Capt. Sean P. Barbabella, Commander of Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point
Captain Sean P. Barbabella is a native of southwestern Pennsylvania. He earned his Bachelor of Science in biology from the University of Pittsburgh in 1992 and his Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1996. He was commissioned as an ensign in 1992 on a Health Professions Scholarship.
After completing an Internal Medicine Internship at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth in 1997, he was assigned to Carrier Air Wing Seventeen at Naval Air Station Oceana. He served as a Flight Surgeon and completed two deployments to the Persian Gulf.
In 2001, he returned to Naval Medical Center Portsmouth and completed his Emergency Medicine Residency, serving as Chief Resident in his senior year. After residency, he served as an Emergency Medicine Physician at U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa, Japan where he was Director of the Japanese Internship Program for the Emergency Department.
CAPT Barbabella was then assigned to Naval Medical Center Portsmouth as Assistant Residency Director for Emergency Medicine. In 2007, he deployed as the Officer in Charge of the Mobile Shock Trauma Platoon at Camp Taqqadum Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2009, he deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan with 2nd Medical Battalion, 2d Marine Expeditionary Brigade as the Officer in Charge of the Mobile Trauma Bay.
From 2010 to 2012, CAPT Barbabella served as the 2d Marine Division (Forward) Surgeon in Camp Lejeune, N.C. He deployed to Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan as the Division Surgeon in support of combat operations and Afghan National Army health care development. Upon returning from Afghanistan, he was selected as the Department Head, Emergency Medicine Department at Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune.
In 2013, The Surgeon General of Navy selected CAPT Barbabella to be the Navy Emergency Medicine Specialty Leader, leading one of the largest communities in the Medical Corps with over 250 physicians working in 15 emergency departments in the Department of Defense. While at Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune, he was elected to Chair the Executive Committee of the Medical Staff and President of the Medical Staff. During this tour, he was selected to serve on the DoD Committee of Tactical Combat Casualty Care.
CAPT Barbabella was hand selected by the Medical Officer of the Marine Corps in 2015 to be the II Marine Expeditionary Force Surgeon, where he led more than 1,500 Health Services personnel and 15 clinics maximizing health care for 43,000 Sailors and Marines. In 2018, he was selected to serve overseas as the first U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa Force Surgeon in Stuttgart, Germany.
He was the senior medical representative for the Marine Corps to both the U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command. From 2021 to 2023, he served as the Executive Officer of Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Camp Lejeune, where he guided the command successfully through the rigorous American College of Surgeons re-certification process for the Navy’s only Level III verified Trauma Center. He also oversaw the implementation of the MHS Genesis electronic health record throughout Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.
CAPT Barbabella is qualified as a Naval Flight Surgeon, Fleet Marine Force Medical Officer, and Surface Warfare Medical Department Officer. His personal awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit (three awards), Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat “V”, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two awards), Combat Action Ribbon, multiple campaign, and unit awards. CAPT Barbabella maintains board certification with the American Board of Emergency Medicine and is a fellow of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine.
CAPT. Barbabella assumed command of Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point on May 31, 2023.