Dr. Adam M. Robinson Jr., a former surgeon general of the U.S. Navy, has been named new director of the Veterans Affairs Pacific Islands Health Care System headquartered in Honolulu, the VA said.

“Dr. Robinson will oversee the delivery of health care to an estimated 129,000 veterans, a $327.8 million annual operating budget, and over 1,400 employees,” the VA said.

Acting Director Dr. Kathryn Ryder said Robinson has more than 30 years of experience as a senior leader in the U.S. military healthcare system, including his tenure as the 36th surgeon general of the Navy.

In that role, he was the chief executive officer for Navy and Marine Corps health care systems and served as the primary advisor on all health-related care issues and policies for the secretary of the Navy, the chief of Naval operations and the commandant of the Marine Corps, Ryder said in a release.

“We look forward to Dr. Robinson’s arrival this summer,” she said.

Robinson currently serves as medical center director at the VA Maryland Health Care System in Baltimore, a position he has held since 2015.

Robinson received his Doctor of Medicine from Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. He also has a Master of Business Administration from the University of South Florida in Tampa.

The Pacific islands health care network provides outpatient medical and mental health care through its main Ambulatory Care Clinic on Oahu and through seven community-based outpatient clinics, or CBOCs, including in west Oahu, Hawaii island in Hilo and Kona, Maui, Kauai, American Samoa and Guam.

The system covers approximately 2.6 million square miles. Medical inpatient care for veterans is provided by VA hospitals and Department of Defense physicians at Tripler Army Medical Center through a VA/Defense Department sharing agreement, or through non-VA care providers in the community.

Ryder was appointed acting director of the VA Pacific Islands Health Care System on March 23. Before that, Ryder had been appointed chief of staff in October of 2019.