Navy nurses go where they’re needed—whether that’s a base in North Carolina, a hospital in Hawaii, or a combat zone overseas.
Could be Guam. Could be a ship. The job isn’t just hospitals. Sometimes it’s civilian medical facilities. Sometimes it’s a floating hospital on the ocean.
It’s not a desk job. It’s hands-on, high-stakes, and often in tough conditions.
If you want a nursing career that goes beyond the usual, this is it.
Where Can Navy Nurses Be Stationed?
Navy nurses keep the system moving. They’re stationed worldwide—military hospitals, clinics, combat zones. Emergency care, primary care, mental health. Wherever they’re needed, they step in.
They don’t just follow orders. They train constantly, mastering new procedures, handling high-tech medical equipment, and adapting to their facility’s mission. It’s fast-paced, always evolving.
Beyond the hospital walls, they’re out in the community—educating, expanding access, making sure military healthcare reaches the people who need it.
Washington, DC Area
Navy nurses in the D.C. area operate out of Walter Reed and NSA Bethesda—two of the biggest hubs for military healthcare. Walter Reed alone covers active-duty personnel, retirees, veterans, and their families, offering everything from trauma care to mental health support.
At NSA Bethesda, Navy nurses handle primary care, surgery, orthopedics, and preventive medicine for all service branches—Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Army.
They also run disease management programs, vaccinations, and family planning services. Neonatal care, trauma resuscitation, pediatric health—they cover it all.
Beyond Bethesda, they’re stationed at NMCPB, FBCH, and Andrews AFB, supporting service members locally and those deploying worldwide. High-level care, nonstop demand.
Virginia
Virginia-based Navy nurses are stationed across the state—Norfolk, Portsmouth, or out at sea with a Navy Medical unit. Some stay on land. Others work aboard ships, delivering care in local and international waters.
Naval Station Norfolk is the biggest U.S. Navy base—80,000 active-duty personnel, 55 ships, and nonstop operations. Navy nurses here handle emergency medicine, anesthesiology, critical care, neonatology, and women’s health. Fast-paced, high-pressure work.
Portsmouth Naval Hospital, near Virginia Beach, runs a 200-bed facility with 70 specialized services. Acute care, rehab, field medicine—Navy nurses help injured sailors recover after time at sea.
Then there’s ship duty. Some nurses serve aboard vessels homeported in Norfolk, treating service members in transit. Others take on Aviation Nurse Specialist roles, caring for flight crews worldwide.
Traditional nursing? Not exactly. High-stakes, unpredictable, and global? Absolutely.
North Carolina
North Carolina is a key spot for Navy nurses. Three major medical hubs—two at Camp Lejeune, one at Cherry Point.
Each with 400 beds. General medical. Primary care. Acute care. Behavioral health. Smaller clinics, like Kinston, handle routine cases.
But it’s not just hospitals. Navy nurses deploy to ships, field camps, team sites. Some assignments last weeks. Others, months. Different settings, same mission—keep service members ready.
Then there’s ATG. Emergency response teams trained for anything—disasters, even space missions. High-stakes, high-impact work.
Honor. Courage. Commitment. No matter where they go.
California
California assignments put Navy nurses in key locations—Naval Base Coronado, NAS Lemoore, and Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. They don’t just treat sailors. Service members from all branches come through these facilities, making teamwork across military units a given.
California has its perks. Major universities, world-class recreation—beaches, trails, everything outdoors. USGI housing reimbursement helps with costs, and compared to some states, living expenses are lower.
Career development? Plenty of options. External certification programs train nurses in ship-based medical care and specialized clinical skills—experience that pays off both in the Navy and beyond.
Florida
Florida’s naval hospitals—Pensacola, Jacksonville, Mayport, Key West—are staffed with Navy nurses covering everything from family medicine to emergency care.
Pensacola is the main hub for Navy medical services in the Southeast. Nurses here handle pediatrics, labor and delivery, emergency medicine, and specialties like cardiology, ophthalmology, and behavioral health.
Jacksonville supports NAS Jacksonville and Mayport, offering medical and dental care, plus pediatric services at a satellite clinic in Orange Park. Most patients fall under TRICARE Prime.
Mayport’s clinic focuses on active-duty personnel and advanced treatments for complex cases. Navy nurses work alongside specialists, ensuring solid follow-up care.
Key West is different—flight medicine, submarine screenings, dive medicine. Less about general care, more about specialized military health.
Nurses might not manage government resources, but they play a role in mobilization events, handling health screenings before deployment and post-deployment processing.
Hawaii
Hawaii-based Navy nurses operate under two main commands: Pacific Regional Medical Command (PRMC) and Tripler Army Medical Center (TAMC).
PRMC nurses are stationed at Pearl Harbor Naval Hospital or Marine Corps Base Hawaii. They handle everything from advanced practice nursing and case management to mental health care. Active-duty personnel, retirees, and dependents all receive treatment here.
