“I decided to use video-teleconference (VTC) capability to allow my previous executive officer from U.S. Naval Hospital Guam and mentor Capt. J.C. Nicholson promote me. He is currently the commanding officer of U.S. Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. I asked him to promote me when I first found that I was selected back in April of 2018. He and his wife Linda have been very supportive of me and my family over the years and VTC enabled them both to be part of the ceremony,” said Hagen.
As a Huntington Beach, California native and 1992 graduate of Marina High School, Hagen joined the Navy in June, 2000, with the goal of gaining (federal) government experience.
“I was hoping to go back to the non-government organization (NGO) world after gaining some experience in the U.S. Navy as I truly enjoyed working for NGOs in Ethiopia and Nepal. However, after my first tour at Naval Hospital 29 Palms, I was given an amazing opportunity to be stationed at the Navy Medical Research Unit-2, Jakarta, Indonesia. Since Indonesia, the Navy has given me a multitude of incredible assignments and I have had no regrets not going back to the NGO world,’’ said Hagen, who attended Pacific Union College for his Bachelor of Science in1996; Loma Linda University for his Masters Degree in Health Administration in 2000 and the Naval War College for his Master’s Degree in National Security and Strategic and Studies in 2011.
“My personal story is that I grew up in Huntington Beach. I have one sister and since we were little we were both very active in water and ocean sports. We spent close to 2-3 hours in the pool each day and this helped us get great summer jobs on the beach. Additionally, I was active in running and biking and started doing triathlons and marathons at an early age. Spending so much time near the ocean and living next to Seal Beach Naval Weapons station made the decision of joining the Navy an easy choice over the other services,” related Hagen, adding that besides sports, he was also active in community service throughout high school and college. It was that passion which led him to serve in different NGOs. When he was in Ethiopia, he started to look at healthcare systems strategically and how to best solve healthcare issues with minimal resources.
“Another passion of mine growing up was working with computers. Computer skills have benefitted me in the Navy as it has allowed me to innovate and streamline multiple programs, from the creation of a Foreign Military Finance tracking database in Iraq to working and developing major programs for Navy Medicine Emergency Preparedness program,” Hagen explained.
Navy Medicine has provided Hagen the opportunity to extend across the United States as well as various overseas locales.
“Every place I have been has been memorable and a wonderful learning opportunity. The places I have been stationed include, Naval Hospital 29 Palms, Navy Medical Research Unit-2 Jakarta Indonesia, Naval Hospital Bremerton/Branch Health Clinic Bangor, Navy Medical Information System Activity San Antonio, Multi-National Transition Security Command-Iraq, Naval War College Rhode Island, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, and U.S. Naval Hospital Guam,” Hagen said.
Hagen attests that his most exciting – and unforgettable - assignment with Navy Medicine is one that impacted him both professional and personal.
“Each experience has been exciting but my most memorable would have to be Navy Medical Research Unit-2 Jakarta Indonesia where I met my wife and I got the opportunity to travel throughout Southeast Asia. Indonesia also has some of the best dive sites in the world,” Hagen said, noting that the next most memorable would be his time with the Multi-National Transition Security Command-Iraq.
“I got to work with a crew of soldiers and develop a tracking system that tracked a billion dollars’ worth of equipment and supplies. From there the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery gave me the opportunity to become the Director of Emergency Preparedness (EP) where the EP team initiated the development of the current EP tracking system for Navy Medicine. Additionally, serving as an officer-in-charge and director for administration has allowed me to provide guidance and career development to all military and civilian staff,” explained Hagen.
With Vice Adm. Forrest Faison, Navy surgeon general and chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, advocating for renewed emphasis on readiness across Navy Medicine, Hagen has long contributed to such a focus throughout his career from operational units to advanced leadership positions.
“Medical readiness has been a top priority of mine since I was one of the primary officers who pushed the Readiness Cost Reporting Program for Navy Medicine’s operational units. I have also helped create multiple systems to track emergency preparedness that now track this EP readiness across Navy Medicine. In my current position, my staff ensures on a daily basis the medical and dental readiness of 8,000 Active Duty and oversees medically the largest Personnel Reliability Program within the Navy,” related Hagen.
“Readiness is what we do on a daily basis and figuring out how to improve medical readiness prepares us to deploy on a moment’s notice. In today’s world, technology is improving rapidly and capitalizing on this technology allows us to not just improve the way report medical readiness but will better prepare us to support our line components,” Hagen continued.
