Command Leadership

Captain Kim Shaughnessy-Granger was born and raised in Hanover, Massachusetts, and earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Villanova University in 1997. She was commissioned in 1997 through Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps.

Captain Shaughnessy-Granger began her career at Naval Medical Center San Diego, as a staff nurse in the Cardiac and Intensive Care Units. In November 1999, she transferred to Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune, and served as a Labor and Delivery Staff Nurse and Charge Nurse, Mother Baby/Level II Nursery Division Officer, and Business Manager for Women’s Health & Maternal Infant Services. In 2003, she selected for Navy Duty Under Instruction (DUINS) and attended Georgetown University, where she earned a Master of Science as a Certified Nurse Midwife, and was inducted into the nursing honor society, Sigma Theta Tau.

Upon graduation, Captain Shaughnessy-Granger was assigned to Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton for her first tour as a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM). In August 2007, she transferred to US Naval Hospital Yokosuka, Japan, and served as Department Head of Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN), and as the first Nurse Corps Officer to be appointed as both Assistant Director and Director of Surgical Services. In August 2010, she transferred to US Naval Hospital Okinawa as Assistant Department Head for OB/GYN. While in Okinawa, she coordinated the local response for pregnant women and families evacuated from Yokosuka during Operation Tomodachi following the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. She also deployed with the Marine Corps 3^rd Medical Battalion in support of the Cambodia Interoperability Program 2011, providing outreach clinical care and education to rural communities, and training in obstetric and neonatal emergencies to 50 Cambodian military physicians, midwives, and nurses.

In 2012 she returned to the National Capital Region and was assigned as Chief of Midwifery Services at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center at Bethesda. In August 2014 she transferred to Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, having been competitively selected as the first Nurse Corps officer to be appointed as Department Head for Obstetrics and Gynecology. In August 2017, she reported to the Office of Women’s Health at the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED), then went on to serve as the Director of Secondary and Specialty Care, Deputy Assistant Deputy Chief for Healthcare Operations, Assistant Deputy Chief for Medical Operations, senior advisor to the Navy Surgeon General supporting Military Health System (MHS) Governance and reform, and as Navy Medicine Liaison to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs. Among her accomplishments during this time, she spearheaded development of the Surgeon General’s first Female Force Readiness Strategy, helped design and shape the future of the Military Health System, and laid the foundation for organizational restructuring of BUMED to better align with Fleet requirements. Most recently, she served as Executive Officer of Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Quantico, Virginia. She assumed Command of Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command and Naval Health Clinic Annapolis in July 2023.

Her military decorations include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Navy Expert Pistol and Rifle Medals, and various service and campaign awards. She earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at Villanova University in 2017, was selected as a 2017 Tillman Scholar by the Pat Tillman Foundation, and in 2019 received the prestigious MHS Award for Nursing Leadership Excellence. She is board certified as both a Nurse Midwife and Healthcare Executive, is a Fellow of the American College of Nurse Midwives and the American College of Healthcare Executives, and in 2021 was inducted into the American Academy of Nursing.
 

 
Captain Axelsen entered the Navy as an E-1 in 1990. In 1995, he entered the Enlisted Education Advancement Program and attended Old Dominion University, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 1997. He was commissioned to the rank of Ensign and matriculated into medical school at the Uniformed Service University of the Health Science, graduating in 2001. He completed his internship and residency training in Family Medicine at Naval Hospital (NH) Jacksonville, FL.

CAPT Axelsen served as the Senior Medical Officer (SMO) at Naval Branch Health Clinic (NBHC) Pascagoula, MS from July 2004 through June 2006.  He then completed a Fellowship in Sports Medicine at NH Camp Pendleton. After his fellowship he served in a variety of leadership roles to include SMO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Medical Staff at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island.  CAPT Axelsen also completed tours as Battalion Surgeon, 2D Marine Special Operations Battalion, United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC), and as Surgeon, Special Operations Task Force-West, Afghanistan. Upon his return in March 2011, he was assigned to serve as Surgeon, Marine Special Operations School.

Following his time with the Marines, he served as Family Physician and Vice Chair, Executive Committee of the Medical/Dental Staff (Navy Reserves), Navy Medical Education and Training Command, Jacksonville, FL.  In January 2014, CAPT Axelsen assumed the position of SMO and Medical Department Head of USS BONHOMME RICHARD (LHD 6) in Sasebo, Japan and was the acting Surgeon, Commander Amphibious Task Force, 7^th Fleet.  From 2017 to 2018, he served as SMO at NBHC Bahrain, then transferred to Navy Medicine Readiness & Training Command (NMRTC) Jacksonville serving as Operational Forces Medical Liaison Officer; he subsequently deployed to Dallas County, TX in support of a 250-bed COVID-19 facility. CAPT Axelsen was assigned from July 2020 to July 2022 as Chief Medical Officer, Naval Health Clinic/NMRTC, Patuxent River, Maryland. During his tour, he completed a 9-month deployment to Joint Task Force, Joint Medical Group, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and the Global War on Terrorism.

CAPT Axelsen served as the Director, N3, Operations, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery from July 2022 to Aug 2023, and assumed his current role as Executive Officer NMRTC Annapolis/Deputy Director NHC Annapolis September 2023
Captain Axelsen’s awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (seven awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two awards), and Good Conduct Medal (two awards).  He has earned his Fleet Marine Force Warfare Officer and Surface Warfare Medical Officer Qualifications.

