MCAS Cherry Point  –   Leadership of Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point changed hands during a ceremony held earlier this summer.

Navy Capt. Elizabeth Adriano assumed command of Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point from Navy Capt. Douglas Stephens in a ceremony held Friday, June 4 aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point.

“We are here to keep warfighters in the fight,” said Stephens as he assumed command of the clinic in May, 2019.  During his command tenure, Hurricane Dorian in 2019 and the COVID-19 Pandemic challenged his leadership and the resolve of clinic staff to continue as the keystone of MCAS Cherry Point’s medical readiness.

“We saw it as a ‘deployment,” said Stephens about sustaining healthcare operations during a prolonged period of heightened stress in a dynamic environment.  Stephens said leading during that challenging time remains his fondest memory.   “We saw the mission and made it happen.” 

Stephens departed the clinic for an assignment in the Navy’s Bureau of Medicine and Surgery headquartered in Fairfax County, Virginia.

“I am honored and privileged to serve Sailors and their families, to wear the cloth of our nation and to ensure the health and wellness of the Navy and Marine Corps,” said Adriano about assuming command.  “The Navy continues to provide me amazing opportunities to ensure we have a medically ready force and to take care of families.”

Adriano, an Obstetrician-Gynecologist and Navy Medical Corps Officer, served in Naval assignments in Virginia prior to assuming command of the clinic.  She sees partnerships with regional medical and military elements as crucial to success during her time in command.

“We will move to form a robust partnership with Naval Medicine Readiness and Training Command Camp Lejeune to form the Carolina Costal Market, as well as work hand-in-hand with the local Veteran’s Administration staff and our community healthcare leaders to provide excellence care,” said Adriano.  “We will also partner for training purposes, to ensure that our doctors, nurses and corpsmen receive the training they need to always be ready to deploy.”