Older than 26 U.S. states, Naval Hospital Pensacola (NHP) is in its second century of service and is one of the oldest and most respected military medical facilities in the country. It continues to provide health care to over 150,000 beneficiaries in its main facility and 10 branch clinics that span five states.
Naval Hospital Pensacola began its service in January 1826. President Adams assigned the first surgeon and officer in charge, Navy Surgeon Isaac Hulse, to establish a hospital at the Pensacola Navy Yard in support of the West Indies Squadron. Dr. Hulse established the Naval Hospital by renting a 2-story house as a temporary medical facility, for $30 a month. Dr. Hulse would go on to spend 19 of his 33-year Navy career in Pensacola.
Naval Hospital Pensacola has a proud tradition of service. The staff fought yellow fever outbreaks in the early 19th century and endured to provide comfort during the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918. Seventy-four Commanding Officers and literally thousands of staff members have compassionately helped the ill and injured in all of America’s struggles from the Civil War to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2003, the hospital manned and deployed Fleet Hospital 3 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the first fleet hospital to be deployed to a combat zone. NHP repeatedly deploys its military staff as individual augmentees in support of global operations. The Quarterdeck honorably displays a bronzed pair of boots worn by Navy Seal HMC Matthew J. Bourgeois of Tallahassee, Fla., who was killed in 2002 while conducting small unit training in a remote site in Afghanistan. The Muddy Boots were originally awarded to NHP by the Surgeon General of the Navy for its outstanding patient satisfaction and operational support in 2003.
Not only has the command supported America’s warriors, but they have been key players in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions. They have supported the Gulf Coast region in responding to eight major hurricanes since 1975 and have been crucial in support of the USNS Comfort’s reoccurring “continuing promise” missions to impoverished nations. This included vigorous support to the victims the Haiti Earthquake in 2010.
In addition to providing medical care at the main facility, the hospital is responsible for medical care at 10 Naval Branch Health Clinics (NBHC) in five states: Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. Outside of the local area, the clinics extend eastward from Naval Support Activity Panama City, Fla.; north to Crane, Ind., and Naval Support activity Mid-South in Millington, Tenn.; and west to NAS/Joint Reserve Base Belle Chasse, La.; and CBC Gulfport and NAS Meridian, Miss.
Locally, there are NBHCs at: Naval Air Stations Pensacola and Whiting Field, Fla., Naval air Technical Training Center, and Corry Station. The Corry clinic is collocated within the Department of Veterans Affair’s Joint ambulatory Care Center.