Captain Michael Malanoski

In a March 17, 2008 Memorandum, Defense Secretary Robert Gates directed medical installations managed through the Defense Health Program (DHP) be transferred to the respective Services (Army and Navy) in an Installation support structure.

August 2009, NSA was officially stood up by the Commander Navy Installations Command (CNIC), through Commander Naval District Washington, in an Initial Operating Capability (IOC) status and was established as a component of Naval District Washington. In this capacity NSA will provide shore installation management functions for all land, buildings, and support services.

Presently Rear Adm. Nathan is both the installation and hospital commander. As installation commander he is the ‘‘landlord” and all independent base commands are the tenants, starting May 10, the landlord will be NSA Bethesda and NNMC will become a tenant command. The reason for this change, which is also occurring at Portsmouth, San Diego, Bremerton, Beaufort and Guam, is to gain efficiencies of installation management and allow hospital commanders to focus on their mission; taking care of our patients.

I am no stranger to Bethesda, and although I know there will be challenges to come in this position, hopefully the experience I have gained as a staff surgeon, department head, member of the Board of Directors (BOD), and deputy commander at NNMC will make the transition to my new role as installation commanding officer a bit easier.

The sole purpose of NSA Bethesda is to support the tenant commands and the people who work and live on this base. NSA Bethesda will actively engage in open communication with you to ensure we are providing the services you need to do your job. Through on-going Town Hall meetings, direct interface with mission commanders, regular tenant command meetings and Journal articles, I hope to foster open communication on all activities and pertinent installation issues that affect you. I believe NSA Bethesda will be an added and valuable addition to the Bethesda campus and increase productivity to all tenant commands by reducing redundancy and streamlining effectiveness.

We will make every effort to continue to provide base services at the level that has been established by NNMC. While I cannot promise you that parking spaces will magically appear, or that wait times to enter or leave the base will disappear, I can promise that NSA Bethesda will work tirelessly to make the best of a challenging situation. We are proud to support those who are changing the face of the Military Healthcare System (MHS). I look forward to working with all members of the Bethesda compound. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve you and will, with open-mind and appreciation, accept your comments, insight and suggestions in the years to come.

Prospective Commanding Officer NSA Bethesda sends,
Captain Michael Malanoski
Medical Corps, United States Navy