Capt. Patricia Butler currently serves as the Executive Officer of U.S. Naval Hospital Rota, Spain. She enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1991, serving as a Combat Correspondent until 1999. She completed tours of duty with the Air Force Pacific Broadcasting Squadron, Iwakuni, Japan, and the Marine Corps Security Force Company, Rota, Spain, earning Military Broadcaster of the Year, and two coveted Department of Defense awards for journalism excellence.
In 1999, she earned a Bachelor of Arts from University of Maryland’s European Division, followed by a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA. In 2004, she was commissioned as an Ensign through the Navy’s Nurse Candidate Program, and reported to Officer Indoctrination School, Newport, RI, where she received the Eadie Leadership Award for the highest combined achievement in academics and military leadership.
In 2004, she reported to Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, VA and was assigned as staff nurse, Internal Medicine, then Labor and Delivery. In 2007, she transferred to Naval Hospital, Sigonella, Italy, serving as Division Officer, Multi-Service Ward. While there, she was named Junior Officer of the Year (2009), and earned a Master of Science in Nursing degree in Community Health and Wellness (2010).
Selected to attend Duty Under Instruction at University of Washington (UW), she completed a second master's degree in 2012. She reported to Naval Hospital Bremerton and subsequently deployed aboard the USS PEARL HARBOR (LSD 52) in support of Pacific Partnership 2013. While there she earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from UW (2014), and was selected as the Assistant Specialty Leader for Maternal Infant and Neonatal Critical Care Nursing. In June 2015, she reported to Naval Medical Center San Diego and served as Division Officer, Labor and Delivery. In 2016, she was appointed as the Navy Surgeon General’s Specialty Leader, Maternal Infant and Neonatal Critical Care Nursing.
In 2018, she reported to U.S. Naval Hospital Naples, Italy to serve as Special Assistant, Quality Management Department Head. There she led a “Crisis Capacity Bed Expansion” project to align with the regional operational mission, and served as quality lead for a technical assist visit to Expeditionary Medical Facility Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti. She completed her successful Specialty Leader tenure, and continued to advance nursing science through evidence-based practice (EBP) initiatives as a member of the Tri-Service Nursing Research Program European EBP faculty team.
In August 2021, she reported to Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Unit (NMRTU) Groton, CT as Director, Warfighter Optimization, and provided regular seamless coverage as Acting Officer in Charge, NMRTU Groton, and Interim Chief Nursing Officer and Acting Executive Officer, Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command New England, Newport, RI. There, she completed Joint Professional Military Education Phase I through the Naval War College in 2021. Slated for career milestone, she reported to U.S. Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Guam in May 2023 as the Chief Nursing Officer and Director for Nursing Services. Recognized for her career impact, she was the recipient of the 2025 MHS Senior Nursing Leadership Excellence Award and the DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award in 2026.
Capt. Butler's military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (five awards), Air Force Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal (two awards).