The 2026 Military Health System Conference recognized outstanding military medicine professionals who are “excelling at their craft, rising stars, and innovators, but most of all — they are patriots; they are warriors,” said Dr. Stephen Ferrara, principal deputy assistant secretary of war for health affairs.
Ferrara opened the awards ceremony in Dallas, Texas, May 28. “This is one of the highlights of the week. It is an opportunity to honor all these incredible Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen who are out there doing incredible work,” he said.
Department of War top military health leaders joined him to present awards at the ceremony, including Navy Vice Adm. Darin Via, director, Defense Health Agency; Army Lt. Gen. Mary Izaguirre, U.S. Army surgeon general; Navy Rear Adm. Matthew Case, U.S. Navy surgeon general; Air Force Lt. Gen. John DeGoes, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force surgeon general, and Rear Adm. Tracy Farrill, U.S. Public Health Service, director, Office of Warfighter Health Advantage, DHA.
Individual professional awards were given in seven categories, along with several facility awards. The honors highlighted meritorious achievements in a range of topics, including leadership, innovation, and advancements in warfighter healthcare.
2025 MHS Award for the Advancement of Physicians in Military Medicine
Junior Winners:
- U.S. Army: Maj. Tyler M. Wright, U.S. Army Health Clinic Wiesbaden, Germany
- U.S. Navy: Lt. Cmdr. Lauren B. Kalodner, 2nd Medical Battalion, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Virginia
- U.S. Air Force: Maj. Maggie C. Wertz, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Hampton, Virginia
- U.S. Public Health Service: Lt. Cmdr. Julia C. Haston, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
Senior Winners:
- U.S. Army: Lt. Col. Jason B. Alisangco, Moncrief Army Health Clinic, Fort Jackson, South Carolina
- U.S. Navy: Cmdr. Jennifer Eng-Kulawy, Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Fort Belvoir, Virginia
- U.S. Air Force: Lt. Col. Keith T. Beam, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
- U.S. Public Health Service: Capt. Robert G. Marietta, Hampton VA Medical Center, Virginia
2025 MHS Award for the Advancement of Physicians in Civilian Medicine
- Dr. Kip R. Hartman, Murtha Cancer Center, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland
2025 MHS Military Nursing Leadership Excellence Award
Junior Winners:
- U.S. Army: 1st Lt. Braden R. Damitz, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland
- U.S. Navy: Lt. j.g. Drew D. Murray, U.S. Naval Hospital Guam, Guam
- U.S. Air Force: 1st Lt. Amanda C. Fuchs, Medical Operations Flight, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington
Midgrade Winners:
- U.S. Army: Maj. Bethany I. Atwood, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany
- U.S. Navy: Lt. Cmdr. Larry A. Gunter II, Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
- U.S. Air Force: Maj. Kayla M. Rondina, Brooke Army Medical Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas
- U.S. Public Health Service: Lt. Monique R. Reyes, Eloy Detention Center, Department of Homeland Security, Arizona
Senior Winners:
- U.S. Army: Lt. Col. Angela B. Samosorn, U.S. Army Medical Activity, Fairbanks, Alaska
- U.S. Navy: Capt. Patricia D. Butler, U.S. Naval Hospital Guam
- U.S. Air Force: Lt. Col. Jennifer L. Varney, 22nd Medical Group, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas
- U.S. Public Health Service: Capt. Tara Rhodes, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Houston, Texas
2025 MHS Civilian Nursing Leadership Excellence Award
Junior Winners:
- Esther N. Aldaco, 48th Medical Group, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England
Senior Winner:
- Lawanda M. Clark, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas
2025 MHS Allied Health Leadership Excellence Award
Junior Non-provider Winners:
- U.S. Navy: Lt. Nickolas J. Lamal, Navy Environmental Preventive Medicine Unit Six, Joint Base Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
- U.S. Air Force: Capt. Olivia R. Garcia, 96th Medical Group, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida
Junior Provider Winners:
- U.S. Army: Maj. Cheryl L. Miller, Madigan Army Medical Center, Washington
- U.S. Navy: Lt. Jacob R. King, U.S. Naval Hospital Guam
- U.S. Air Force: Capt. Brendin B. Wood, 377 Medical Group, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico
