Rear Adm. Mark Bipes, deputy commander, Navy Medicine West, and a native of Onamia, Minnesota, raised awareness of the Navy's mission and the key role Navy Medicine plays in supporting that mission during Navy Week Fargo, July 23-24.

"I truly enjoyed the opportunity to come home to the heartland and share the great things our Navy and Navy Medicine are doing for the nation," said Bipes. "Our Navy protects the nation's prosperity by maintaining the free flow of goods over the world's oceans. Communities like Fargo and others across the Midwest who export agricultural products to overseas markets are directly impacted by having a strong Navy."

Navy Medicine plays a vital role in keeping our Navy strong by ensuring the health and readiness of Sailors, adds Bipes.

"Navy Medicine personnel are deployed around the globe, wherever our operational forces operate-on the sea, under the sea, above the sea, and on the battlefield," said Bipes. "

Places like Fargo that are far from America's coastlines and don't have a large Navy presence may not be aware of all the Navy does or has to offer. One of the goals of Navy Weeks is to increase Americans' awareness and knowledge of their Navy and the many opportunities it presents for service.

"The work our Sailors do every day protects the interests of the American people," said Bipes. "Navy Week provides an opportunity for the citizens of Fargo to learn more about our Navy's mission, from maintaining freedom of the seas to strengthening global security and providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief."

Bipes also highlighted Navy Medicine's role in supporting the Navy's mission beyond keeping warfighters healthy and medically ready. Outreach initiatives and global health engagements like Pacific Partnership and providing medical support to countries who've been devastated by disasters are crucial to developing alliances that promote worldwide security and stability.

During his visit, Bipes met with health care, academic, and non-profit leaders from various organizations across Fargo and beyond.

One of Bipes' first stops was to the Fargo Veterans Administration Health Care System that provides care to nearly 90,000 veterans. Bipes met with hospital leadership and learned about different initiatives they've implemented to improve the health and well-being of veterans. While there, Bipes also visited with a group of veterans, thanking them for their service.

Bipes also met with staff from Prairie St. John's, an inpatient mental health hospital, Sanford Health, an integrated health system and regional trauma center, the University of North Dakota's medical school in Grand Forks, and Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Red River Valley.

"I truly enjoyed the opportunity to meet with the leaders across Fargo and Grand Forks to learn about all the good they are doing in their community and share the message of what Navy Medicine and the Navy are doing to preserve their freedoms and way of life as well as the opportunities we have in the Navy to serve."

The Navy Office of Community Outreach (NAVCO) connects Americans with their Navy through several community outreach programs, including the Navy Week program. Each year, Navy Week brings Sailors to 15 cities across America that don't have a large U.S. Navy presence with the goal of sharing information about the Navy with communities throughout the nation.

Navy Medicine West leads (NMW) Navy Medicine's Western Pacific health care system and global research and development enterprise. Throughout the region, NMW provides medical care to more than 675,000 beneficiaries across 10 naval hospitals, two dental battalions, and 51 branch clinics located throughout the West Coast of the U.S., Asia, and the Pacific. Globally, NMW has oversight of eight research laboratories across the U.S. and overseas that deliver high-value, high-impact research products to support and protect the health and readiness of service members.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Navy Medicine West, visit www.navy.mil/.