On March 20, Navy Environmental Preventive Medicine Unit SEVEN (NEPMU), located at U.S. Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota, marked a significant milestone commemorating its 10th anniversary since its recommissioning in 2014.

Previously, NEPMU SEVEN served the U.S. 6th Fleet and the European area of operations for nearly five decades before being decommissioned in 2006. Its official recommissioning took place June 20, 2014, under the auspices of Vice Adm. Matthew Nathan, Navy Surgeon General, with an initial staff of six personnel. Today, the unit is fully manned and operational and supports more than 67,000 Navy and joint expeditionary personnel across U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) areas of responsibility.

With a comprehensive and specialized array of products and services, the unit plays a vital role in environmental protection and preventive medicine initiatives. Expanding on its achievements, in the 2023 calendar year alone, NEPMU SEVEN completed 46 missions and supported 39 commands or units in 11 countries across three geographic combatant commands. They provided a wide range of training and services such as site assessments, disease control and prevention, environmental health, and Global Health Engagement.

Ultimately NEPMU SEVEN is dedicated to preparing for public health emergencies, protecting military forces through direct response and training, and responding to tasks as directed in its operational area of responsibility.

When asked about NEPMU SEVEN's role and mission, Officer in Charge Cmdr. Chadwick Yasuda stated, “NEPMU SEVEN works to keep our military forces healthy and ready for action by providing preventive medicine support across theaters, including Navy and Marine Corps units, joint military operations, and allied governments when needed.”

Highlighting the unit's uniqueness, Yasuda emphasized, "Our experts have the skills and expertise typically found in centralized facilities located within the United States that provide expertise, support, or resources to personnel or operations deployed elsewhere. However, because the Navy and Marine Corps are always on the move, our mission is to deploy directly to provide support wherever it's needed most."

To honor its establishment, development, decommissioning, and subsequent recommissioning, NEPMU SEVEN conducted a commemorative ceremony. During this event, Yasuda presented Letters of Appreciation to the unit’s partners and agencies across AFRICOM, EUCOM, and Central Command (CENTCOM), acknowledging their invaluable support in fulfilling the command's missions.

Story originally posted on DVIDS: A Decade of Dedication: Navy Environmental Preventive Medicine SEVEN's Milestone Anniversary and Vital Mission