TO THE CHAPTER INVISIBLE
Rear Admiral José H. Belardo, III (Ret.) 1966-2022 Regional Health Administrator and U.S. Navy
R ear Admiral (Ret.) José Hernandez Belardo III (Eta Xi 1985), 56, peacefully
Belardo was an active servant in military chapels at every duty station/deploy- ment. His membership in professional societies was numerous. His brilliance, kindness, and humility made him an affable leader throughout his 26 years of dedicated service to the Commissioned Corps of The United States Public Health Service and The United States Army. His Army Medical Service Corps duties included deployment to Somalia, Africa, during Operation Restore Hope as the Chief Mental Health Consultant and Chief Family Advocacy Administrator for family-centered and commu- nity-based programs at Ft. Sill, OK, and Ft. Bliss, TX. A desire to practice global social work led Belardo to transfer his commission to the United States Public Health Service in 1995. Belardo was passionate about reducing infant mor- tality rates in targeted areas
as the Program Director in the Division of Perinatal Systems and Women’s Health for 12 urban and rural Healthy Start sites. In partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics, Belardo was the Director of The Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Children Program. In this position, Belardo was able to advocate and stimulate innovative community-based programs that employed prevention strategies to promote access to health care for mothers and children nationwide. Belardo also maintained rapid response deployment readiness. In 2003, he responded to Hurricane Isabel in Virginia, and in 2005, Hurricane Katrina allowed him to respond to an even more devas- tating public health crisis and national emergency. Belardo also aided public health responses in Joplin, MO, and Haiti. Aboard the
USS Kearsarge amphibious assault ship, Belardo led PHS officers during the Caribbean phase of the Continuing Promise 2008 humanitarian assistance mission. In 2010, Belardo boarded the USS Bataan at Naval Sta- tion Norfolk, VA., to assist in relief efforts in Haiti after the country was devastated by a 7.0 earthquake. Belardo’s final deployment was to Liberia, West Africa, in 2015 for the Ebola response with USPHS Monrovia Medical Unit Team 4. Assistant Surgeon General, Rear Admiral Belardo H. Belardo III, retired on September 30, 2016, as Regional Health Administrator (RHA) for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health/ Region VII. Brother Belardo, III is survived by: his parents, Belardo Hernandez and Annie (Hawks) Belardo, Jr.; his wife, Elaine (Moore) his daughter, Lauren Poe. ♦
entered the Chapter Invis- ible on Friday, September 16, 2022, in the presence of his devoted wife, Elaine. Born on June 29, 1966, in Norfolk, VA, he was the first child of Belardo Hernandez and Annie (née Hawks) Belardo, Jr. His parochial school education began at St. Mary’s Academy and was completed when he gradu- ated from Norfolk Catholic High School in 1984. Belardo went to Virginia Commonwealth University, where he won an Army ROTC scholarship and completed coursework for his B.A. and M.A. degrees in social work in 1988 and 1990, respectively. He earned an M.S. in healthcare administration from the Uni- versity of Maryland in 1996 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Baltimore School of Law in 2004.
SUMMER 2023 ♦ THE JOURNAL 97
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