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NEWPORT, R.I. (Jan. 8, 2026): The U.S. Navy has recognized Lt. Ara Gutierrez, assigned to Navy Medicine Readiness and training Command (NMRTC) New England, as the Junior Medical Laboratory Scientist of the Year, celebrating her profound impact on military readiness through innovation, efficiency, and unwavering dedication.
Medical Laboratory Scientists (MLS) are the critical healthcare professionals behind the scenes, performing a wide range of diagnostic tests that inform an estimated 70% of all medical decisions. As an MLS, Gutierrez provides the bedrock of certainty upon which modern medicine and military readiness are built.
“To be named Junior Medical Laboratory Scientist of the Year is less a personal accolade and more a powerful affirmation of why I serve,” said Gutierrez. “It signifies that our relentless drive to innovate—to find smarter, faster, and more efficient ways to deliver critical medical intelligence—is making a direct and measurable impact on the readiness of our forces. This award truly belongs to a team that refuses to accept the status quo.”
This award is the culmination of Gutierrez’s relentless drive to innovate. She fundamentally transformed operations by rerouting key diagnostic tests to Department of Defense (DoD) facilities, which slashed turnaround times from a staggering 17 days to a single day and delivered an immediate $80,000 in annual cost avoidance. In the face of a global pandemic, her team proactively expanded on-site capabilities with rapid antigen testing, directly bolstering force readiness.
Her passion for leadership was further evidenced by guiding the Newport Health Promotions team to the prestigious Surgeon General’s Gold Star award and her pursuit of advanced certifications in Lean Six Sigma and systems acquisition, setting new benchmarks for excellence in military healthcare.
“My work directly fortifies the Navy’s lethality and readiness,” Gutierrez stated. “By delivering rapid, accurate diagnostic testing, we shorten the timeline from detection to recovery, ensuring our Sailors and Marines are back on the line faster. By championing cost-saving process improvements, we transform budgetary discipline into tangible warfighting resources, ensuring the Navy remains the most formidable and resilient maritime force in the world.”
Navy Medicine – comprising of more than 44,000 highly-trained military and civilian health care professionals – provides enduring expeditionary medical support to the warfighter on, below, and above the sea, and ashore.
