Capt. Frank Axelson
U.S. Navy
Captain Frank Axelsen entered the Navy as an E-1 in 1990. In 1995, he entered the Enlisted Education Advancement Program and attended Old Dominion University, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 1997. He was commissioned to the rank of ensign and matriculated into medical school at the Uniformed Service University of the Health Science, graduating in 2001. He completed his internship and residency training in family medicine at Naval Hospital (NH) Jacksonville, Florida.
Axelsen served as the senior medical officer at Naval Branch Health Clinic Pascagoula, Mississippi, from July 2004 through June 2006. He then completed a Fellowship in Sports Medicine at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton. After his fellowship he served in a variety of leadership roles to include SMO and chairman of the executive committee of the medical staff at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island. He also completed tours as Battalion Surgeon, 2D Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, and as surgeon, Special Operations Task Force-West, Afghanistan. Upon his return in March 2011, he was assigned to serve as surgeon, Marine Special Operations School.
Following his time with the Marines, he served as the family physician and vice chair of the executive committee of the Navy Reserve medical and dental staff at the Navy Medical Education and Training Command, Jacksonville, Florida. In January 2014, Axelsen assumed the position of SMO and medical department head of USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) in Sasebo, Japan, and was the acting surgeon for Commander, Amphibious Task Force, 7th Fleet. From 2017 to 2018, he served as SMO at NBHC Bahrain, then transferred to Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Jacksonville serving as the operational forces medical liaison officer; he subsequently deployed to Dallas County, Texas, in support of a 250-bed COVID-19 facility. Axelsen was assigned from July 2020 to July 2022 as the chief medical officer, Naval Health Clinic/NMRTC Patuxent River, Maryland. During his tour, he completed a 9-month deployment to Joint Task Force, Joint Medical Group, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and the Global War on Terrorism. He then served as the director of operations with the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery from July 2022 to August 2023, and assumed his current role as the executive officer NMRTC Annapolis and deputy director Naval Health Clinic Annapolis in September 2023
Captain Axelsen’s awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (seven awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two awards), and Good Conduct Medal (two awards). He has earned his Fleet Marine Force Warfare Officer and Surface Warfare Medical Officer qualifications.
Command Master Chief, Jeremy Dunlap
U.S. Navy
Command Master Chief Jeremy R. Dunlap, a native of Fort Worth, Texas, enlisted in the U.S. Navy and completed basic training at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Illinois in 1997.
Upon his completion of basic training, he attended Basic Hospital Corpsman “A” School in San Diego, California, then Field Medical Service School at Camp Pendleton, California. Having spent the majority of his career with the Fleet Marine Force, he served on every platform within the Marine Corps, to include instructor duties at Jungle Warfare Training Center in Okinawa, Japan and Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, California. Other tours of duty include various Marine Corps assignments during his time in Okinawa and Camp Pendleton, California.
He also served as the lead recruit division commander at Officer Training Command in Newport, Rhode Island and senior enlisted advisor for Officer Development, Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps, Naval Service Training Command, Pensacola, Florida. In February 2020, he assumed the role of command master chief of Patrol and Reconnaissance Squadron TWO SIX, and completed two successful deployments covering FOURTH, SIXTH and SEVENTH Fleet areas of responsibility. In March 2023, he assumed the role of command master chief of Naval Hospital Jacksonville and Navy Medicine Readiness & Training Command Jacksonville.
Dunlap is a graduate of the Senior Enlisted Academy (Class 200/Khaki) CMC/COB Course (Class 183) and participated in numerous exercises and deployments throughout Asia and the United States, as well as deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
He reported to Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Pensacola in Pensacola, Florida and assumed the duties as the Command Master Chief in May 2024.
Capt. Garland H. Andrews
Medical Service Corps U.S. Navy
A native of Moss Point, Mississippi, Captain Garland Andrews graduated from University of Southern Mississippi in 1996 and 1998 with a Bachelor of Science in Health Policy Administration and a Master of Public Health with an emphasis in Health Policy and Administration. A few months later he completed his commission into the United States Navy as a Medical Service Corps officer through the Officer Indoctrination School in Newport, Rhode Island.
His first assignment in Navy Medicine was as the Administrative Officer for 7 Branch Medical Clinics and as the Assistant Department Head for Material Management at Naval Hospital, Jacksonville, Florida. During his first assignment, Captain Andrews graduated from the University of North Florida with a Master Degree in Health Science with and minor in Geriatric Management. He then served as the Division Officer, Medical Department, Naval Ship USS Peleliu, San Diego, California from 2002 to 2004. Following his shipboard tour, he served as the Department Head for Operational Management and as the Senior Administrator for Medical and Surgical Services at Naval Hospital, Rota, Spain from 2004 to 2006. During his overseas tour, he also served as Command Legal Officer and the medical team-lead in Spain for the European NASA/DoD Medical Support Team Mission. Following his overseas tour, he moved to Washington, DC to serve as Chief of Military Personnel and Chief of Medical Research at the Uniformed Institute of Pathology from 2007 to 2009.
In October 2009, Captain Andrews was hand selected for the Secretary of Defense Afghanistan-Pakistan Hands Program. Subsequent to his assignment in the program, he completed a Defense Language Institute 16 week language and cultural familiarization course. Upon completion, he deployed as an Executive Medical Plans Advisor to the Office of the Surgeon General for the Afghan National Army from 2010 to 2011. Following his deployment, CAPT Andrews graduated from the National Defense University in 2012 with a Master of Arts in Strategic Security Studies with an emphasis in International Security and Irregular Warfare. Upon graduation, CAPT Andrews completed phase four of language and cultural familiarization training where he achieved a level 1+ proficiency in listening, reading and speaking. He then redeployed to Afghanistan as a Senior Medical Advisor to the NATO Ministerial Advisory Group. Following his second successful tour in Afghanistan, he was assigned to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center where he served as the Deputy Director for Administration and the Director for Administration. Next, CAPT Andrews served as a Senior Medical Resources, Plans, and Policy Analyst for the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations before being selected to serve as Deputy, Command Surgeon for United States Transportation Command. Following his time at USTRANSCOM, CAPT Andrews was assigned to DHA as Deputy, Deputy Assistant Director Healthcare Operations & Div Chief, HQ Support; OIC, Navy Element. Prior to his current tour, he served as the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Surgeon General, United States Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery and Director, Medical Resources, Plans and Policy, OPNAV 0931.
CAPT Andrews is currently assigned as the Executive Officer, NMRTC Pensacola and Deputy Director, Naval Hospital Pensacola as of August 2025.
His professional affiliations include board certification in healthcare management and Fellow status through the American College of Healthcare Executives. He is also certified as a Six Sigma Green Belt, a member of the American Academy of Medical Administrators and the Medical Management Group Association.
His personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit Medal, Defense Meritorious Medal (four awards); Meritorious Service Medal; Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three awards); Navy Achievement Medal and the Army Reserve Achievement Medal. Captain Andrews also earned the designation of Surface Warfare Medical Officer.