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Historic change of command at Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune

PRE News & Ideas | By Annette Weston
Published May 18, 2026 at 6:44 AM EDT
Capt. Kathryn Stewart, right, relieves Capt. Anja Dabelić as Commander and Director of Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune during the Change of Command ceremony held aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.
Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Justin Woods
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United States Navy
Capt. Kathryn Stewart, right, relieves Capt. Anja Dabelić as Commander and Director of Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune during the Change of Command ceremony held aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.

Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune has a new leader following a change of command ceremony on Friday at the Marston Pavilion.

Navy Captain Kathryn Stewart assumed command from Captain Anja Dabeli, who retired after 24 years of military service. Dabeli leaves a legacy of expanding outpatient clinic technology and overseeing care for over 153,000 beneficiaries.

Captain Stewart makes history as the first Navy Nurse Corps officer to lead the medical center. She previously served as executive officer of the USNS Comfort hospital ship and is familiar with the base, having worked at the Camp Lejeune medical center from 2018 to 2021.

Looking ahead, one of Stewart's immediate priorities will be overseeing the medical center’s operating rooms, which are scheduled to reopen next month following extensive HVAC and infrastructure repairs.
Annette Weston
Annette is an award-winning journalist based in Eastern North Carolina. Her career includes professional stops across the Midwest, Pacific Northwest, and Southeast, recently culminating in a 2026 Region 8 Edward R. Murrow Award for Small Market Radio Best News Series for her work on the Camp Lejeune Justice Act Series. Guided by a passion for human-interest storytelling, she focuses on narratives that touch hearts and connect communities. A mother of four and grandmother of two, Annette enjoys reading and creating epic Halloween costumes in her spare time. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.
See stories by Annette Weston