The Shore Establishment is composed of the systems commands under the Office of the Chief of Naval Material; and various naval support commands such as Naval Education and Training, Naval Intelligence, and Naval Telecommunications. The Marine Corps support establishment and the Marine Corps Reserve are also components of the Shore Establishment.
The operating forces are composed of several fleets, seagoing forces, district forces, sea frontier forces, the Military Sealift Command, the Fleet Marine Forces, the operating elements of the Coast Guard (when assigned), and all other forces, commands, and activities not otherwise assigned. Figure 8-1 shows the basic organization of DON.
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, NAVAL MEDICINE
The Office of the Director, Naval Medicine develops policy and serves as the resource sponsor for Navy medical and dental operations. Under the direction of the SECNAV and the CNO, the Surgeon General (Director, Naval Medicine) is responsible for developing policies to:
COMMANDER, NAVAL MEDICAL COMMAND
The Naval Medical Command is comprised of a headquarters element, eight geographic direct health care commands, and seven special mission commands. The Commander, Naval Medical Command (COMNAVMEDCOM) is charged with overall program execution to maintain medical readiness through ensuring the highest level of health for Navy personnel through the promotion of physical fitness, the prevention and control of diseases and injuries, and the treatment and care of the sick and injured. Additionally, it is the responsibility of the Commander, Naval Medical Command to ensure the overall readiness, training, and deployment of medical personnel to augment the operating forces. To fulfill this responsibility, the COMNAVMEDCOM is actively concerned with all phases of Navy life and provides technical assistance for all echelons of the Navy on matters affecting the health of naval personnel. The organizational chart for the COMNAVMEDCOM is shown in Figure 8-2.
Navy Medical Department
The Medical Department is composed of the following:
The Hospital Corps is the only enlisted corps in the Navy. Hospital Corps personnel are trained in the Hospital Corps “A” School, and may receive further training in the health sciences through formal school in such areas as X-ray, Pharmacy, Cardiopulmonary, Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Advanced Hospital Corps, and so forth.
The Dental Technician Rating is composed of enlisted personnel trained to assist dental officers. Like hospital corpsmen, dental technicians are trained through basic “A” School and other formal programs.
Navy Geographic Health Care System
Eight geographic naval medical commands (GEOCOMS), six in CONUS and two in OCONUS, are responsible for control and administration of medical and dental subordinate activities within their assigned geographic region. Under the direction of a geographic naval medical commander, the GEOCOM ensures that its subordinate activities provide for local readiness training programs, maintain a high state of medical and dental contingency readiness status, provide the highest possible quality health care service, and receive adequate management direction. Naval hospitals, medical clinics, dental clinics, and their component activities are responsible for direct health care delivery within assigned geographic regions. Figure 8-3 shows the
