Captain Elizabeth M. Adriano
Commander, Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command
Director, Naval Medical Center San Diego
Medical Corps, U. S. Navy
Capt. Elizabeth Adriano began her military career in the U.S. Air Force as a medical student at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. Upon graduation from medical school in 1996, she transitioned to the U.S. Navy.
She successfully completed her internship at Naval Medical Center San Diego, and then served one year as a General Medical Officer, first at Naval Hospital Great Lakes and then at the Staff Sick Call clinic at Naval Medical Center San Diego.
She completed her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2001; her first duty station as an attending provider was Naval Hospital Beaufort, where she served three years as the Department Head.
She was transferred to U.S. Naval Hospital Guam, where she was selected to the position of Department Head and was then elected President of the Medical Staff/Chair, Executive Committee of the Medical Staff. She served in this position for two years of her three-year tour.
She transferred to Naval Medical Center Portsmouth in 2007 and began her tour as Division Head for General Obstetrics and Gynecology. In 2008, she was promoted to Vice Chair of the Women’s Health Department and advanced to Chair in 2009. In 2012, she received orders to U.S. Naval Hospital Sigonella, Italy, and was selected to serve as Director for Surgical Services.
After a successful two-year tour in Sicily, she was assigned to Naval Hospital Jacksonville as a Staff Physician in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department. She was asked to serve as the first Champion, High Reliability Working Group, in November 2014, and in February 2015 was competitively selected to serve as Director for Surgical Services.
In 2017, Capt. Adriano was assigned to Naval Hospital Pensacola as Executive Officer, providing care for over 150,000 beneficiaries at the hospital and 11 Naval Branch Health Clinics, across five states. In 2019, she became the inaugural Force Surgeon, Naval Information Forces, in Suffolk, Virginia.
In June 2021, Capt. Adriano was assigned as Commanding Officer of Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Cherry Point, where she led a keystone component in the medical readiness of Marine and Navy units assigned to the base, while ensuring beneficiaries and service member families received the highest quality health care possible.
Capt. Adriano assumed command of Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command San Diego on June 5, 2023.
Her personal awards include two Legions of Merit, four Meritorious Service Medals, and a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal.
Executive Officer
Captain Cindi L. Palacios
Captain Cindi Palacios began her military career as an enlisted Hospital Corpsman in the United States Navy. She completed “A” School at Naval Hospital Corps School, San Diego, CA. Upon graduation she reported to her first duty station, Naval Hospital Okinawa, Japan.
In January 2002, she reported to Field Medical Service School, earning the “Top Doc” award and was later assigned as Leading Petty Officer of the Manpower Department at Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune. She earned a Bachelor of Applied Science in Information Systems Management from the University of Maryland in December 2002. That same month, she commissioned as an Ensign in the Medical Service Corps and she reported to 2d Dental Battalion, 2d Force Service Support Group, Camp Lejeune as the S3, Operations Officer and Head, Education and Training Department, while also holding collateral roles including Legal Officer, POMI Officer, Family Readiness Officer, and Classified Material/Security Officer. In January 2005, she deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as Senior Watch Officer at the Medical Support Operation Center. In July 2006, she entered the Army-Baylor Graduate Program in Health & Business Administration at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, and was inducted into the Upsilon Phi Delta National Honor Society. By July 2008, she became Director for Administration at Naval Dental Center, overseeing 10 clinics supporting 88 personnel, and 63K beneficiaries on board Camp Lejeune, MCAS Cherry Point, and New River. In July 2011, she served as Manpower (M1) Fellow to Bureau of Medicine and Surgery and was assigned as the Dental Corps Personnel Planner and Command Equal Opportunity Manager. In 2013, she managed the Echelon II Sexual Assault Program for the Surgeon General of the Navy. She then went on to serve as Executive Assistant to the Chief of Staff, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery in 2015, later followed as the Deputy Director, Special Assistant Health Affairs, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Manpower and Reserve Affairs. In 2018, she became the Deputy Executive Assistant to the Surgeon General of the Navy, coordinating and managing the Surgeon General’s goals and objectives with Department of Navy Staffs. In April 2021, she assumed the duties as Director for Administration, Naval Hospital Rota, Spain, leading 7 departments and 83 personnel while supporting 7K beneficiaries. On 21 July 2025, Captain Palacios assumed the duties of Executive officer for Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command San Digo.
