COMMAND SUITE AT THE NAVAL HOSPITAL GUAM TO BE RENAMED TO HONOR THE LATE DR. RALPH G. SABLAN
(Hagatna, Guam) Delegate James Moylan is pleased and humbled to share that the Department of the Navy has approved his request to dedicate the Command Suite at the Naval Hospital Guam to honor the late Dr. Ralph Guerrero Sablan, MD. Dr. Sablan sadly passed away on April 2, 2024.
Dr. Sablan was the first CHamoru Captain in the U.S. Navy, a decorated Vietnam War Veteran, and the region's sole dermatologist for 30 years. He also served 20 years at the Naval Hospital Guam, and during his last tour of duty, he served as the executive officer and chief of clinic services at the hospital.
The dedication ceremony is scheduled for August 30, 2024, when the Command Suite will officially be renamed the Dr. Ralph Guerrero Sablan Command Suite.
"It is humbling and only fitting to know that a facility where Dr. Sablan not only provided medical services for 20 years but also where he was the first CHamoru executive officer, its command suite, will be dedicated in his honor. We discussed this with his family while Dr. Sablan was still with us in late 2023. Unfortunately, the procedure did take some time, and sadly, Dr. Sablan passed away during this process," stated Delegate Moylan.
Dr. Sablan became interested in medicine after experiencing a life-threatening situation early in life. His uncle, Dr. Ramon Sablan, the first CHamoru physician, saved his life. This incident instilled in him a lifelong passion for pursuing a career in medicine.
"We are thankful for the support of Rear Admiral Darin Via, the Surgeon General of the Navy, whom I met with in D.C. and requested to expedite this request. I also would like to thank Captain Joel Schofer, Commanding Officer of Naval Hospital Guam, for supporting this endeavor, as his approval was the final piece in securing this dedication. This moment is for the family of the late Dr. Sablan, and we are happy to have played a small role in ensuring the late doctor's legacy is enshrined at the Naval Hospital's Command Suite," added Delegate Moylan.
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