Spotlighting the Career of LCDR Mark Jimenez

Biography Contributed by: CDR Nichole Vetter

This Nursing Spotlight is brought to you by LT Alyssa Givens, LT Laura Reynolds, and LT Brandy Cloud

LCDR Mark Jimenez  is clearly passionate about his work with the San Antonio Military Medical  Center (SAMMC) at Ft. Sam Houston, where he is proudly serving alongside the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and Army; providing care to the Navy and Marine Corps.  It is a rewarding Commissioned Corps assignment he is honored to perform. His enthusiasm is evident, as he emphatically declared,“I can say I look forward to going to work every day.”

LCDR Jimenez began his career in nursing with the completion of his Bachelor of  Science in Nursing from the University of Texas Health Science Center in May 1999. After graduation he re-entered the military as a USAF nurse officer and where he served for 9 years.

In 2009, LCDR Jimenez was commissioned with the  United States Public Health Service (USPHS). He was detailed to the  USAF/Department of Defense (DoD) where he worked as a lead charge nurse in the psychiatric inpatient unit at Wilford Hall Medical Center (WHMC) at Lackland Air Force base. In 2011, under the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC), the inpatient psychiatric ward was moved to the SAMMC. LCDR Jimenez transitioned during this time with SAMMC to the position of Director of Programming for the Inpatient Behavioral Unit( IBHU). As Director of Programming, he created an evidence-based psycho-education curriculum that is specific to the active duty service members admitted to IBHU.

LCDR Jimenez is enthusiastic about nursing and the care he provides for those with mental illness. In an effort to continually advance his knowledge and education, he is currently working on his Master of Nursing (MSN) through Walden University and is expected to graduate in 2021. Upon completion of his MSN degree, he plans to continue to serve the USPHS and be an agent  of change with the Defense Health Agency to improve the delivery of healthcare.

LCDR Jimenez is highly dedicated to the USPHS mission and core values. One of his most notable experiences was participating in a deployment to West Africa to support the Ebola outbreak as a member of the Monrovia Medical Unit Team 4. He worked diligently to provide aid to the healthcare workers who put their own lives in harm’s way by caring for those in Liberia. LCDR Jimenez was the lead of the admissions team when the first patient with Ebola arrived. “It was dynamic and complex, you had to critically think about every issue and the many different situations. For example, how were we even going to get the person out of the vehicle. You had to think about all aspects of contamination.”

In December 2017, LCDR Jimenez was hand selected to become the Chief Nurse Officer in charge of a residential treatment facility at SAMCC. In this role, LCDR Jimenez oversees a 30-day inpatient drug and alcohol residential treatment program, under the Department of Behavioral Medicine, the largest Behavioral Health Department in the Army. “I was interested in a leadership position and enjoy collaboration and teamwork between ancillary services. We work together to provide evidence-based programs/curriculum to active duty populations, so they can return back to duty with tools to remain sober and abstinent from drug and alcohol use.” Through his tireless efforts in improving much needed care to fellow Uniformed Service members, as well as many others throughout his career, LCDR Jimenez has contributed substantially to the mission of the USPHS.

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