Master Chief Drew was born in Akron, Ohio. He attended North Akron High School and graduated in June 2002. He enlisted in the Navy on October 5th, 2004.  After completion of RTC, he reported to Hospital Corpsman “A” school graduating in April 2005. 

He reported to Field Medical Service School in July 2005 receiving the 8404 NEC.  Upon graduation, he accepted orders to Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twenty-Nine Palms, Ca where he was assigned to 7th Marines 1st Marine Division.  Deployed in support of Operation Iraq Freedom, Al Anbar Province, Iraq from August 2007 to March 2008, where he earned his Fleet Marine Force Warfare qualification and was Combat Meritoriously Promoted to HM3.  

His next tour of duty was USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN 72) Everett, WA, where he served as Medical Administration LPO. While onboard he obtained his Surface Warfare and Aviation Warfare qualifications. After his tour, he then reported to NAVAL CONSTRUCTION GROUP ONE Port Hueneme, CA. As medical department LPO, he also was the Base Ship Shape Instructor and Health Promotions Coordinator, Navy Pride and Professionalism Instructor, and obtained the Master Training Specialist qualification.

HM1 then reported to Surface Warfare Medical Institute for Independent Duty Corpsman School in June 2013 and graduated with honors earning the NEC L10A, Surface Force Independent Duty Corpsman.  He selected orders to USS THE SULLIVANS (DDG 68), Mayport, FL, and reported for duty in June 2014.  He served as the Senior Medical Department Representative and Independent Duty Corpsman. He deployed from January 2016 to September 2016 to 5th Fleet in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. He was selected for Chief Petty Officer in 2016. In March 2017 Chief Drew returned to Surface Warfare Medical Institute as an instructor to share his first-hand experiences. In 2018 he was hand-selected by BUMED as Navy Enlisted Advancement Exam Readiness Review member, developed and verified 3,000 bank questions, 12 Hospital Corpsman rating exams for 20,000 Sailors Navy-wide. In January 2020, he reported to Naval Beach Unit SEVEN, Sasebo, Japan as the Surface Force Independent Duty Corpsman and Executive Department Leading Chief Petty Officer. He was promoted to Senior Chief Petty Officer in 2020.

In March 2023, Senior Drew reported as the Senior Enlisted Leader (SEL) for Commander, Naval Surface Group Western Pacific, DET Sasebo, Japan (CNSGWP) and as the Regional Medical Representative (RMR) and TYCOM Medical Executive Agent for nine FDNF-J Ships in the AOR. In May 2023 he was screened for Master Chief and in April 2024 he was frocked to HMCM.

Master Chief Drew’s academic achievements include Associates in Science in Health Care Management, and Bachelor Degree in Organizational Leadership and Management. Master Chief Drew is also a Senior Enlisted Academy (SEA) graduate of class 249.

Master Chief Drew’s personal decorations include Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (4th Award), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with COMBAT “V”, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (4th Award), Combat Action Ribbon, Good Conduct Award (6h Award), Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (4th Award), and numerous unit and campaign awards.

 

Surgeon General's Priorities

PEOPLE / PLATFORMS / PERFORMANCE / POWER

People 

Our military and civilian workforce is our greatest strength.

• We enhance performance by improving training and skills sustainment
• We capitalize on talent and shape our force accordingly.
• We ensure our force maintains the highest standards of performance and behavior. Mutual respect is our baseline and excellence is our habit.

Platforms 

Our equipment and capability sets required by our warfighters

• We focus on modernizing and maintaining our equipment sets, increasing speed, flexibility, and interoperability while reducing fielding time and increasing survivability.
• We train to our new and emerging platforms, ever increasing our operational acumen, providing the capabilities necessary to support the warfighter.
• We deploy cohesive teams, on optimized platforms, supporting all phases of operations and operating across the range of military operations at the speed of our warfighters

Performance

Our performance is measured by our support to our warfighters

• We ensure our personnel meet and exceed military medical knowledge, skill, and ability standards
• We leverage high reliability principles, appreciative inquiry, artificial intelligence, and partnerships at all levels across our organization
• We use data driven decisions to optimize a medically ready force and prepare a ready medical force.

Power

Medical power projections will increase survivability

• We integrate elements of the Navy Medicine enterprise to increase power. Every action and investment we take will contribute to our core mission of producing force medical readiness and medical force readiness.
• We leverage our world-class research enterprise to stay on the cutting edge of medical knowledge, rapidly developing solutions for the warfighter.

MISSION
We optimize the healthcare and human performance of the United State Naval Academy Brigade of Midshipmen, warfighters, stakeholders, and beneficiaries in support of our national defense mission and global maritime interests. 

VISION
To be the premier mission partner, advancing high reliability, health, and operational capabilities.

STRATEGIC GOALS
Readiness: Ensure the medical capabilities of our operational units and platforms are ready. Health: Provide the best care our nation can offer to Sailors, Marines, and their families to keep them healthy, ready and on the job. Partnership: Expand and strengthen our partnerships to maximize readiness and health. Communication: Enhance our communication scheme as a strategic enabler for patients and staff members.