The National Naval Medical Center, which is located in Bethesda, Maryland, is also called the Bethesda Naval Hospital. And that’s just what it is – a massive Navy hospital and medical research center. It is widely considered the flagship of the Navy’s medical division, and is where almost all of the Navy’s medical and dental research takes place. The National Naval Medical Center plays a very important role in the US. Not only does it contribute greatly to the research done by the Military, it also provides health care for world leaders, including the president and the presidential family.
As of January, 2006, there are 1,500+ enlisted, 1,000+ officers, and almost 2,000 civilians occupying the National Naval Medical Center. A more recent figure could not be found. In early 2011, the National Naval Medical Center will actually be merged with the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, to form the combined Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the largest military medical complex ever. The base will be huge, with some estimates saying it will be twice as large as the current National Navy Medical Center, which is already massive.