CAPT Ken Radford,
USN Commanding Officer
Captain Kennett "Ken" D. Radford, NC, USN is a native of Minnesota. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Marquette University (2001), Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia from Georgetown University (2010), Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science from Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (2017), Diploma in Mountain Medicine (2021), and is a Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (2022). Radford was most recently the Executive Officer at Naval Medical Leader and Professional Development Command (NMLPDC), Bethesda, Maryland.
Radford enlisted in the Navy in 1994 and served aboard two ballistic nuclear submarines earning the Enlisted Submarine Warfare qualification in 1995. He completed the Broadened Opportunity for Officer Selection and Training (BOOST) program earning a NROTC nurse option scholarship and commissioned in 2001 as an Ensign, Navy Nurse Corps.
Radford has served in various positions within Navy Medicine to include Staff Nurse in Pediatrics, Pediatric Intensive Care, and Intensive Care at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, VA earning the Certified Critical Care Nurse (CCRN) designation. Intensive Care staff nurse, Naval Hospital Guam and completing Critical Care Air Transport Team (CCAT) training and certification. Staff Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) at Naval Hospital Jacksonville and Naval Medical Center Portsmouth. He was the Department Head, Anesthesiology, Naval Hospital Sigonella, Italy then Assistant Professor and Director of the Nurse Anesthesia Program, USU, and most recently as the Executive Officer, NMLPDC and holds CRNA practice credentials at Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center, Fort Meade, MD.
Operationally, Radford has served as a Deck Seaman, USS Alabama (SSBN 731) and USS Michigan (SSBN 727); Staff Nurse, Intensive Care Unit, Fleet Hospital-15 for Operation Iraqi Freedom; Staff Nurse, Intensive Care, Pacific Partnership, USNS Mercy (TAH-19); Critical Care Air Transport Team, Naval Hospital Guam; CRNA, USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77), Operations New Dawn and Enduring Freedom earning the Surface Warfare Medical Department Officer (SWMDO) qualification; and Trauma-Critical Care Educator-Global Health Engagement, African Peacekeeping Rapid Response Program, Ghana, Africa.
Academically, Radford served as Assistant Professor and Director of Research, USU Nurse Anesthesia Program and researched the effects of anesthesia on traumatic memory while mentoring numerous doctoral evidence-based projects. Remaining at USU, he served as the Director, Nurse Anesthesia Program and coordinated operational readiness training in Maritime, Mountain, and Cold Weather Medicine for Graduate School of Nursing and School of Medicine students.
His professional activities include Adjunct Assistant Professor, USU; President-Elect Maryland Association of Nurse Anesthetists (MANA); member American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA). His prior activities include Specialty Leader, Nursing Research; Head, Anesthesia Research Interest Group, Tri-Service Nursing Research Program (TSNRP); Advisory Council, TNSRP; District-Director, MANA.
Radford’s awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2 awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3 awards), Presidential Unit Citation, Good Conduct Medal, MHS Senior Nurse Leadership Excellence Award, AMSUS Nursing Award, Outstanding Junior Investigator, Distinguished Uniformed Faculty, Ada Sue Henshaw Outstanding Dissertation, and Board of Regents Award (USU).
CAPT Teresita Alston,
USN Executive Officer
Captain Alston is a native of Beaufort, South Carolina. She was commissioned in the United States Navy in 2002 as an Ensign under the Health Professions Scholarship Program and was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Navy Dental Corps upon graduation from dental school in 2006. Captain Alston earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and Chemistry as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics from Columbia College of South Carolina in Columbia, SC. She went on to graduate from the Medical University of South Carolina College of Dental Medicine with a Doctor of Medical Dentistry degree in Charleston, SC. An Advance Education in General Dentistry certificate was earned at 2d Dental Battalion in Camp Lejeune, NC. She received her certificate in Periodontics from the Naval Postgraduate Dental School in Bethesda, MD and a Master of Science in Oral Biology from the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda, MD in 2015.
