The crew Del Toro addressed had just returned from the 20th iteration of the humanitarian mission, Pacific Partnership, and his words could not have rung truer. In fact, the humanitarian missions that both the U.S. Navy’s hospital ships deploy on are the perfect examples of stories that merit distribution and could have a great impact if shared, discussed, and passed on. All too often, they are lost to time rather than shared and kept alive as a crucial legacy of Navy Medicine and America’s relationship with allies through medical care and partnership. The United States would benefit greatly if these stories did not end with the first telling but were rather consumed and shared with enthusiasm leading to recognition for the crew, pride for their families, and a living legacy for the next generations of Navy Medicine.
Today, Mercy’s East Coast sister, USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) is underway for the 16th iteration of the humanitarian mission, Continuing Promise 2025 (CP25). If the reports say anything about Comfort’s crew, the United States Navy’s “Saints of the Sea” are still having a tremendous positive impact on the partner nations visited by the floating hospital ship.
The Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) has been closely following CP25, tracking the ship’s progress through the Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) region and publishing U.S. Fourth Fleet’s documentation of the accomplishments they have achieved since they set out at the end of May.
When Comfort set sail from Grenada, the child—now on a treatment plan with remote check-ins—was not the only one to have been profoundly impacted. CAPT. Viola also left feeling hopeful that this case would bring awareness of the treatment options for others with the same type of cancer.
Comfort’s next stop of the mission was in Colon, Panama, where, once again, the crew and Medical Treatment Facility (MTF) achieved a lasting impact and walked away with incredible stories of healing and hope. One Panamanian in particular, Jesus Medina, came to Comfort in search of treatment for devastating and painful scarring on both his ears following a vehicle accident years prior, for which he had been unable to seek medical care. Because of his income status, Medina was forced to cover up large bilateral keloids on both ears, using a cap to hide the disfigurement and living with both physical pain and embarrassment. U.S. Navy Plastic Surgeon Commander (CDR) Ryan Restrepo came to the rescue in partnership with Panamanian Dr. Demetrio Vallalba, each surgeon operating on one side to quickly reconstruct the affected areas.
While Medina’s life was changed forever, along with 2,845 Panamanian citizens who also received medical care from the CP25 team, CDR. Restrepo walked away with a deep appreciation for the medical partnership that made the life altering procedure possible.
Following their stop in Colon, Comfort arrived in Manta, Ecuador for the third stop of CP25, where, again, partnership was a major focus. Comfort’s crew participated in beach cleanups, mural paintings, community soccer games, conducted training for construction, electrical, plumbing, and engineering. Medical care continued to play a primary role in the visit with 2,767 patients receiving diagnoses, prescriptions, medical equipment, and surgical care.
These stories vividly represent U.S. Navy Medicine’s potential to care for the sick, tend to the wounded, and foster medical collaboration with U.S. allies and partners. The question that follows is threefold. Where do these stories go, where should they go, and why do they matter?
The Life Cycle of Navy Medicine Stories
The public can find each of these inspiring accounts through the DVIDS website as well as directly from the SOUTHCOM site and U.S. Navy news sites. Military Sealift Command (MSC) also republishes these stories to their mobile application, MSC Force Medical. The app was designed to support the leadership, sailors, and augments of the hospital ships; one way they accomplish this is by pushing the stories out on the app with pictures and notifications, inspiring and encouraging those deployed and those who support the ships back home.
This is one piece of the puzzle. In answer to the second question, the stories are not just for sailors and civilian mariners. They are for everyone, but in particular, they are for America’s up-and-coming generations. The narratives of Comfort and Mercy’s missions are not legends or myths; they are true stories of real heroes and saints who impacted hundreds of thousands of lives every time they deployed. These men and women answered their nation’s call to bring medical care, partnership, and hope to those who, like Medina, find themselves at the bottom of the priority list for treatment. The stories that they are a part of should ring loud and clear for those who will follow in their footsteps.
This leaves only one final question—why do these stories matter?