Her personal awards include Meritorious Service Medal (3), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (5), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (4), Navy Unit Commendation (2), Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Navy/Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon (5), Pistol Ribbon.
Command Master Chief
CMDCM(FMF/SW/AW/IW) Phillip L. Woods Jr., USN
Command Master Chief Phillip Leonardo Woods Jr. was born on March 15, 1980 at Clark AFB in Angeles City, Philippines. He reported to RTC in September of 1998 and pipelined from Hospital Corpsman “A” School to Field Medical Service School.
His first two assignments were with the Fleet Marine Force, one year assignment with 3rd Medical Bn 3rd Force Service Support Group (FSSG), Okinawa and a two-year assignment with 1st Medical Bn, 1st FSSG, Camp Pendleton where he served as a Pre-hospital Life Support Instructor as well as a Platoon Sgt. for one of the command’s Shock Trauma Platoons.
Reporting to his first shore assignment, Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton from August 2002 - February 2006, he served as LPO of the Family Medicine Department. During this tour he volunteered for an Individual Augmentation tasker, August of 2004 – February of 2005 to Iraq with Combat Service Support Battalion 7 ISO Operation Iraqi Freedom and was promoted to Second Class Petty Officer by the Secretary of the Navy.
His next assignment was to Beach Master Unit ONE, Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado, California from February 2006 – May 2009. He deployed twice to South America embarking on the USS PEARL HARBOR and USS BOXER as a Salvage Officer and team Corpsman. During this tour he served as LPO at sea, Armorer and was meritoriously promoted to First Class.
In June 2009 he reported to Naval Hospital Okinawa, Japan where he served as the LPO for the Directorate for Medical Services and Acting LCPO for the Emergency Medicine Dept. In 2011 he was selected to Chief Petty Officer and served as the LCPO for the Directorate for Surgical Services.
Chief Woods then reported for sea duty as Senior Enlisted Leader (SEL), Fleet Surgical Team THREE from October 2012 – October 2014. During his assignment he deployed aboard the USS BOXER from August 2013 – April 2014. He also served as Medical Regulating Control Officer for the entire BOXER ARG and earned his Afloat Training Specialist qualification.
In December of 2014, Senior Chief Woods was selected for instructor duty in San Antonio Texas and shortly after fleeted up to Serve as the SEL of Hospital Corpsman “A” School and earned Master Training Specialist qualification. Additionally, he led the rewriting and implementation of the Navy’s New Enlisted Medical Curriculum.
October, 2017, he reported to the USS CARL VINSON serving as Medical DLCPO. During this tour he deployed to WESTPAC & RIMPAC 2018, routinely served as the acting CMC, awarded the peer nominated “Swamp Fox” Leadership award and promoted to Master Chief.
Served as SEL, Directorate for Branch Clinics, Naval Medicine Readiness & Training Center San Diego, Ca. During his tour he led 1102 active duty and civilians across 14 clinics through a successful Joint Commission Survey. Hand selected to serve as COVID SEL for the region developing and leading the clinic COVID drive through testing sites and fleet immunization teams for the waterfront.
In June of 2023 he returned USS PEARL HARBOR as the CMC! Warship 52 completed Pacific Partnership 23 & 25. During his tour the ship successfully passed INSURV and was awarded the command’s first Ney award!
Currently he serves as the CMC for Navy Medicine Readiness Training Command San Diego.
Master Chief Woods graduated the Senior Enlisted Academy in 2017 class 206; CMC/COB course in 2023; Major CMC course in 2026, and holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Organizational Leadership & Development. His personal awards include Meritorious Service Medal (2 awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (Five Awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (Five awards), Pistol & Rifle Expert Medals, numerous campaign & unit awards. He and his wife Elizabeth have three children, a son Phillip and two daughters Eliana and Viviana.