Following commissioning, she reported as a resident in the Advance Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program onboard Camp Lejeune, NC. Upon graduation she was assigned as an Assistant Dental Officer at the H-1 Dental Annex. Captain Alston transferred to Naval Branch Health Clinic Parris Island, SC where she was selected for an Individual Augmentee deployment to Expeditionary Medical Facility Kuwait, Camp Arifjan and served 8 months as a member of the Juliet detachment. Following deployment, she was selected for the Periodontics residency program at the Naval Postgraduate Dental School. She transferred to Naval Hospital Pensacola, Pensacola, FL in 2015 where she served as the staff Periodontist, Enterprise Dental Infection Prevention Officer, Professional Practice Evaluation Committee Member, Dental Controlled Substances Custodian, Root Cause Analysis Sentinel Investigator, and the Naval Hospital Pensacola Tissue Manager. In 2018, Captain Alston transferred to 3d Dental Battalion/USNDC Okinawa and was assigned as the staff periodontist, Director of Marine Corps Air Station Branch Dental Clinic (BDC) Futenma and served in that role until May 2021. She was competitively selected to serve as the Director for BDC Evans onboard Marine Corps Base Camp Foster and the Kadena Dental Annex on board Kadena Air Force Base where she served to positively impact the clinic’s climate until September of 2021. She then served as the Interim Executive Officer for 3d Dental Battalion/USNDC Okinawa for 3 months. Captain Alston transferred to 2d Dental Battalion/USNDC Camp Lejeune in 2022 where she served as the command’s final Director for Dental Services until her transfer in January of 2024. She currently serves as the Executive Officer of NMRTC Patuxent River.
Captain Alston is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Periodontology. Captain Alston’s military awards and decorations include the Fleet Marine Force Warfare Officer, Navy Pistol Marksmanship Medal, Naval Rifle Marksmanship Medal, Navy Sea Service Deployment, Global War on Terrorism, National Defense Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2nd award), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2nd award), and the Meritorious Service Medal (2nd award). She received the 2015 International College of Dentist Research Award, 1st place and completed the in-person, 2-year Joint Professional Military Education Phase I program via the Marine Corps Command and Staff College in 2023.
HMCM Elwin Familiar,
USN Command Master Chief
Master Chief Petty Officer Elwin Familiar, a native of San Diego, enlisted in the United States Navy in November 1995. Upon completion of Recruit Training in Great Lakes, Ill., Familiar reported to Basic Hospital Corps “A” School, then pipelined to Advanced Medical Laboratory Technician School, Naval School of Health Sciences, San Diego.
In August of 1997, he reported to Branch Medical Clinic, Naval Air Facility, Andrews Air Force Base as the sole Medical Laboratory Technician. In September of 2001, he reported to Fleet Surgical Team Nine, San Diego. He attended the Naval Trauma Training Course and then deployed onboard USS TARAWA (LHA 1). He participated in RIMPAC 2002 and WESTPAC 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In November of 2003, he received follow-on orders to Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton as the Laboratory Department Leading Petty Officer.
In February of 2008, he executed orders to USS NIMITZ (CVN 68), where he was advanced to Chief Petty Officer. He served as the Medical Division Leading Chief Petty Officer, participating in numerous deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. In March of 2011, he reported to Navy Medicine Training Support Center, Navy Enlisted Training Element, Detachment, San Diego, and served as the Senior Enlisted Leader/Lead Medical Laboratory Instructor. While stationed there in 2014, he was advanced to Senior Chief Petty Officer.
In January of 2015, Familiar reported to Captain James A. Lovell, Federal Health Care Center, where he served as Senior Enlisted Leader for numerous directorates and as the Senior Enlisted Advisor for Branch Health Clinic USS TRANQUILLITY. In 2017, he was selected to be the Senior Enlisted Leader for the Expeditionary Medical Unit-10G in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, Iraq.
In March of 2018, he reported to the USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN 71) as the Medical Department Leading Chief Petty Officer. While assigned there in September of 2020, he was promoted to Master Chief Petty Officer.
Master Chief Familiar is a graduate of the Command Master Chief /Chief of the Boat Course (22050) and a graduate of the U.S. Navy Senior Enlisted Academy (Class 219/Purple). He earned an Associates in Science Degree in Medical Laboratory Technology from The George Washington University and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Sciences from Trident University International. He is currently pursuing a dual Master’s Degree in Human Resources and Leadership and Management from Webster University.
His personal awards include Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (six awards); Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (five awards), Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, as well as many other campaign and unit awards. He has earned the Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist, Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist, and the Enlisted Expeditionary Warfare Specialist designators, and is a Master Training Specialist.
In August of 2021, he reported as Command Master Chief, Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command, Patuxent River, Md.