Leadership
Commanding Officer
TaRail A. Vernon Captain, Nurse Corps, U.S. Navy
CAPT TaRail A. Vernon, a native of Asheville, NC, enlisted in the United States Navy in 1992 and was promptly selected for the Broadened Opportunity for Officer Selection and Training (BOOST) at Naval Training Command in San Diego, CA. After completion, he graduated from Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, GA with a bachelor’s degree and was commissioned in the United States Navy.
CAPT Vernon began his naval career attending Supply Corps School (1998) in Athens, GA and then shifted his interest to the medical field to care for those in need. He attended the accelerated nursing program at Norfolk State University (NSU) in Norfolk, VA on nights and weekends and received a Bachelor of Science in nursing in 2003. CAPT Vernon continued his studies and was selected for Duty Under Instruction (DUINS) at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), where he graduated in 2010 with a Master of Science in adult critical care. In 2015, he earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Duke University.
CAPT Vernon is a self-directed and unparalleled leader and clinician demonstrating sustained superior performance. Operationally, he served as the Disbursing Officer/Sales Officer, USS Kauffman (FFG 59), 1998-2001; Critical Care Nurse, USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), 2013-2015; and Director of Nursing Services at NATO Role 3 MMU in Afghanistan in 2019 to lead 21 nurses in trauma care.
His shore duty assignments include Material Processing Center Officer, Defense Distribution Depot Norfolk Virginia (DDNV), 2001-2004; Intensive Care Unit (ICU) staff nurse and Assistant Department Head, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP), 2004-2008; Clinical Nurse Specialist and Department Head of 5 Center, a multi-disease unit at one of the nation’s largest and most renowned military medical center, National Naval Medical Center, currently known as Walter Reed National Military Medical Center at Bethesda (WRNMMC), 2010-2013; Assistant Nurse Manager of the Critical Care Unit, Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in 2015-2017, where he was assigned to various leadership capacities and became a trained Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter Coordinator responsible for policy, procedures, training new PICC nurses, and the maintenance and management of all PICC lines seven days a week; serving in dual capacities as the Department Head of the Multi-Service Ward supervising the delivery of care on a 29-bed unit and the Associate Director for Nursing Services (ADNS) covering five in-patient units, Business Manager, Department Head for Internal Medicine Department and six Specialty Clinics managing access to care, U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa (USNHO), 2017-2020; and Associate Director of Primary Care and Branch Clinics (ADPC), hand selected as the interim Director of Public Health Services (DPHS) and Director Warfighter Optimization (DWO), Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, 2020-2022. As DPHS, he successfully led the critical inspections from MEDIG, Joint Commission, and OSHA. Additionally, he was essential to the active-duty mandatory vaccination implementation within the Hampton Roads area. From 2022-2024, CAPT Vernon served as Executive Officer, Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Charleston, South Carolina leading the completion of a 25-million-dollar facility project, implementation of MHS GENESIS, initiation of a partnership with the Veteran Affairs (VA) to offer clinical sustainment, and numerous varying command accomplishments. Currently, CAPT Vernon is serving as the Commanding Officer of U.S. Naval Hospital/NMRTC Sigonella to include the Flight Line Clinic located on NAS II, Branch Medical Clinic Bahrain, and Branch Clinic Souda Bay, Greece.
His decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Joint Commendation Service Award (two awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two awards), National Defense (two awards), Surface Warfare Supply Corps Officer (SWSCO) pin, and various unit and service awards.
Executive Officer
Michael Mercado Captain, Medical Corps, U.S. Navy
CAPT Michael Mercado is a native of Stockton, California. He entered naval service via the Health Professional Scholarship Program and received his Doctor of Medicine from Loma Linda University in 2004. In 2007, Mercado graduated with a residency in Family Medicine from Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton (NHCP).
He most recently served at the Navy Bureau of Medicine & Surgery (BUMED) as Director of Force Medical Readiness (N34) from June 2021 to June 2023, overseeing programs and policies that optimize the medical readiness and assignability for over 600,000 active and reserve component members and their families.
Prior staff tours include Department Head of Family Medicine, US Naval Hospital Guam; Associate Program Director, NHCP Family Medicine Residency Program; Department Head of Family Medicine, Naval Hospital Bremerton; Director of Medical Services, Naval Hospital Bremerton. Additionally, he served as NHCP Command Medical Home Port Champion, NHCP Director of Population Health, and Primary Care Consortium Market Lead for the Puget Sound Military Health System, a collaborative group of clinical leaders focused on optimizing primary care delivery to over 125,000 beneficiaries in the Pacific Northwest.
A passionate educator, Mercado served as core residency faculty at NHCP, and teaching consultant at the Camp Lejeune and Fort Belvoir Family Medicine residency programs. He has a faculty appointment to the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences as an Assistant Professor of Family Medicine.
Additionally, he has served as faculty for the Navy Medicine Clinic Management Course, and an instructor for the Advanced Readiness Officer and Executive Medical Department Enlisted Courses.
Mercado deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan Regional Security Integration Command-East, as an embedded medical advisor to the 1st Brigade, 203rd Corps, Afghan National Army (ANA). In support of Operation Freedom Sentinel and Resolute Support Mission, he deployed as Task Force Surgeon, Task Force Southwest, Rotation 1, the first Marine unit to return to Helmand Province, Afghanistan,
since the Marines’ withdrawal in 2014. Additionally, he advised the Medical Commander, 215th Corps, ANA, in the country’s most kinetic province overseeing tactical combat casualty care training at the regional military training center. In garrison, he served as Regimental Surgeon, 6th Marine Regiment, Second Marine Division.
He is the recipient of the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism in Medicine Award for the Military Health System, NHCP Family Medicine Staff of the Year, Uniformed Services Academy of Family Physicians President’s Award, Department of Defense Innovation Award, and the Surgeon General’s Team Power Award.
CAPT Mercado is a diplomate of the American Board of Family Medicine, a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, and an active member of the Uniformed Services Academy of Family Physicians where he served on the Board of Directors from 2016-2019. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, and holds additional qualification designators in Executive Medicine, Health Promotion, and Global Health.
Additionally, he completed Joint Professional Military Education – Phase 1 through the Air Command and Staff College, Air University. His military decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (two awards), Combat Action Ribbon, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (two awards), in addition to other personal and unit awards.
Jason L. Marnne'
HMCM (FMF), U.S. Navy
Master Chief Petty Officer, Jason Marnné, a native of Kingman, Arizona, reported toRecruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois, in October 2000.
He graduatedHospital Corpsman A School 2001 and began his career as a Hospital Corpsman.
He has served in several sea duty assignments, including 1st Marine Division, 3rdAmphibious Assault Battalion and 1st Battalion 4th Marines; 3rd Marine Division,Combat Assault Battalion, HQ Regiment, and 1st Battalion 12th Marines; and 1stMarine Logistics Group, Combat Logistics Regiment-17; and his current assignment asthe DFA SEL for 3d Dental Battalion/US Naval Dental Center Okinawa, Japan.
His previous shore tours include Naval Hospital Lemoore California, Naval MedicalCenter San Diego California, service as a Hospital Corpsman Enlisted Detailer at NavyPersonnel Command Millington Tennessee and assignment as a Hospital CorpsmanEnlisted Community Manager at BUPERS Three Millington Tennessee.
He completed three combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
Master Chief Marnné is a graduate of the U.S. Navy Senior Enlisted Academy (Class212/Gold) and has been awarded the Navy Commendation Medal (three awards), NavyAchievement Medal (two awards), and various other personal and unit awards.