapore, the unit’s headquarters is the hub for a vast regional operation. With detachments in Southeast Asia and research work conducted across the INDOPACOM AOR [Area or Responsibility], NAMRU INDO PACIFIC is a critical player in global health security, with a mission to monitor and characterize emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases of military and public health significance, and to develop mitigation strategies in collaboration with the host nation.

The international tour kicked off in Hanoi, Vietnam, where Jones met with command leadership, NAMRU INDO PACIFIC’s Vietnam Detachment Director and area partners. Over the past 10 years in Vietnam, the command has partnered with local government agencies to conduct infectious disease research, focusing on malaria, influenza and respiratory pathogens.

“This work has been instrumental in guiding malaria countermeasures and elimination policies in the country,” explained Lt. Cmdr. Jose Garcia, NAMRU INDO PACIFIC’s director in Vietnam. “Looking ahead, NAMRU INDO PACIFIC aims to expand research and partnerships to further inform force health protection policy in the region.”

“Hosting Capt. Jones here in Vietnam was incredibly important,” Garcia added. “At the NAMRU outstations, it is vital for us to showcase the work being done in-country and to introduce her to our local partners.”
As the enterprise’s top scientist, Jones is keenly aware that the mission of NMR&D’s overseas commands impacts force health protection and readiness.

“We rely on strong partnerships with our host nation partners and collaborate closely with them to conduct this work in their countries”, Jones said. “Facetime with our partners is critical to maintaining and fostering partnerships to ensure we can continue to collaborate on infectious disease research of benefit to U.S. and partner nation health.”

After Vietnam, the tour moved on to Malaysia, starting with a stop in Kuala Lumpur. There, Jones’ group met with partners from the University of Malaysia and the Malaysian Armed Forces. Jones and her group also visited Kota Kinabalu, on the island of Borneo, home to the University of Malaysia Sabah.

Lt. Cmdr. Dawn Weir leads NAMRU INDO PACIFIC’s efforts in Malaysia. “My mission as the director of NAMRU INDO PACIFIC Malaysia is to execute and shape the CO’s [Commanding Officer] vision for all the command’s operations in Malaysia, including research and international engagements,” she said. “A critical aspect of this role is to foster and strengthen our strategic partnerships throughout Malaysia and leverage these partnerships to improve medical readiness and partner nation public health.”

NAMRU INDO PACIFIC has maintained a presence in Malaysia since 2009, and has increased partnerships and research efforts in the past few years. These partnerships include universities and the Malaysian Armed Forces, which were stops on the tour for Jones and staff to meet with representatives.

“Hosting our senior leaders in-country enables them to witness firsthand the strong relationships we have with our host nation partners,” Weir said. “More importantly, I think such visits demonstrate to our host nation partners the importance of our collaborative partnerships, and our commitment to continuing to work together to enhance health security in the region.”

In both Vietnam and Malaysia, NAMRU INDO PACIFIC employs one active-duty medical researcher to engage with local partners and oversee projects, which focus heavily on infectious diseases. Working back through the headquarters in Singapore, the command can coordinate funding, logistics and administrative support.

Jones’ final stop was Singapore, where she met face-to-face with unit staff, including active-duty officers, federal civil servants and locally-employed foreign nationals.

Capt. Andrew Letizia is NAMRU INDO PACIFIC’s science director, overseeing research at the command’s detachments and cooperative efforts with host nations in Australia, Korea, Laos, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea and Thailand. Letizia also travelled with Jones throughout each leg of the tour.

“Our research is primarily focused on viruses, bacteria, and parasites that are often not found in the U.S., and therefore don’t threaten our public health,” said Letizia. “Considering competing interests and tighter budgets, it could be easy for the U.S. military to take our eyes off these known and emerging threats. However, these pathogens can quickly spread among Sailors on a ship or Marines dug into islands in South East Asia.”

This cooperative research strategy aims to ensure military force health protection by addressing infectious diseases such as malaria, dengue fever virus and gastro-intestinal pathogens while also improving global health.

NAMRU INDO PACIFIC keeps its finger on the pulse of potential health problems throughout the INDOPACOM region. Having the upper hand against infectious diseases in the area can mitigate exposure to U.S. service members, and helps safeguard their health and ability to act across the globe.

“We need to be prepared,” added Letizia. “We need to continue our surveillance efforts and develop countermeasures to ensure medical readiness for the joint warfighters in the INDOPACOM AOR.

“We rely on our strategic setting and excellent logistics to support 26 projects in 10 countries around the AOR,” added Letizia. “We have the ability to ship equipment and supplies to conduct complex investigations of outbreaks or support a hypothesis-driven project informing the need for additional COVID-19 booster shots among our Sailors and Marines. We are a dynamic, agile, and relevant command that uses its location to support U.S. and partner nations throughout the COCOM.”

NAMRU staff were excited to show Jones the projects the command is involved in. At the Singapore headquarters, Jones received a tour of the facilities, reviewed research presentation posters, received research briefs, held an all-hands call, presented awards and shook a lot of hands. Her visit had impacts beyond a mere meet and greet and, according to Letizia, her articulating the command’s mission on the command’s behalf is crucial to ensure ongoing support for their research work.

“Capt. Jones is a key link between the overseas laboratories, like ours and other research scientists within the NMR&D enterprise, funders, line flag officers, and of course Navy medical R&D leadership to name a few,” Letizia said. “Her insights and advocacy for our command to Navy R&D helps communicate our work to various stakeholders and improves the science we conduct and how we execute our mission.”

The typical tour length for leading NMRC and the NMR&D enterprise is a few years, allowing the commander to visit each command at least once, usually while presiding over a change of command ceremony or a similarly special event. Jones visited NAMRU EURAFCENT, another of the enterprise’s commands, this past April for the opening of a new command headquarters facility aboard Naval Air Station, Sigonella, Italy.

“NAMRU INDO PACIFIC is critical to supporting U.S. INDOPACOM and U.S. Pacific Fleet and is the furthest away from our headquarters in Maryland”, said Jones. “It is important to visit the command and meet with staff to bridge the gap in distance with meaningful conversations of how they are executing their mission and what we as a headquarters can do facilitate their work. My hope is that these meetings give them an opportunity to showcase their work to the headquarters and provide us an opportunity to recognize the strong work they are doing in support of host country and military partners in the region.”

Jones’ visit was also in part to preside over NAMRU INDO PACIFIC’s change of command, in which Capt. Jonathan Stahl was relieved by Capt. Nicholas Martin. Stahl, who has been with the unit for six years, retired this year after 30 years of service.

The role of NAMRU INDO PACIFIC and the command’s locations are unique for Navy Medicine. “In my view, what sets NAMRU INDO PACIFIC apart within Navy Medicine is its strategic location in one of the world’s most consequential regions”, said Garcia. “It is both situated at a major epicenter for emerging infectious disease threats as well as within a highly dynamic geopolitical environment.”

The NMR&D enterprise’s eight laboratories, led by NMRC, are engaged in a broad spectrum of activity from basic science in the laboratory to field studies at sites in austere and remote areas of the world to operational environments. In support of the Navy, Marine Corps and joint U.S. warfighters, researchers study infectious diseases, biological warfare detection and defense, combat casualty care, environmental health concerns, aerospace and undersea medicine, medical modeling, simulation and operational mission support, epidemiology and behavioral sciences.

Story originally posted on DVIDS: Navy Medicine’s Top Researcher Visits Southeast Asia; NAMRU INDO PACIFIC Shows Off