New Navy medicine command aboard Camp Lejeune

PRE News & Ideas | By Annette Weston-Riggs

Published March 8, 2023 at 4:00 AM EST

Navy medical command.jpg — Navy Captain Darryl P. Arfsten assumed command as the first leader of the new Navy Medicine unit. EMF-Kilo will focus on the readiness of the unit to deploy and set up an expeditionary hospital in support of combat and humanitarian operations.

There is a new Navy Medicine command aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.

Navy Captain Darryl Arfsten is the first commanding officer of Expeditionary Medical Facility Kilo.

He said the new unit will focus on being ready to quickly deploy and set up a field hospital that will be used in combat and humanitarian operations.

While EMF-Kilo is a new command, the concept is not new for Navy Medicine; during World War II, the units were called “fleet hospitals” with the ability to travel to where the wounded need care.

Annette Weston-Riggs

Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. She has been involved in the media industry in eastern North Carolina for more than three years. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to ENC to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of toddler and baby cuddling, reading, designing costumes for children’s theater and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.

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