Environmental health officer serves as NMRTC Twentynine Palms ‘CO for a Day’

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. — For one day, Lt. j.g. David J. Naiman traded his role overseeing preventive medicine for a seat in the command suite, gaining firsthand insight into the decisions, competing priorities and uncertainty that come with leading a Navy Medicine command.

Naiman, an environmental health officer and preventive medicine department head at Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Twentynine Palms, participated in the command’s “CO for a Day” program July 21. The program gives junior officers firsthand exposure to senior-level leadership and decision-making while providing a broader understanding of how departments contribute to the command’s mission.

“The ‘CO for a Day’ program caught my interest because I wanted a greater understanding of the day-to-day functioning of the command suite and the challenges facing senior leadership in Navy Medicine,” Naiman said.

Capt. Mark Miller, who was serving as acting commanding officer that day, guided Naiman through the experience and provided insight into the responsibilities and considerations involved in command-level leadership.

“LTJG Naiman performed well as ‘CO for a Day,’” Miller said. “He approached the opportunity with professionalism, curiosity and a genuine enthusiasm for understanding the responsibilities of command.”

Miller said Naiman asked thoughtful questions, engaged with leaders across the command and demonstrated an ability to consider issues beyond the perspective of his own department.

“Most importantly, he embraced the opportunity to observe how decisions are determined at the command level, which impact the organization, our staff and our beneficiaries,” Miller said.

For Naiman, one of the most valuable lessons was discovering that command decisions rarely come with simple answers.

“My biggest takeaway from participating in this program is that when you are the CO, most problems have no ‘right answer,’” Naiman said. “You have to analyze the information available and consult the appropriate subject matter experts before making a decision in a reasonable amount of time. Then, you have to own the consequences and adjust your course of action based on the outcomes.”

That process, Naiman said, requires leaders to become comfortable operating amid uncertainty.

A native of Summit, New Jersey, Naiman earned a Bachelor of Arts in chemistry with a minor in environmental biology from New York University. He later earned a Master of Science in Public Health in epidemiology from Johns Hopkins University, along with a certificate in tropical medicine.

As the preventive medicine department head, Naiman’s regular responsibilities center on protecting the health of the force through disease prevention, environmental health and public health programs. Serving as “CO for a Day” challenged him to view those responsibilities within the broader context of the command and consider how decisions affect personnel, beneficiaries, readiness and the organization as a whole.

Miller said having the preventive medicine department head participate reinforced the importance of cross-functional leadership and helped connect the department’s mission to the larger priorities of the command.

“The ‘CO for a Day’ program is beneficial because it provides a platform to develop future leaders by affording them firsthand exposure to the responsibilities, decision-making and competing priorities of command,” Miller said. “It has the capacity to broaden perspective beyond individual specialties and departments and assists junior officers in understanding how their work contributes to the overall command and medical mission.”

Miller said the program also promotes transparency, communication and leadership development. Participants return to their departments with an improved appreciation for the challenges facing command leadership and a greater understanding of how they can contribute to organizational success.

For junior officers who participate in “CO for a Day” in the future, Naiman offered straightforward advice: Ask questions and take advantage of the experience surrounding them.

“Our command is full of experienced, senior officers who are happy to mentor junior people and share their advice, whether it be on personal or professional matters,” Naiman said. “Senior leaders want to help junior leaders start off on the right foot and avoid the pitfalls they encountered.”

While “CO for a Day” gave Naiman a glimpse into the responsibilities he could assume later in his Navy career, he said his immediate focus remains on developing his expertise in his current role.

“I believe it would be rewarding to hold a senior leadership position and mentor Sailors and junior officers, but for now, I am focused on becoming as competent in my own job as possible,” Naiman said.

Miller said developing junior officers through opportunities such as “CO for a Day” ultimately strengthens the command and prepares them to assume greater responsibilities in the future.

“Ultimately, the program promotes informed, engaged leaders who are more readily prepared to assume increased future responsibilities,” Miller said. “Aboard NMRTC Twentynine Palms, investing in that development directly strengthens our ability to deliver safe, effective care while maintaining readiness and supporting our people.”

Navy Medicine's 44,000+ talented and ready forces optimize health readiness, deliver quality healthcare, and provide global expeditionary medical support to warfighters.

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.