They matter because each member of the crews that deploy on these missions merits recognition for the communities they reach. Their friends and families deserve to hear the stories and feel a deep sense of pride in their loved ones who serve. Most crucially, they matter because they reflect a torch that is passed down to those who will man the ships and take on the charge to bring medical care, partnership, and hope from the sea.
These stories warrant dissemination, and they should have the opportunity to make a change. The first step is to pass them along.
All these stories and more can be found through DVIDS, U.S. Fourth Fleet, or by downloading the MSC Force Medical app. The app also allows users to opt in for notifications and follow alerts for Comfort and Mercy’s missions in real-time.
As the United States Navy “Saints of the Sea” raise anchor and set sail for their next port, tune in, pay attention, pass the story along, and play a part in sharing hope and partnership. Let these stories ignite passion and purpose in America’s young so that when their time comes, they know exactly whose legacy it is that they take up.
Lucy Siwko works for the app development team at Ancilla Technologies & Services, Inc. in support of Navy Medicine across several lines of effort. While supporting the development of Military Sealift Command’s Force Medical app designed for the U.S. Navy’s Hospital Ships, she experienced firsthand the dedication and sacrifice that so many Navy Medicine personnel give without a second thought.
Gabrielle Messmer works in the app development team for ancilla technologies and services. She specifically works with the Military Sealift Command force medical app for the hospital ships, the USNS Comfort and the USNS Mercy. Assisting the ships and being able to see the hard work and courage from the people she is working with has been a noteworthy experience.
The views expressed in this piece are the sole opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Center for Maritime Strategy or other institutions listed.
Center for Maritime Strategy
By Lucy Siwko, Gabrielle Messmer
In February 2024, the Secretary of the United States Navy, Carlos Del Toro, visited the USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), one of the Navy’s two hospital ships, and shared an inspiring message with the sailors. He addressed them directly, saying, “I believe that everyone in uniform is a hero, but you are all saints. You are saints because you heal people. You work in adverse conditions, and you train in adverse conditions, and you bring comfort to those in need.”
The crew Del Toro addressed had just returned from the 20th iteration of the humanitarian mission, Pacific Partnership, and his words could not have rung truer. In fact, the humanitarian missions that both the U.S. Navy’s hospital ships deploy on are the perfect examples of stories that merit distribution and could have a great impact if shared, discussed, and passed on. All too often, they are lost to time rather than shared and kept alive as a crucial legacy of Navy Medicine and America’s relationship with allies through medical care and partnership. The United States would benefit greatly if these stories did not end with the first telling but were rather consumed and shared with enthusiasm leading to recognition for the crew, pride for their families, and a living legacy for the next generations of Navy Medicine.
Today, Mercy’s East Coast sister, USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) is underway for the 16th iteration of the humanitarian mission, Continuing Promise 2025 (CP25). If the reports say anything about Comfort’s crew, the United States Navy’s “Saints of the Sea” are still having a tremendous positive impact on the partner nations visited by the floating hospital ship.
The Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) has been closely following CP25, tracking the ship’s progress through the Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) region and publishing U.S. Fourth Fleet’s documentation of the accomplishments they have achieved since they set out at the end of May.
On Comfort’s first stop of her mission in St. George’s, Grenada, U.S. Fourth Fleet reported that the CP25 team treated 1,653 patients, which included 52 surgical operations. Among these numbers, one patient treated by the CP25 team was a 3-year-old child with cancer. Expecting to find a child with minimal treatment options, Captain (CAPT) Shelton Viola, a pediatric physician, was startled to find a young patient who was very sick but with a highly treatable form of cancer with 94% survival rates given the appropriate treatment.
When Comfort set sail from Grenada, the child—now on a treatment plan with remote check-ins—was not the only one to have been profoundly impacted. CAPT. Viola also left feeling hopeful that this case would bring awareness of the treatment options for others with the same type of cancer.
