Command of the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center (NMCPHC) changed Wednesday when Capt. Todd Wagner relieved Capt. Scott Jonson during a ceremony conducted at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth Aug. 19.

Rear Adm. Kenneth Iverson, commander, Navy Medicine East, presided over the ceremony.

In his remarks, Iverson cited Jonson's leadership as well as the tremendous impact NMCPHC's contributions have on Navy and Marine Corps mission readiness.

"Captain Jonson's superlative leadership has led to transformation changes that positively impact the health and wellness for tens of thousands Navy, Marine Corps, [Department of Defense] personnel and their family members around the world," said Iverson. "Navy and Marine Corps Public Health is not only a preferred choice for global public health and preventive health services, but also the preferred choice for its staff to work."

Iverson presented Jonson with the Legion of Merit for his leadership in support of Navy Public Health and the Navy Medicine mission.

"It's truly been an honor to serve as commanding officer of the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center," said Jonson, who will be assigned to Naval Medical Center Portsmouth upon completion of his tour of duty as NMCPHC commanding officer. "I'm very proud of our enterprise and the amazing work that's been conducted by our dedicated personnel."

The new NMCPHC commanding officer, Wagner, is a native of Grand Junction, Colorado, graduated in 1986 from the U.S. Naval Academy and began his Navy career as a surface warfare officer aboard amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5).

Wagner was later accepted into the Naval Health Profession Scholarship Program and graduated from Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine with honors in 1998.

Wagner's served as an undersea medical officer at the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 11, Whidbey Island, Washington and subsequently completed a Preventive Medicine Residency at the University of California, San Diego. After completing his residency, Wagner's assignments included serving as preventive medicine officer, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune North Carolina; clinical consultant as well as operational and staff liaison at the Armed Forces Medical Intelligence Center at Fort Detrick in Frederick, Maryland; and officer-in-charge, Navy Environmental and Preventive Medicine Unit 2, Norfolk.

During his tour with II Marine Expeditionary Force, Wagner completed two deployments to Iraq as the preventive medicine officer for Multinational Forces Iraq. He later served as director for Public Health, Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, California, and most recently as executive officer, Naval Hospital Rota, Spain.

Upon assuming command, Wagner thanked Jonson for his exceptional leadership and contributions to public health, while praising the entire NMCPHC enterprise for being at the forefront of public health policy development and leadership.

"I have seen the direct results of Navy and Marine Corps Public Health center's work in serving our service members and their families in every corner of the world on sea, on land, in the air and even below the surface," said Wagner. "To be a given the opportunity to lead this esteemed group in this herculean effort is truly inspiring."

NMCPHC is part of the Navy Medicine team, a global health care network of 63,000 Navy medical personnel around the world who provide high-quality health care to more than one million eligible beneficiaries. Navy Medicine personnel deploy with Sailors and Marines worldwide, providing critical mission support aboard ship, in the air, under the sea and on the battlefield.

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