After serving 46 years in the U.S. military as a top-ranked trauma surgeon — and making significant contributions to how lifesaving medicine is delivered on the battlefield and beyond — Colonel (Dr.) Jay Johannigman is set to retire.
Dr. Johannigman served in both the Air Force and the Army, deployed eight times as a combat trauma surgeon to the Middle East, and worked at the Craig Joint Theater Hospital in Bagram, Afghanistan, as well as at other Department of Defense medical facilities, including Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.
From start to finish, Dr. Johannigman’s focus remained one and only: to provide service members injured in battle with the best and fastest medical treatment available as quickly as possible.
Pioneering Battlefield Trauma Care
Colonel Johannigman was instrumental in developing the Critical Care Air Transportation Team (CCATT) Program. CCATT provides critical care services in the air. Therefore, severely injured service members can receive medical treatment during evacuation from a conflict zone. Under Dr. Johannigman’s direction, CCATT achieved a nearly 100% survival rate among patients transported out of a theater of operations. CCATT is now an international model for military medical response.
He also directed Trauma and Critical Care for Health Affairs and was involved with the C-STARS Program which prepared medical personnel for the trauma of warfare. Dr. Johannigman mentored hundreds of physicians, nurses and medics.
During his time in the military, he wrote over 100 scholarly articles that have contributed to the development of protocols for treating trauma currently used by both civilian and military hospitals.
Decorated for Valor and Leadership
The decorations awarded to Dr. Johannigman reflect his many years of service under hostile, unpredictable conditions. These awards include:
• The Legion of Merit
• The Bronze Star Medal
• The Meritorious Service Medal
• The Army Commendation Medal
• The Military Health System Research Symposium Lifetime Career Achievement Award
His colleagues agree that Dr. Johannigman’s influence goes far beyond the operating room. Many credit him with developing trauma systems that continue to save lives every day.
Legacy Built on Service and Sacrifice
When asked about his decision to retire, Dr. Johannigman spoke about the personal sacrifices he made in service.
“Forty-six years of service does not come without sacrifice,” Dr. Johannigman said. “There are the obvious ones that occur due to deployment and seeing the worst of humanity. However, there are also the less apparent sacrifices. These are the ones you carry within yourself with strength and resolution. You endure these quietly, without complaining because the mission and the people you serve are worth it. Service is both a burden and a privilege; I would make the same choice again.”
Back Home but Still Committed
Dr. Johannigman has returned to Cincinnati, Ohio, and will remain active in trauma medicine and education. The systems he developed, the lives he has saved, and the generations of surgeons he has trained are testaments to the impact he has had.
He left the military in the same manner in which he served: dedicated to helping others survive their worst day.
About Dr. Jay Johannigman
Colonel (Retired) Jay Johannigman, M.D. has spent 46 years in the United States Air Force and Army. He is a trauma and critical care surgeon who has held leadership positions in military and civilian medicine and continues to treat patients and educate students in Cincinnati, Ohio.