The United States Navy marine mammal program maintains a large population of cetaceans and pinnipeds at unique facilities for applications in a wide variety of unique open ocean tasks. Currently, four marine mammal systems are employed by the active fleet and diverse investigations are being conducted to define the animal's capabilities, limitations and requirements, as well as to describe and detect effects of human activities in aquatic environs upon marine mammals. These activities require intensive veterinary medical support.

The Clinical Veterinary Services at the Naval Command, Control and Ocean Surveillance Center, Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Division (NCCOSC RDTE DIV) or NRaD, provides a risk assessment based population preventive medicine program using hazard analysis, critical control point (HACCP) and total quality management (TQM) principles.

This presentation briefly describes the four current fleet systems, several of the current animal use applications and emphasizes the mission of the Clinical Veterinary Services at NCCOSC RDTE DIV.