Tripler, in Honolulu, serves as a major referral center for military personnel across the Central Pacific. Specialty services: Orthopedics, sports medicine, occupational therapy, behavioral health. Big scope, big responsibility.
At Naval Health Clinic Hawaii, based at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Navy nurses provide preventive care, surgery, and medical support to multiple DoD facilities, including the U.S. Navy Reserve Center Barber’s Point and even the Hale Koa Hotel. The Kapolei Medical/Dental Clinic falls under their care too.
Some nurses get ship duty. Submarines, fleet support vessels—Pearl Harbor-based ships always need medical staff. Others deploy overseas, covering foreign ports and combat zones.
One day in a hospital, the next on a war mission in Guam. The job is never just one thing.
Guam
Navy nurses in Guam are stationed at the U.S. Naval Hospital on Naval Base Guam, treating military personnel and their families across the western Pacific.
They cover primary care, emergency medicine, family practice, and acute care, along with specialties like medical-surgical, OB/GYN, pediatrics, orthopedics, and sports medicine.
Beyond direct patient care, they coordinate with pharmacy, nutrition, mental health, and social services to ensure well-rounded treatment. Some stay at the hospital, while others are sent to Marine bases, naval airfields, or local hospitals like Guam Memorial (GMHA). Assignments vary—handling patient transfers, overseeing intensive care, or monitoring high-risk cases.
The job demands quick decisions, teamwork, and adaptability. Conditions can be tough, but precision and speed are non-negotiable. Navy nurses here aren’t just caregivers—they keep service members ready for whatever comes next.
Japan
Navy nurses in Japan work out of U.S. bases like Yokosuka and Sasebo or at Japanese Ministry of Defense sites like Kokubunji. They move across the region, handling medical care for service members and their families wherever needed.
At U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka, they serve over 50,000 active-duty personnel, retirees, and dependents. ICU, mental health, OB/GYN, optometry, surgery—all covered. Advanced imaging tech like MRI and ultrasound supports diagnostics.
Sasebo’s maritime hospital extends care beyond the base, with lab-equipped ships supporting fleet operations and coastal deployments. These nurses also handle emergency medical response during humanitarian missions, including disaster relief in the Asia-Pacific—Indonesia, Thailand, Micronesia, and the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan in 2013.
Kokubunji focuses on military medical research and training, with Navy nurses working alongside Japan’s Self-Defense Forces in joint exercises. Assignments may take them beyond the facility to the Izu Peninsula, Kyūshū’s western coastline, and the Ryukyu Islands near China’s seaboard.
Each location presents different challenges, but the mission stays the same—delivering high-level medical care to those who serve.
Europe
Navy nurses in Europe are spread out—Rota, Naples, Sigonella, Souda Bay, and Rhein-Main in Germany. Some stay on land in treatment centers.
Others work on ships, including carriers like the USS Abraham Lincoln or guided-missile cruisers like the USS Vella Gulf, supporting missions across European waters.
Assignments cover everything from routine treatment to emergency medical support for sailors and Marines. Trauma care and PTSD treatment are key skills, ensuring service members get both immediate and long-term care.
Before deployment, every nurse completes specialized homeport training to prepare for the demands of overseas service. Whether on a base or a ship, the job stays the same—keep personnel ready for whatever comes next.
Overseas Deployments/Combat Operations
Navy nurses go where they’re needed—combat zones, ships, land-based facilities. Some work in high-risk areas, treating sailors, Marines, and civilians. Conditions can be tough. Supplies limited. Hours long. But the job doesn’t stop.
Deployments vary. Could be a few months. Could be longer. Assignments range from aircraft carriers and submarines to field hospitals in remote locations. Before deployment, nurses go through specialized training—because out there, quick decisions save lives.
It’s not just medicine. It’s risk. It’s pressure. But Navy nurses step up, delivering care where it matters most.
Military Treatment Facilities Worldwide
Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) handle medical care for U.S. military personnel worldwide. Primary care, specialized treatment, dental services, mental health support—it’s all covered.
These facilities aren’t just in the U.S. They’re spread across Europe, the Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Central America. Staffed by doctors, nurses, dentists, and specialists, MTFs keep service members mission-ready.
Active duty or veteran, location doesn’t matter. The goal stays the same—deliver the care they need, wherever they are.
Benefits of Being a Navy Nurse
Navy nurses serve wherever they’re needed—combat zones, hospitals, military bases worldwide. Some provide frontline care. Others run medical units in Military Treatment Facilities. Every role keeps service members mission-ready.
The job comes with real benefits. Strong pay, full health coverage, education support. Promotions lead to specialized roles, offering plenty of ways to advance.
But it’s bigger than career growth. Navy nurses make a direct impact—treating the wounded, keeping teams healthy, ensuring military readiness. Whether in the field or in a hospital, their work strengthens the force.
