May 4, 2022
Top researchers and practitioners of military medicine will come together to honor several heroes of military medicine. Since 2011, The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. (HJF) has hosted the event to salute the men and women who have made exceptional contributions to military medicine. With the support of the Chairman Sponsor, Humana Military, HJF recognizes our heroes who have advanced medicine for our nation’s warfighters, veterans and civilians.
This year the event will be held in-person for awardees, program participants and guests.
The six 2022 Heroes of Military Medicine Award Honorees are:
The Hero of Military Medicine Ambassador Award is presented to the Air Force’s 379th Expeditionary Medical Group for their outstanding care of countless individuals, as Al Udeid Air Base transformed into the primary transit hub for Afghan evacuees. After the Taliban took over the Afghanistan government in 2021, one of the largest non-combatant evacuation operations in U.S. history began, and service members of the Air Force’s 379th Expeditionary Medical Group rose to the occasion. By adapting quickly, medics at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar responded to the emergency evacuation in herculean fashion, assisting all who needed care.
The Hero of Military Medicine Senior Leader Award is presented to General James C. McConville, 40th Chief of Staff of the Army, who is accepting on behalf of the Soldiers who responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. Soldiers from all components helped the American people during the pandemic—from standing up field hospitals to bolstering civilian hospitals.
The Heroes of Military Medicine Honorees are:
Army: Colonel (Doctor) John Csokmay
Air Force: Colonel (Doctor) Vikhyat Bebarta
Navy: Lieutenant Commander (Doctor) Daniel Hammer
Civilian: Doctor Michael A. Helwig
“HJF is proud to present our 2022 Heroes of Military Medicine Awards to those exhibiting incredibly beneficial contributions to military medicine,” said HJF President and CEO Joseph Caravalho, Jr., M.D. “Their dedication and commitment, whether responding to a developing pandemic or a sudden large-scale evacuation, is a demonstration of how military medicine leads the way forward in the most trying times.”
Each year, three awards are presented to military medical professionals, one each from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, with nominations for the three awards coming from the Office of the Surgeon General for each Service. Additionally, one honoree receives the Military Medicine Ambassador Award and another receives the Senior Leader Award. Beginning this year, a new award recognizing the civilian honoree, nominated by the Defense Health Agency, will be granted.
More information about each of this year’s award recipients can be found at https://www.hjf.org/hmm.