Senior Non-provider Winners:
- U.S. Army: Lt. Col. Hildehardo F. Viado, Jr., U.S. Army Medical Readiness Command Pacific, Hawaii
- U.S. Navy: Lt. Cmdr. Michael W. Natali, Office of Naval Research, Alexandria, Virginia
- U.S. Air Force: Lt. Col. Jaclyn D. Hall, USAF Central Command, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina
Senior Provider Winners:
- U.S. Army: Maj. Christopher Gonzalez, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas
- U.S. Navy: Lt. Cmdr. Samantha J. Giangrande, Naval Submarine School, Groton, Connecticut
- U.S. Air Force: Maj. Kim J. Liebert, 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron, Vilseck Army Installation, Germany
2025 MHS Award for the Advancement of Dentistry in Military Medicine
Junior Winners:
- U.S. Army: Maj. Eric C. Hu, Fort Hood, Killeen, Texas
- U.S. Navy: Lt. Cmdr. Jacqueline M. Ogi, 2nd Dental Battalion, Camp Lejeune, NC
- U.S. Air Force: Maj. Kyle A. Land, 55th Medical Group, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska
Senior Winners:
- U.S. Army: Col. Melissa F. Tucker, Blanchfield Army Community Hospital, Fort Campbell, Kentucky
- U.S. Navy: Capt. Andrew D. Silvestri, Commander Naval Surface Force, Pacific Fleet, San Diego, California
- U.S. Air Force: Lt. Col. Marita N. Zguri, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado
2025 MHS Enlisted Leadership Excellence Award
Rising Leader Award:
- U.S. Army: Cpl. Valerie Bravo, Fulton Dental Clinic, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Tacoma, Washington
- U.S. Navy: Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Jessica M. Szakacs, Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
- U.S. Air Force: Senior Airman Dylan E. Templeton, 94th Fighter Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia
Vanguard Non-commissioned Officer:
- U.S. Army: Staff Sgt. Pelle A. Arthur, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany
- U.S. Navy: Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Jay P. Esguerra, Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
- U.S. Air Force: Tech. Sgt. Crystal B. Whiterock, Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas
Leadership Excellence Senior Non-commissioned Officer:
- U.S. Army: Sgt. 1st Class Blaine A. Markway, Winn Army Community Hospital, Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia
- U.S. Navy: Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman Raymond T. Pomida, Directorate for Branch Clinics, Patuxent River, Maryland
- U.S. Air Force: Senior Master Sgt. Andria C. McGuire, Luke Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona
MHS Excellence in High Reliability Award
Inpatient MTF Overall Excellence:
- U.S. Naval Hospital Naples, Italy
MEDCEN Overall Excellence:
- Wright-Patterson Medical Center, Ohio
Large MEDCEN MTF High Reliability Excellence:
- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland
Inpatient MTF Most Improved:
- Elmendorf Medical Group, Anchorage, Alaska
DHN Overall Excellence:
- Defense Health Network Europe
DHN Most Improved:
- Defense Health Network East
Leadership Commitment:
- Travis Medical Group, David Grant Medical Center, Fairfield, California
Culture of Safety:
- U.S. Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
Continuous Process Improvement:
- U.S. Naval Hospital Sigonella, Italy
Patient Centeredness:
- Keller Army Community Hospital, West Point, New York
“Small Changes, Big Impact”:
- Offutt Medical Group, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska
2025 MHS Communications Awards
The Kevin Dwyer Memorial Media Relations Award:
- Kevin Larson, Winn Army Community Hospital
MHS Communicator of the Year:
- Jorge Gomez, Irwin Army Community Hospital, Fort Riley, Kansas
MHS Civilian Photographer of the Year:
- Jean Graves, Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital, Fort Johnson, Louisiana
MHS Outstanding Written Product:
- Regena Kowitz, Defense Health Network Pacific Rim, San Diego, California
MHS Outstanding Photo:
- Jorge Gomez, Irwin Army Community Hospital
Ferrara concluded the ceremony by highlighting the high standard of medical achievements of the military medicine professionals and the families that support them, calling them “truly the unsung heroes.”
“You set the bar, you are the role model …Thank you for what you do, and for strengthening the chain,” he said of the award winners. “You inspire others, and you motivate others to do more. You are supporting the mission.”