DVIDS – News – Naval Environmental Medicine Unit six welcomes new officer in charge of Rim Of The Pacific 2024 regatta preparations

Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. — Capt. Scott Dunn relieved Capt. (Sel) R. Joseph Stastny as officer-in-charge of Naval Environmental and Preventive Medicine Unit Six (NEPMU 6) during a change of duty ceremony aboard the USS Battleship Missouri Memorial, June 10, 2024 .

“Commander Stastny was the right leader at the right time, building on a tremendous legacy to ensure that his team was strong, agile and able to meet the complex challenges and issues that serving in the Pacific presented,” said Captain Marion Gregg, Commander, Security Command Navy and Marine Corps Health.

Stastny assumed duties as commanding officer in 2021. During his tour, the unit provided critical force health support during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Red Hill Water Crisis, the Rim of the Pacific 2022 and the 2023 Inspector General of Health inspection. Additionally, NEPMU 6 personnel supported the deployment readiness, disease surveillance, and laboratory and entomological support needs of eight ships and 15 submarines conducting combat operations in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) and U.S. Pacific Fleet (PACFLT) areas of responsibility.

Under Stastny’s leadership, NEPMU 6 was recognized as the public health unit of choice by Indo-Pacific Command and the Pacific Fleet surgeon, offering preventive medicine expertise, support and soft power throughout the region and around the world. He was responsible for deploying 24 staff to 15 countries, providing public health services in Bahrain, Guantanamo Bay, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Djibouti, Poland, Romania, Australia and the Philippines.

Stastny’s leadership played a key role in the regional leadership of Joint Base Pearl Harbor in the early days of the Red Hill crisis. He provided unit commanders with strategies to communicate critical health threats and supported mitigation efforts by employing seven of his staff to assist the emergency response team. This team used expertise to return displaced family members home and ensure safe drinking water standards were tested and communicated to 93,000 residents.

During Rim of the Pacific 2022, Stastny fully integrated the Forward Deployed Preventive Medicine Unit (FDPMU) into an exercise for the first time. Working with the Japanese and Australian Defense Forces, the Naval Construction Regiment, and the U.S. Army’s 25th Combat Aviation Battalion, he was able to coordinate a joint epidemic response scenario that culminated in the successful response of the FDPMU team to a simulated cholera epidemic aboard the Japanese ship Izumo (DDH 183). This integration successfully provided “anywhere, anytime” FDPMU capabilities to the Navy Surgeon General, the U.S. Army’s 18th Medical Command, INDOPACOM and PACFLT surgeons, and medical personnel representing 26 allied nations.

The NEPMU 6 inspection by the Medical Inspector General (MEDIG) in January 2023 found all programs inspected to be fully compliant, with two noteworthy practices highlighted. MEDIG’s official report stated: “This inspection sets a record for the best performance in MEDIG’s recorded history.”

In his closing remarks, Stastny quoted Captain Albert Kaiss, last commanding officer of the USS Missouri (BB-63), who said, “It is often said that the crew is in command.” There is no truer statement, for it was the crew of this great ship that made him a great commander. You are a special kind of sailor and I am proud to have served with each of you. Working with outstanding sailors and civilians at NEPMU 6 was the highlight of my career, thank you all for three wonderful years.

Dunn will be the 22nd commanding officer and will come on board as the unit prepares for the upcoming international Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, which involves 29 countries and more than 25,000 personnel. On taking the helm, Dunn commented, “Going forward, we will meet and overcome many challenges in the years ahead, just as you did with Commander Stastny. I am impressed and honored to walk in your shoes. I look forward to the public health mission across the Pacific to the Navy and Marine Corps.”

He further said: “I can say that this team is well-trained, physically fit and mentally tough. NEPMU 6 is ready to execute our mission and accomplish the larger mission established by the Naval and Marine Corps Health Protection Command.”

NEPMU 6 was established in 1949 and is one of four Environmental and Preventive Medicine Units worldwide. Dedicated to protecting the well-being of servicemen and women, NEPMU 6 worked tirelessly to maximize the mission readiness of operational forces in the Pacific.