When asked to sum up his experience with Navy Medicine in one sentence, Hagen replied, “I would say that taking the oath was the best decision I ever made. Navy Medicine has given me and continues to give me incredible opportunities to make impactful positive change and I get to do this with some of the most dedicated and incredible people I have ever met.”
As a Huntington Beach, California native and 1992 graduate of Marina High School, Hagen joined the Navy in June, 2000, with the goal of gaining (federal) government experience.
“I was hoping to go back to the non-government organization (NGO) world after gaining some experience in the U.S. Navy as I truly enjoyed working for NGOs in Ethiopia and Nepal. However, after my first tour at Naval Hospital 29 Palms, I was given an amazing opportunity to be stationed at the Navy Medical Research Unit-2, Jakarta, Indonesia. Since Indonesia, the Navy has given me a multitude of incredible assignments and I have had no regrets not going back to the NGO world,’’ said Hagen, who attended Pacific Union College for his Bachelor of Science in1996; Loma Linda University for his Masters Degree in Health Administration in 2000 and the Naval War College for his Master’s Degree in National Security and Strategic and Studies in 2011.
“My personal story is that I grew up in Huntington Beach. I have one sister and since we were little we were both very active in water and ocean sports. We spent close to 2-3 hours in the pool each day and this helped us get great summer jobs on the beach. Additionally, I was active in running and biking and started doing triathlons and marathons at an early age. Spending so much time near the ocean and living next to Seal Beach Naval Weapons station made the decision of joining the Navy an easy choice over the other services,” related Hagen, adding that besides sports, he was also active in community service throughout high school and college. It was that passion which led him to serve in different NGOs. When he was in Ethiopia, he started to look at healthcare systems strategically and how to best solve healthcare issues with minimal resources.“Another passion of mine growing up was working with computers. Computer skills have benefitted me in the Navy as it has allowed me to innovate and streamline multiple programs, from the creation of a Foreign Military Finance tracking database in Iraq to working and developing major programs for Navy Medicine Emergency Preparedness program,” Hagen explained.
Navy Medicine has provided Hagen the opportunity to extend across the United States as well as various overseas locales.
“Every place I have been has been memorable and a wonderful learning opportunity. The places I have been stationed include, Naval Hospital 29 Palms, Navy Medical Research Unit-2 Jakarta Indonesia, Naval Hospital Bremerton/Branch Health Clinic Bangor, Navy Medical Information System Activity San Antonio, Multi-National Transition Security Command-Iraq, Naval War College Rhode Island, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, and U.S. Naval Hospital Guam,” Hagen said.
Hagen attests that his most exciting – and unforgettable - assignment with Navy Medicine is one that impacted him both professional and personal.
“Each experience has been exciting but my most memorable would have to be Navy Medical Research Unit-2 Jakarta Indonesia where I met my wife and I got the opportunity to travel throughout Southeast Asia. Indonesia also has some of the best dive sites in the world,” Hagen said, noting that the next most memorable would be his time with the Multi-National Transition Security Command-Iraq.
“I got to work with a crew of soldiers and develop a tracking system that tracked a billion dollars’ worth of equipment and supplies. From there the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery gave me the opportunity to become the Director of Emergency Preparedness (EP) where the EP team initiated the development of the current EP tracking system for Navy Medicine. Additionally, serving as an officer-in-charge and director for administration has allowed me to provide guidance and career development to all military and civilian staff,” explained Hagen.
With Vice Adm. Forrest Faison, Navy surgeon general and chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, advocating for renewed emphasis on readiness across Navy Medicine, Hagen has long contributed to such a focus throughout his career from operational units to advanced leadership positions.
“Medical readiness has been a top priority of mine since I was one of the primary officers who pushed the Readiness Cost Reporting Program for Navy Medicine’s operational units. I have also helped create multiple systems to track emergency preparedness that now track this EP readiness across Navy Medicine. In my current position, my staff ensures on a daily basis the medical and dental readiness of 8,000 Active Duty and oversees medically the largest Personnel Reliability Program within the Navy,” related Hagen.
“Readiness is what we do on a daily basis and figuring out how to improve medical readiness prepares us to deploy on a moment’s notice. In today’s world, technology is improving rapidly and capitalizing on this technology allows us to not just improve the way report medical readiness but will better prepare us to support our line components,” Hagen continued.
When asked to sum up his experience with Navy Medicine in one sentence, Hagen replied, “I would say that taking the oath was the best decision I ever made. Navy Medicine has given me and continues to give me incredible opportunities to make impactful positive change and I get to do this with some of the most dedicated and incredible people I have ever met.”