Comfort’s next stop of the mission was in Colon, Panama, where, once again, the crew and Medical Treatment Facility (MTF) achieved a lasting impact and walked away with incredible stories of healing and hope. One Panamanian in particular, Jesus Medina, came to Comfort in search of treatment for devastating and painful scarring on both his ears following a vehicle accident years prior, for which he had been unable to seek medical care. Because of his income status, Medina was forced to cover up large bilateral keloids on both ears, using a cap to hide the disfigurement and living with both physical pain and embarrassment. U.S. Navy Plastic Surgeon Commander (CDR) Ryan Restrepo came to the rescue in partnership with Panamanian Dr. Demetrio Vallalba, each surgeon operating on one side to quickly reconstruct the affected areas.
While Medina’s life was changed forever, along with 2,845 Panamanian citizens who also received medical care from the CP25 team, CDR. Restrepo walked away with a deep appreciation for the medical partnership that made the life altering procedure possible.
Following their stop in Colon, Comfort arrived in Manta, Ecuador for the third stop of CP25, where, again, partnership was a major focus. Comfort’s crew participated in beach cleanups, mural paintings, community soccer games, conducted training for construction, electrical, plumbing, and engineering. Medical care continued to play a primary role in the visit with 2,767 patients receiving diagnoses, prescriptions, medical equipment, and surgical care.
These stories vividly represent U.S. Navy Medicine’s potential to care for the sick, tend to the wounded, and foster medical collaboration with U.S. allies and partners. The question that follows is threefold. Where do these stories go, where should they go, and why do they matter?
The Life Cycle of Navy Medicine Stories
The public can find each of these inspiring accounts through the DVIDS website as well as directly from the SOUTHCOM site and U.S. Navy news sites. Military Sealift Command (MSC) also republishes these stories to their mobile application, MSC Force Medical. The app was designed to support the leadership, sailors, and augments of the hospital ships; one way they accomplish this is by pushing the stories out on the app with pictures and notifications, inspiring and encouraging those deployed and those who support the ships back home.
This is one piece of the puzzle. In answer to the second question, the stories are not just for sailors and civilian mariners. They are for everyone, but in particular, they are for America’s up-and-coming generations. The narratives of Comfort and Mercy’s missions are not legends or myths; they are true stories of real heroes and saints who impacted hundreds of thousands of lives every time they deployed. These men and women answered their nation’s call to bring medical care, partnership, and hope to those who, like Medina, find themselves at the bottom of the priority list for treatment. The stories that they are a part of should ring loud and clear for those who will follow in their footsteps.
This leaves only one final question—why do these stories matter?
They matter because each member of the crews that deploy on these missions merits recognition for the communities they reach. Their friends and families deserve to hear the stories and feel a deep sense of pride in their loved ones who serve. Most crucially, they matter because they reflect a torch that is passed down to those who will man the ships and take on the charge to bring medical care, partnership, and hope from the sea.
These stories warrant dissemination, and they should have the opportunity to make a change. The first step is to pass them along.
All these stories and more can be found through DVIDS, U.S. Fourth Fleet, or by downloading the MSC Force Medical app. The app also allows users to opt in for notifications and follow alerts for Comfort and Mercy’s missions in real-time.
As the United States Navy “Saints of the Sea” raise anchor and set sail for their next port, tune in, pay attention, pass the story along, and play a part in sharing hope and partnership. Let these stories ignite passion and purpose in America’s young so that when their time comes, they know exactly whose legacy it is that they take up.
Lucy Siwko works for the app development team at Ancilla Technologies & Services, Inc. in support of Navy Medicine across several lines of effort. While supporting the development of Military Sealift Command’s Force Medical app designed for the U.S. Navy’s Hospital Ships, she experienced firsthand the dedication and sacrifice that so many Navy Medicine personnel give without a second thought.
Gabrielle Messmer works in the app development team for ancilla technologies and services. She specifically works with the Military Sealift Command force medical app for the hospital ships, the USNS Comfort and the USNS Mercy. Assisting the ships and being able to see the hard work and courage from the people she is working with has been a noteworthy experience.
The views expressed in this piece are the sole opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Center for Maritime Strategy or other institutions listed.