HONOLULU -- 2015 was a monumental year for the Regional Health Command-Pacific (RHC-P); a year filled with transformation, development, growth and recommitment to excellence. The RHC-P will continue to be committed to excellence in the upcoming year.

Here is a look back at what happened over the past 12 months.

RHC-P began 2015 with a leadership off-site conference which set the tone for the year to come.

It was the first time that the topics of the U.S. Army Medical Command (MEDCOM) realignment and the RHC-P's Commanding General, Brig. Gen. Patrick Sargent's, vision to become a Medical Theater Enabling Command (TEC) throughout the Indio-Asian-Pacific Area of Responsibility (AOR) were presented to RHC-P commanders, key staff and medical leadership from the U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC), 8th U.S. Army, Public Health Command-Pacific and the U.S. Army Dental Command Pacific.

It was at this meeting that staff learned the full plan which took them from being "Pacific Regional Medical Command" to what is now known as the "Regional Health Command-Pacific".

During the off-site attendees were also briefed on the MEDCOM realignment which brought the Public Health Command-Pacific and the U.S Army Dental Command Pacific under the RHC-P umbrella; a change which took place in July 2015.

This realignment also laid out plans to include Madigan Army Medical Center (MAMC) at Joint Based Lewis-McChord, WA, and Bassett Army Community Hospital, Fort Wainwright, AK, as members of the RHC-P team of Health Readiness Platforms; a change that is projected to take place early January 2016.

The next focus for the RHC-P in 2015 was the development of the Medical TEC.

This conceptual change was developed to streamline and enhance the healthcare provided at all levels within the region, advancing Army and DoD health initiatives.

According to Sargent, the change was designed to synergize the working relationship between USARPAC and the RHC-P, and to provide a single point of accountability for all things medical within the Pacific AOR.

"The establishment of the Pacific Medical Theater Enabling Command serves to synchronize fixed facility and operational capabilities to provide sophisticated, integrative, and responsive healthcare support across the AOR", said Sargent.

The year also saw the RHC-P redirect its focus on the U.S. Army Surgeon General's (TSG) High Reliability Organization (HRO) initiative, which reemphasized the Army Medicine's commitment to providing healthcare which is focused on achieving the goal of "Zero Preventable Harm".

RHC-P hosted an HRO summit in April 2015, during which command teams and key staff members from across the region, along with other military and civilian medical partners, took part in open forum discussions geared at understanding MEDCOM's expectations when it comes to providing the safest healthcare possible.

"The concept of the HRO focuses on doing things much more efficiently and more safely. So it will not only enhance the overall delivery and quality of care, but also enhance the proficiency of our medics and doctors when they go out into the battlefield and provide support to our men and women who are in harm's way", said Sargent.

2015 was also the year that the RHC-P increased global engagements, using its ability to develop and strengthen global relationships, while enhancing medical responsiveness and stability in the region.

This year alone, Sargent met with Chinese, Mongolian, Philippine, Bangladesh, Nepalese, Vietnamese and Malaysian military medical leaders; all aimed at understanding what RHC-P can do to assist with development of medical capabilities and potential disaster response coordination.

Other Global Engagements for the RHC-P in 2015 included: exporting medical professionalism to 36 Indo-Asia-Pacific countries; Subject Matter Expert Exchange Events to Korea, Thailand, Philippines, Nepal, Vietnam, Samoa, Mongolia & Cambodia; attending 38th Parallel, Asia-Pacific Military Health Exchange, MEDDAC-Japan Bi-lateral Medical Exchange, Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit conferences; participation in Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief Programs in Indonesia, Nepal, Samoa, Bangladesh, Philippines and Sri Lanka; and providing medical support in missions such as Pacific Pathways, Ulchi Freedom Guardian, RIMPAC, Key Resolve, Keen Sword, Yama Sakura, JPAC Mission, Pacific Partnership, Pacific Angel, Balikatan and Cobra Gold.

Sargent said about global engagements, "It is these exercises that make Army Medicine valuable to our strategic military and civilian leaders. Medical engagements put "faces" on everything Army Medicine does." He added, "USARPAC leadership has realized the incredible nature of medical collaborations and has capitalized on medical capabilities in building relationships."

Overall, RHC-P's goals for 2015 were to build global relationships, expand Army Medicine's impacts on the region, and continue to provide the absolute highest quality of care to the Service Members, retirees, and family members of the Pacific Region…all of which resulted in complete mission success.

Here's to even greater successes in 2016!

Na Koa Imua -- Warriors Go Forth!