SAN DIEGO (Oct. 13, 2020) A Navy birthday cake to observe the 245th birthday of the Navy at Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD) Oct. 13. NMCSD observed the long-standing naval tradition of a cake-cutting ceremony to celebrate the Navy's 245th birthday. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the way many facets of healthcare are conducted, and NMCSD has adapted some of its techniques and practices to keep both staff and patients safe while delivering the high-quality healthcare they've come to expect. NMCSD's mission is to prepare service members to deploy in support of operational forces, deliver high quality healthcare services and shape the future of military medicine through education, training and research. NMCSD employs more than 6,000 active duty military personnel, civilians and contractors in Southern California to provide patients with world-class care anytime, anywhere. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Luke Cunningham)