Naval Hospital Jacksonville and its five naval branch health clinics; Navy Operational Support Center Jacksonville; and four Operational Health Support Unit Jacksonville detachments have been awarded the Navy Surgeon General's Health Promotion and Wellness Blue H Award for 2015.

"Health promotion is a critical part of ensuring that our Navy and Marine Corps team has the best readiness and health in the world," said Capt. David Collins, NH Jacksonville commanding officer. "Every staff member at the hospital and clinics is committed to assisting our patients in improving their health."

The highest recognition - the Gold Star - went to the hospital; NBHCs Albany, Jacksonville, Kings Bay, and Mayport; NOSC Jacksonville; and OHSU Jacksonville Detachment J. OHSU Detachment Q received the Silver Eagle, and NBHC Key West and OHSU Jacksonville Detachments E and O received the Bronze Anchor.

The Blue H Award recognizes excellence in clinical primary prevention services, community health promotion, and medical staff health. The award assesses areas such as alcohol abuse prevention, injury prevention, nutrition, physical activity, psychological health, sexual health, tobacco cessation, and weight management.

To find out more about Navy Medicine's wellness programs, contact your local Wellness Center or Health Promotions, or visit the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center at http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/nmcphc/health-promotion/Pages/default.aspx.

Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, NH Jacksonville's priority since its founding in 1941 is to heal the nation's heroes and their families. The command is comprised of the Navy's third largest hospital and five branch health clinics across Florida and Georgia. Of its patient population (163,000 active and retired Sailors, Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, Guardsmen, and their families), almost 85,000 are enrolled with a primary care manager and Medical Home Port team at one of its facilities. To find out more or download the command's mobile app, visit http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/navalhospitaljax.

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

For more news from Naval Hospital Jacksonville, visit http://www.navy.mil/.