Alberto Díaz , Jr . Rear Admiral Alberto Díaz , Jr . ( born 1943 ) is the first Hispanic to become the Director of the San Diego Naval District and Balboa Naval Hospital . Early years . Díaz was born and raised in San Juan , the capital of Puerto Rico , where he received his primary education . He completed his secondary education at Cheshire Academy in Cheshire , Connecticut . After he graduated from high school , he applied and was accepted at University of Rochester in upstate New York . Subsequently , he transferred to George Washington University in Washington , D . C . , where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree . Naval service . After earning his Bachelor of Arts degree , he enrolled at Butler University , in Indianapolis , Indiana , and earned a Master ' s Degree in Psychology . Following that , he applied and was accepted to University of Barcelona Medical School in Barcelona , Spain . After earning his Medical Degree , Díaz joined the United States Navy and in 1976 was commissioned an officer . While serving in the Navy , he continued his education , doing his internship and residency in Psychiatry at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Washington , D . C . . His first post - graduate assignment in the Navy was Chief Resident at the Naval Center , Bethesda , Maryland . Then he was sent to the Naval Medical Regional Clinic , Marine Corps Development and Education Command , Quantico , Virginia , where he served as staff psychiatrist and Clinical Director of the Alcohol Rehabilitation Service . Among other assignments which he has held are Chief , Department of Psychiatry as Fleet Liaison Officer and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Medical Staff , Naval Hospital , Rota , Spain . Díaz established and served as Director of the Navy ' s only Alcohol Rehabilitation Service in Europe . During Operation Desert Storm , he was ordered to the 1st Medical Battalion , 1st FSSG , at Camp Pendleton , California . Naval Medical Center San Diego . In 1998 , Díaz was assigned as Commander of the Naval Medical Center , San Diego , becoming its first Hispanic Commander as well as Lead Agent TRICARE Region Nine . As Commander of the Naval Medical Center San Diego ( NMCSD ) , he was in charge with providing leadership and management of the command , planning , directing and administering the operations of NMCSD . He was also responsible for the professional care and services provided to the patients in the Medical Center . As Lead Agent TRICARE Region Nine , his role was to advance the partnership and communication between the military health system leadership , military treatment facilities , the managed care support contractor and the civilian network to provide beneficiaries access to a high - quality integrated healthcare delivery system . Díaz held these positions until July 10 , 2002 when he when was transferred to Washington , D . C . and named Chief of Staff / Program Executive Officer Bureau of Medicine and Surgery . Díaz retired from the Navy on June 13 , 2003 , at a ceremony held at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda , Maryland . Later years . Rear Admiral Alberto Díaz , Jr . currently resides in Gaithersburg , Maryland with his family . He is a member of Annapolis Center Board of Directors and serves as a spokesman on the subject of health issues . In 2002 , " Hispanic Business magazine " selected Díaz as one of the most influential Hispanics in the United States On February 12 , 2004 , SAIC ' s Enterprises ( Science Applications Incorporated ) and Health Solutions Business hired Díaz and five other retired senior military healthcare leaders to serve in its newly founded Military Health System . Awards and recognitions . Among the many awards and recognitions which Díaz has received are the following :