Captain Lee Hazard

Assistant Head Medical Operations & Capability Royal Navy

In October 2019, Lee was awarded the Head of Specialisation for the Medical Services of the Royal Navy, a titular role with the honour of leading and supporting over 900 Royal Navy Medical Services Officers and Medical Branch Ratings. During this Tenure, he was appointed from leading medical commitments and intelligence at the Ministry of Defence to become Assistant Head of Medical Operations & Capability at Navy Command Headquarters and the Competent Medical Authority for the Royal Navy. These roles are responsible for managing operational medical risk across SUFLOT, SUBFLOT, Commando Forces as well as Naval Estates, whilst developing future medical capabilities, generating appropriate medical packages for deployments and enabling and sustaining the force in health whilst deployed. From April 2023, Lee was invited to become the Patron of the Royal Naval Medical Branch Ratings and Sick Berth Staff Association. Lee joined the Royal Anglian Regiment as a Private soldier in 1990 at the age of 16. Having completed his GCSEs within the military, he reviewed his career in order to undertake wider trade training. This led to joining the Royal Navy as a Medical Assistant in 1993. His first tour was of Northern Ireland for in 1995 with 45 Commando and secondment to the Area Support Group (South). On return, he undertook Special Duties training (outside of the medical sphere) followed by many deployments from Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Sierra Leone, Iraq, Afghanistan and non-medallic tours off Morocco, Singapore, Zimbabwe and as Medical Advisor to COMATG off West Africa for the VELA deployment. He was invested by HM The Queen in 2012 with an Order of the British Empire in support of the Afghanistan mission and the Order of St John in 2021 for support to Defence’s COVID response. Ships include HMS MONMOUTH, HMS MONTROSE, HMS ALBION, RFA MOUNTS BAY and as both the Operations Officer and latterly Executive Officer on the Primary Casualty Receiving Facility (PCRF), embedded within RFA ARGUS. Philosophy: Know your people and lead them loyally and honestly. Be ruthless in pursuance of common sense and clarity, whilst reducing complexity and questioning dogma. Be sincere, authentic and patient. Encourage initiative, forgive honest mistakes and have an open temperament.