Melinda Mills

The Hospital Corps School at Great Lakes, Illinois, was established in 1913 to train enlisted personnel of the United States Navy in medical skills, forming the backbone of the Navy’s Hospital Corps. Throughout the World Wars, Korean War, and Vietnam War, the school rapidly expanded, preparing tens of thousands of Hospital Corpsmen to serve with distinction both ashore and alongside Marines in combat zones. Renowned for its rigorous training, the school emphasized both medical proficiency and readiness for battlefield conditions. In 2011, the Hospital Corps School at Great Lakes was closed, and training was consolidated with other military medical training programs at the Medical Education and Training Campus (METC) in San Antonio, Texas.

TAH-19 USNS Mercy is a United States Navy hospital ship, commissioned in 1986 and operated by the Military Sealift Command. Originally built as an oil tanker, she was converted to serve as a mobile medical treatment facility, supporting both combat operations and humanitarian missions. Mercy’s notable deployments include Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, tsunami relief in Southeast Asia in 2004, and multiple Pacific Partnership missions delivering medical care to underserved regions. Capable of providing up to 1,000 hospital beds, USNS Mercy continues to play a vital role in both military readiness and global humanitarian assistance.

Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi, located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, was commissioned in 1950 and has served as a critical hub for U.S. naval aviation in the Pacific region. Initially constructed by the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II, the airfield was taken over by U.S. forces following Japan's surrender. Throughout the Korean and Vietnam Wars, NAS Atsugi played a vital role in supporting air operations, logistics, and reconnaissance missions across Asia. Today, it continues to support U.S. Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force operations, strengthening the U.S.-Japan security alliance in the Indo-Pacific.

Recruit Training Command Orlando, commonly known as RTC Orlando, was a major United States Navy boot camp located in Orlando, Florida. Opened in 1968, it was established to help meet the growing training demands during the Vietnam War era. RTC Orlando was notable as one of the first Navy training commands to integrate female recruits after the creation of the all-volunteer force in the 1970s. The base trained tens of thousands of sailors until it was closed in 1994 as part of a series of military consolidations, with operations transferred to the remaining Recruit Training Command at Great Lakes, Illinois.

Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, located on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in California, was commissioned in September 1943 to provide medical support for Marines and sailors during World War II. Throughout its history, the hospital has played a critical role in treating casualties from major conflicts, including the Korean War, Vietnam War, and operations in the Middle East. It has evolved over the decades, expanding its facilities and capabilities to serve active duty personnel, retirees, and their families. Today, Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton remains a vital component of military healthcare on the West Coast, renowned for its comprehensive medical services and support to the Fleet Marine Force.

Great Lakes Hospital, originally established as part of the Great Lakes Naval Training Station in North Chicago, Illinois, has played a vital role in U.S. military medical care since World War I. During both World Wars, it served as a primary treatment and recovery center for thousands of wounded and ill Navy personnel. Over the decades, the hospital expanded its facilities and capabilities, adapting to the changing needs of military medicine. Today, it operates as the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center, a unique partnership between the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, continuing its legacy of service to active-duty service members, veterans, and their families.

USS Kiska (AE-35) was a Kilauea-class ammunition ship commissioned by the United States Navy on 16 December 1972. Built to provide underway replenishment of munitions to combat ships at sea, Kiska played a vital support role during the latter years of the Cold War. Throughout her service, she operated primarily in the Pacific Fleet, participating in numerous exercises and deployments to ensure fleet readiness. After decades of distinguished service, USS Kiska was decommissioned on 1 August 1996 and later transferred to the Military Sealift Command as USNS Kiska (T-AE-35), continuing her mission with a civilian crew until her final retirement.