Naval Health Clinic New England (NHCNE) was formally recognized for its significant contributions to the Department of Defense Global Respiratory Surveillance Program (DoDGRSP) during the 2025–26 respiratory season.
NHCNE submitted 346 respiratory specimens to the DoDGRSP, with approximately 332 – or 96%– accompanied by complete epidemiologic questionnaires. This high rate of complete, high‑quality submissions played a critical role in strengthening DoD‑wide respiratory disease monitoring and analysis.
“Force health protection across the fleet depends on seamless coordination and collaboration,” said Capt. Jill Skeet, Director for Healthcare Services at NHCNE. “These results showcase our team’s operational excellence. Thanks to the proactive diligence of our corpsmen, administrative staff, laboratory professionals, and providers in collecting specimens and data accurately and efficiently, we continue to safeguard the health and readiness of our service members.”
The clinic’s participation supported a wide range of public health functions across the Military Health System and the broader global health community, including identifying circulating respiratory viruses in military and beneficiary populations, detecting possible new or emerging viral strains of concern, evaluating the effectiveness of current seasonal vaccines, compiling comprehensive weekly surveillance reports to inform operational decision-making, and sharing critical data and specimens with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to support annual vaccine strain selection.
The DoD Global Respiratory Surveillance Program is a long-standing collaborative effort designed to monitor respiratory pathogens – such as influenza and other viral agents – within the Department of Defense. By integrating laboratory results with clinical and epidemiologic data, the program provides early warning of outbreaks, informs force health protection measures, and contributes to worldwide situational awareness of respiratory disease trends.
NHCNE’s strong performance in the 2025–26 season underscores the clinic’s ongoing commitment to readiness, patient care, and public health. Through sustained participation in initiatives like the DoDGRSP, the clinic helps safeguard the health of Sailors, Marines, their families, and the wider community.
NHCNE is an integral component of the Defense Health Agency’s Defense Health Network (DHN) Atlantic, providing standardized, joint-service medical care to more than 70,000 eligible beneficiaries across the Northeast region.