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Flag Day: U.S. Military Medical Flags through History

Image of The unfurling of the DHA flag during a ceremony. Army Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Ronald Place, director of the Defense Health Agency, left, and Navy Rear Adm. Darin Via, director of the Tidewater Market, and commander, Naval Medical Forces Atlantic, unfurl the Defense Health Agency flag during a socially distanced establishment ceremony to mark the standup of the Tidewater Market on April 28, 2021 (Photo by: Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Jessica Dowell, Naval Medical Forces Atlantic).

Flags, ensigns, guidons, banners, streamers: Regardless of what they're called, on Flag Day, the Military Health System has plenty to alongside Old Glory.

"In medicine, flags were utilized to mark the locations of hospitals as a safe space for the wounded and a warning that the space was under quarantine," said Alan Hawk, the manager of Historical"During the Civil War, Surgeon General William Hammond, as he reformed military health care by leveraging scientific knowledge to better care for sick and wounded soldiers, approved the design of a regimental flag to mark the place of surgeons and healthcare providers within both the military and medical professions."

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DHA 11th Birthday

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Defense Health Agency Director, U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Telita Crosland (far left) and Senior Enlisted Leader U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Tanya Y. Johnson (far right) participate in a ceremonial cake cutting during an Oct. 31, 2024, event recognizing the 11th anniversary of the establishment of the DHA. Participating in the cake cutting are (left to ...

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AUSA - Transforming Combat Ready Care

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Defense Health Agency Director, U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Telita Crosland participated in a panel discussion on "Transforming Combat Ready Care" at the Association of the United States Army's annual meeting and exposition in Washington, on Oct. 15, 2024. Crosland was joined by moderator Patricia Horoho, Lt. Gen. Retired, and Senior Fellow with AUSA U.S. Army ...

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Defense Health Agency Director, U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Telita Crosland participated in a panel discussion on "Transforming Combat Ready Care" at the Association of the United States Army's annual meeting and exposition in Washington, on Oct. 15, 2024. Crosland commented on initiatives such as My Military Health, the new model of care that will transform ...

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May 10, 2022

New Deputy Director

Defense Health Agency (DHA) Director Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Ron Place, left, swears in Dr. Michael Malanoski as new DHA Deputy Director, in Falls Church, Virginia, May 9, 2022.

Defense Health Agency (DHA) Director Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Ron Place, left, swears in Dr. Michael Malanoski as new DHA Deputy Director, in Falls Church, Virginia, May 9, 2022.

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Last Updated: March 31, 2025
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