Page 3 - 2020 JSOM Winter

from the

PUBLISHER

elcome to the Winter edition of Naval Special Warfare decompression
Wthe JSOM’s 20th year in publi- computer, and TCCC.
cation. This is our final edition of the Michelle D. Landers, Lt Col (Ret)
20-year anniversary focus on where we Dr Butler is adjunct professor of military
were Then and where we are Now. It and emergency medicine, F. Edward He-
has been enlightening to look back on the first and last 5 years bert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the
of the use of Whole Blood (Spring), Tourniquets and Hemor- Health Sciences (USUHS), Bethesda, MD. Previously, Dr But-
rhage Control (Summer), and Prolonged Field Care (Fall). Our ler was Command Surgeon, US Special Operations Command
Winter edition focuses on the development of TCCC. (2004–2006); editor, Journal of Special Operations Medicine
(2004–2006); and chair, US Special Operations Command
Speaking of TCCC, the JSOM wants to con- Biomedical Initiatives Steering Committee (1996–1998; 2004–
gratulate CAPT (Ret) Frank K. Butler Jr, MD, 2006). He served as a surgeon through the Joint Task Force
FAAO, FUHM, on receiving the American Five in Afghanistan in 2003 and as biomedical research di-
College of Surgeons Distinguished Lifetime rector for Naval Special Warfare Command (1990–2004). He
Military Contribution Award at the virtual also served as chief of Ophthalmology, Naval Hospital Pensa-
Clinical Congress Convocation on 4 Octo- cola (1989–1994).
ber. This award recognized Dr Butler’s out-
standing contributions to the field of surgery After attending the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta,
during his military service, specifically the and earning his medical degree from the Medical College of
adoption of Tactical Combat Casualty Care—the best-practice Georgia, Augusta, in 1980, Dr Butler interned in family prac-
guideline for providing battlefield trauma care now being fol- tice, Navy Regional Medical Center, Jacksonville, FL (1980–
lowed by US and international civilian readiness teams around 1981). He completed his ophthalmology residency at the
the world. National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, and served as chief
resident, Undersea Medical Officer Training, Navy Undersea
According to the award citation, Dr Butler’s “forward- thinking Medical Institute, Groton, CT.
to train and equip every Soldier with personal medical kits re-
defined battlefield surgical management by delivering critical Please be sure to go to our PODCAST section on the JSOM
medical care at the point of injury and saving thousands of website and listen to our JSOM 20th Anniversary Special
lives.” This groundbreaking initiative, which reduced the de- Interview with Dr Frank Butler on his illustrious career and
livery time of medical aid administered to critically ill patients, the development of TCCC.
is the cornerstone of the College’s collaboration with the US
Department of Defense (DoD).
Podcasts
As a founding member of the Hartford Consensus, Dr Butler’s We hope you are enjoying our editorial review and our inter-
extensive knowledge base and contributions to the literature views with community leaders’ podcasts. These podcasts are
directly supported the implementation of this project and the being brought to you by Alex Merkle, DSc, PA-C, NREMT-P,
STOP THE BLEED initiative, both in the US and abroad. and Joshua Randles, DSc, PA-C. Their goals for developing
®
The award citation underscores Dr Butler’s “superb leadership the podcasts are to serve as a conduit from SOF medic authors
as a founding member of this joint task force that successfully to SOF medic readers, to highlight some excellent research
created national policy to enhance survivability from mass ca- being published by JSOM, and to educate others on how to
sualty situations.” critically read the literature. They are also a driving force in
the mentorship program discussed here below.
Dr Butler, an ophthalmologist for the Naval Hospital, Pensa-
cola, FL, is chair, DoD Committee on Tactical Combat Ca- Alex and Josh will focus the Winter Edition podcast to stay
sualty Care, Joint Trauma System, Washington, DC. He also with the journal’s theme of spotlighting TCCC.
co-chairs the Decompression Sickness and Arterial Gas Embo-
lism Treatment Committee for the Undersea and Hyperbaric This quarter we’ll be reviewing the following four articles:
Medical Society. As director of the SEAL Biomedical Research 1. DuBose et al.: “Life and Limb In-Flight Surgical Interven-
Program for 15 years, he has led landmark projects, includ- tion: Fifteen Years of Experience by Joint Medical Augmen-
ing programs to promote refractive surgery in the military, the tation Unit Surgical Resuscitation Teams”
(continues on page 2)

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