Vice Adm. Raquel Cruz Bono was the first woman Navy medical officer to achieve the rank of three-star admiral, and was the second director of the Defense Health Agency (DHA). Bono graduated from medical school in 1983 and then completed her surgical internship and residency at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth. Bono deployed for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia. In 2020, Bono was named by Washington State Governor Jay Inslee to lead the state health system’s response to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.

Last Updated: 29 March 2023