Page 82 - Journal of Special Operations Medicine - Spring 2016

from Special Forces, Rangers, Civil Affairs, Military The USASOC S&T Division is eager to communicate
Information Support Operations, and other elements with SOFMED personnel who have identified both new
within USASOC to ensure a full representation of the gaps and solutions to existing problems. Although the
needs of the medical community. annual SOMA conference is an ideal venue for face-to-
face discussions and long-term planning, please contact
The Technology Assessment Unit (TAU) within the S&T us directly for more immediate concerns or visit us at
division is organized by commodities, with a seasoned Ft. Bragg, North Carolina: US Army Special Operations
Operator serving as subject matter expert (SME). Com- Command, Division of S&T; telephone: 910-432-2723.
modity areas support the basic warfighter functions of
shoot, move, communicate, and medicate. These opera-
tionally seasoned and technically fluent experts typically
are senior 18 series noncommissioned officers and are MAJ Calvano currently serves as the USASOC S&T Medical
often the entry point for new solutions into the USA- LNO. He is an oculoplastic surgeon and toxicologist, and is
SOC realm. The TAU SMEs function as both a funnel looking forward to his next flight surgeon deployment with
and a filter for innovative ideas and products. They combat aviation. E-mail: christopher.calvano@soc.mil.
coordinate technology assessment events and prepare
briefs for consideration at the quarterly science and Mr Forman spent the last 35 years in the Army Special Op-
erations Community, having spent his first 10 years in the
technology advisory council meeting. It is at this meet- Rangers starting in the 1st Ranger Battalion, as well as work-
ing that a new technology satisfying a defined gap may ing in the Mountain Ranger Camp as a Ranger Instructor. He
receive an endorsement letter, which, in turn, is used subsequently spent 11 years in 5th Special Forces Group (Air-
to support further development. The TAU often assists borne) and the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne). In 1999,
with securing funding for promising technologies via he retired from the US John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center
this path. Funding may come from the USASOC or any and School. In 1999, Mr Forman was one of two Americans
number of other entities. The process ultimately ends in charge of Humanitarian Demining Operations in Namibia,
with commercial product availability to SOF Medics South Africa, for the State Department. In 2000, Mr Forman
through the USASOC medical logistics system via the went to work for US Army Special Operations Command as
G8 directorate. a contractor doing project management as well as instructing
in the Special Forces Advanced Special Operations Course. In
2004, he started working in the USASOC Science and Tech-
USASOC S&T provides defined needs (via gaps), com- nology Division, where he currently is Deputy Division Chief.
mand approval (with endorsement letters), and a tran- E-mail: formans@soc.mil.
sition pathway. While many S&T lines of research are
developing solutions for implementation at a multiyear SFC Osborn has 19 years of Special Operations experience,
distance, it is obviously critical that we remain agile and 15 of those as a 18D Special Forces Medic. He currently holds
responsive to new and immediate needs of Special Op- the position of Medical and Soldier Systems Commodity Lead
erations Forces medicine (SOFMED) personnel. This for the USASOC Science and Technology Division, Technol-
editorial is intended to reach out to our SOF Medic com- ogy Assessment Unit. He is responsible for research, develop-
munity and provide a line of communication. Venues ment, testing, and evaluation of emerging technologies for the
such as the annual Special Operations Medical Associa- USASOC enterprise. E-mail: osbornt@soc.mil.
tion (SOMA) Meeting and Scientific Assembly provide Mr Gothard was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in
opportunity for Medics to present their experiences for- the Infantry upon graduation from the University of Dayton in
mally with peer-group discussion. Similarly, the Journal 1978. His first assignment was with the 82nd Airborne Divi-
of Special Operations Medicine and its biweekly e-mail sion, where he served as a Rifle Platoon Leader. He subsequently
newsletter represent a means of gathering attention for served as a Special Forces Officer in a variety of command and
a new problem. However, for teams actively engaged staff positions in the 5th and 7th Special Forces Groups, the
downrange, these are not timely options and they would John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, and clas-
naturally communicate through their chain of command sified assignments. BG Gothard served as the Chief, Training
via group surgeon, flight surgeon, and so forth. and Mobilization Division, for the US Army Civil Affairs and
Psychological Operations Command. He subsequently com-
USASOC S&T can readily facilitate identification of new manded the 2d Battalion, 321st Regiment, of the 108th Train-
gaps and associated solutions. Sometimes a commercial ing Division. In January 2006, BG Gothard deployed to Iraq
as the Chief, Division Military Training Team, 5th Division,
device or product exists that solves the problem, whereas Iraqi Assistance Group, Multi-National Corps-Iraq, where he
others require evaluation and definition of a new offi- was the Senior US Advisor. He assumed command of the 353d
cial medical S&T gap. We know that SOFMED is Medic Civil Affairs Command in 2007. In April 2010, BG Gothard
driven. We must actively solicit input from our medical assumed the duties as the Deputy Commanding General (Sup-
Operators to ensure the best training, equipment, and port) and Chief of Staff, US Army Reserve Command. BG
likelihood of mission success. Gothard assumed duties as the Deputy Commanding General,

66 Journal of Special Operations Medicine Volume 16, Edition 1/Spring 2016