New deputy director welcomed to Lovell
The Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center held a change-of-command ceremony at the North Chicago hospital June 29.
Navy Medical Corps Capt. Gregory T. Thier assumed command of Lovell FHCC, relieving Capt. Bradford L. Smith. Thier also takes on the role of deputy director of Lovell FHCC, the nation's first and only fully integrated federal health care center.
Lovell FHCC supports both the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs by providing medical care to active duty service members, including Navy recruits; military dependents and veterans.
Smith, a Navy aviator and board-certified pediatrician, assumed command of Lovell FHCC two years ago. His next assignment is commander of Naval Medical Center, San Diego, California.
Noting that the FHCC is "the most complex medical facility in the military," Navy Medicine East Commander Rear Admiral Anne M. Swap praised Smith for his leadership.
"You and your team strengthened the partnership that exists here between the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs."
Swap, who also is the director of the Medical Service Corps, went on to point out that the FHCC is Navy recruits' first interaction with Navy medicine. She praised Smith for marshaling the right resources to prevent the spread of contagious disease at Recruit Training Command, therefore ensuring "no major disruption" in the Navy's manpower pipeline.
"Capt. Smith has done an outstanding job here. I'm very proud," Swap said. "It's been a privilege to work with him."
Under Smith's leadership, the FHCC's recent Joint Commission accreditation survey was a notable success, with no significant findings. The Joint Commission team arrived unannounced, three months earlier than anticipated, and provided independent verification that the FHCC has the people, processes and culture to be a premier medical facility.
Also under Smith's guidance, the FHCC piloted a national Navy Hospital Corpsman Trauma Training program in partnership with the John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County.
Two classes of corpsmen (enlisted medical specialists) have completed the new training, with a third planned for July. The training is expected to be formally approved and implemented by Navy Medicine next year. The corpsmen work side-by-side with Stroger medical professionals in the ER, Trauma and Burn units, and gain valuable trauma treatment experience.
New commanding officer Thier comes to the FHCC from Naval Hospital Lemoore, California, where he was the executive officer. Thier's career has taken him to both sides of the North American continent, as well as two overseas assignments and multiple deployments.
"I'm honored and humbled by your presence here," Thier said in his remarks. "This facility has an incredible reputation. It's an absolute privilege to stand before you as your commanding officer."
The board-certified family practice physician was the department head of the Navy's largest overseas Family Practice clinic at Naval Hospital, Guam. Thier's deployments have included Kuwait and Qatar in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom as part of the Expeditionary Medical Facility Kuwait.
He also deployed and worked with the Expeditionary Medical Facility Djibouti on the Horn of Africa supporting troops engaged in anti-terrorism operations.
Thier has served as a senior flight surgeon and was the director of public health at Naval Hospital Rota in Rota, Spain. He also has served as a director of mental health and director of medical services.
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