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Navy Judge Advocate General Visits NMCSD

April 11th, 2024

On April 10, Navy Judge Advocate General Vice Adm. Darse E. "Del" Crandall Jr., visited the combined Defense Health Agency (DHA) and Navy legal staff at Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD) to express his appreciation for their collective efforts and the legal services they provide.

Crandall is the 45th Navy Judge Advocate General (JAG) and serves as the principal military legal counsel to the Secretary of the Navy and Chief of Naval Operations. He also leads the more than 2,500 attorneys, enlisted legalmen, and civilian employees of the worldwide Navy JAG Corps community.

“The work that our naval legal professionals provide our commands can sometime go unnoticed,” said Crandall. “I want our legal professionals to know that, whether stationed ashore or deployed worldwide, their service is highly valued in our Navy.”

Crandall acknowledged that military healthcare law is a distinct and complex practice area.

“At our core, we uphold the Uniform Code of Military Justice as legal practitioners. However, military medicine is inherently unique as some legal matters require not only the mastering of military law, but also a solid understanding of general healthcare legal considerations,” said Crandall.

With a legal team of 13 active-duty service members and DHA civilians, NMCSD’s legal department provides a continuous flow of support.

“I couldn’t be any more proud of our legal team, and I’m highly honored that Admiral Crandall took the time to visit and thank our team,” said Lt. Laura DellAntonio, who currently serves as the NMCSD command judge advocate. “It’s always reassuring and uplifting to know that our highest level of JAG Corps leadership appreciates our work.”

The Navy JAG Corps’ mission is to provide full-spectrum legal services to enable naval and joint operations in support of America’s national security.

NMCSD continuously seeks professional civilian talent, not just limited to health care providers and administrative support. For anyone seeking a federal job, visit USAJobs at usajobs.gov - the Federal Government's official employment site.

The mission of NMCSD is to prepare service members to deploy in support of operational forces, deliver high quality health care services, and shape the future of military medicine through education, training, and research. NMCSD employs more than 5,000 active-duty military personnel, civilians and contractors in southern California to provide patients with world-class care. Anchored in Excellence, Committed to Health!