U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) hosted a cake-cutting ceremony honoring the Navy's 241st birthday at Defense Health Headquarters, Oct. 13.

In keeping with tradition, BUMED's oldest and youngest Sailors in attendance were honored with the duty of cutting the Navy birthday cake.

During the festivities, Vice Adm. Forrest Faison, Navy surgeon general and chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, thanked the BUMED staff for their dedication and service. He also commented on how Navy Medicine has been vital to ensuring the readiness and the operational success of the Navy's mission for more than two centuries, and how it provides world-class care to Sailors, Marines and their families across the globe.

"We have the most strong, most capable, and most diverse Navy in our world's history," said Faison. "Navy Medicine is carrying on the tradition of honor, courage, and commitment that's more than 240 years old."

The first piece of cake was presented to the youngest Sailor attached to BUMED, Petty Officer 2nd Class James Kiernen, symbolically representing the future of the Navy.

"It's a tradition I'm proud to be a part of," said Kiernen. "It represents the passing of knowledge from the oldest Sailor to the youngest, which is vital to the Navy's mission and readiness."

The second piece of cake was presented to the oldest Sailor, Cmdr. Paul Klimkowski.

"I appreciate the opportunity to have young Sailors see that someone does stick around long enough in the military to make a career of it and serve our country," Klimkowski said. "To all my shipmates across the globe, happy birthday. Enjoy the day."

Navy Medicine is a global health care network of 63,000 personnel that provides health care support to the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, their families and veterans in high operational-tempo environments, at expeditionary medical facilities, medical treatment facilities, hospitals, clinics, hospital ships and research units around the world.

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