Rear Adm. Guido F. Valdes is a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Miami, Florida. He earned his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Miami School of Medicine as a Navy Health Professions Scholarship recipient and upon graduation he received his commission in 1992. His professional training includes transitional internship at the National Naval Medical Center Bethesda and emergency medicine residency at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth.

Operationally, he served as officer-in-charge of the Shock Trauma Platoon/Forward Resuscitative Surgical Site at Camp Korean Village in Al-Anbar province, Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom; officer-in-charge, Fleet Surgical Team Six; force surgeon, Riverine Group One; executive officer, Role 3 Multinational Medical Unit, Kandahar, Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom; and force surgeon, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/ U.S. 5th Fleet.

He has served in various positions throughout Navy Medicine to include general medical officer, Branch Health Clinic Gaeta, Italy; staff emergency physician, U.S. Naval Hospital Naples, Italy; U.S. Naval Hospital Rota, Spain; and Naval Medical Center Portsmouth; executive officer, Naval Hospital Pensacola; commanding officer, Naval Health Clinic Corpus Christi; and deputy commander, Naval Medical Forces Atlantic.

Valdes assumed duties as commander, Naval Medical Forces Pacific, May 20, 2022. He has oversight of ten Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Commands on the West Coast and Pacific Rim as well as Navy Medicine's eight global research labs. Valdes also serves under the Defense Health Agency as the director of the Defense Health Network Pacific Rim where he oversees the delivery and integration of healthcare at nine medical treatment facilities (MTF) on the West Coast and Pacific Rim.

Valdes is qualified as a Fleet Marine Force Warfare Officer. His personal decorations include the Legion of Merit (two awards), Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), Navy Commendation Medal (two awards), Navy Achievement Medal and various other unit and campaign awards.

Last Updated: 1 March 2024