After touring clinical areas and meeting with leadership, Orsega held a town hall with hospital staff. She outlined Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. Stephen Ferrara's priorities, which include directly engaging with troops to understand their unique challenges and find solutions to improve efficiency. She underscored the administration's commitment to ensuring a healthcare force ready to defend the nation and meet their dual missions of ensuring warfighter health and readiness and delivering health care excellence to all beneficiaries.

“We appreciated the opportunity to highlight both our capabilities and the unique challenges that come with serving in a forward-deployed environment,” said Capt. Kathleen Cooperman, USNH Okinawa director. “It was a valuable conversation about how we sustain readiness while continuing to deliver high-quality care to our beneficiaries and maintain the readiness of our warfighters and our medical force.”

Earlier in the day, Orsega received a strategic overview from Marine Corps Installations Pacific leadership and attended a listening session about the pilot health insurance enhancement for Department of Defense civilian employees in Japan.

During her visit to the hospital, Orsega and USNH Okinawa leadership discussed regional mission demands, workforce challenges, and the hospital’s role in supporting U.S. Indo-Pacific Command objectives. She also received a briefing on how the hospital operates as a regional referral hub and medical contingency platform for the broader theater.

Her tour included stops at the Armed Services Blood Bank Center, where she learned about blood collection and distribution capabilities in support of joint operations, and the sterile processing department, which is critical for the hospital’s surgical readiness.

Throughout the visit, Orsega engaged directly with staff and asked questions about daily operations, resourcing, and the unique dynamics of delivering care in a joint, forward-deployed environment to gain a comprehensive understanding of the hospital's operational landscape and identify potential areas for support and future efficiencies.

"Serving on the front lines of the Indo-Pacific region, we are always balancing the needs of our patients with our responsibility to be ready for anything," said Cooperman. "I'm so proud of our team. They're incredibly dedicated and they make sure our warfighters and their families get excellent care while staying ready to support any mission that comes our way."

U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa plays a vital role in delivering care to 47,000 service members, families, and other eligible beneficiaries in the western Pacific region. The hospital also serves as a key regional referral center and supports contingency and humanitarian assistance operations throughout the first island chain.

Trey Savitz, Public Affairs Officer
U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa, Japan
Comm: 011-81-971-7024
DSN: (315) 646-7024
isaac.s.savitz.civ@health.mil