FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska - Three members of Medical Department Activity-Alaska were awarded one of the most prestigious honors in military medicine: the Order of Military Medical Merit, or O2M3, during the MEDDAC-AK annual holiday ball Jan. 13 at the Westmark Hotel.
Lt. Col. Mary Reed, deputy commander of clinical services; Col. Sean Lankford, deputy commander of administration; and Command Sgt. Maj. Uriah Popp; joined the distinguished ranks of the O2M3, a unique, private organization founded by the commanding general of U.S. Army Health Services Command in 1982.
Membership into the 02M3 seeks to recognize military medicine leaders who have demonstrated the highest standards of integrity and moral character, displayed an outstanding degree of professional competence, served in the Army Medical Department for a minimum of 10 years with selflessness, and have made a sustained contribution to the betterment of Army Medicine.
The awardees, nominated by fellow 02M3 awardee and deputy commander for nursing at MEDDAC-AK, Col. Tamara Crawford, each have a long history of excellence within the AMEDD.
Lt. Col. Mary Reed
Reed received her commission into the AMEDD through the Health Profession Scholarship Program while attending New York College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her family medicine residency at Madigan Army Medical Center where she earned the recognition of Intern of the Year.
Crawford acknowledged Reed as being selected as the first female to serve as the brigade surgeon for the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.
"During her tenure, the brigade deployed to Iraq and optimized the use of female Soldiers assigned to maneuver units as searchers, interrogators and combat medics on the battlefield," Crawford said.
Additionally, in 2008 Reed published the article, "Association Between Back, Neck and Upper Extremity Musculoskeletal Pain and the Individual Body Armor" in The Journal of Hand Therapy. This study led to improvements in the design of IBA worn by combat service members.
Lt. Col. Sean Lankford
Commissioned in 1995 through the ROTC program at the University of Tennessee, Chatanooga, Lankford's excellence was recognized early and he was selected from his peers to attend Long Term Health Education and Training.
According to Crawford, one of Lankford's many accomplishments was his leadership during deployment with the 212th MASH to Operation Iraqi Freedom as the medical regulating officer.
"The 212th MASH was the first U.S. military hospital in Iraq, convoying over 300 miles in 78 hours to establish the hospital in the midst of a three-day sandstorm," Crawford said. "He regulated over 375 patients sent to a variety of U.S. and Iraqi civilian hospitals, processing over 725 patients, admitting over 400, and assisting in the processing of six deceased."
Command Sgt. Maj Uriah Popp
Popp contributed to the AMEDD almost since the moment he enlisted in the Army as a medical specialist 19 years ago, but mostly notably over the last 11 years as a senior Special Operations combat medic.
In Popp's nomination packet, Crawford cited Popp's selection as a medic for the only active-duty Civil Affairs Detachment, 98th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne), in direct support to the special mission units.
"He established successful working relationships with SMUs and the Joint Special Operations Command in complex operating environments and critically sensitive mission sets," Crawford said. "He also deployed in support of Operation Willing Spirit to Colombia, resulting in three U.S. hostages' repatriation after five years of captivity."
For more information on the 02M3 and to see a list of all 02M3 members, visit http://ameddregiment.amedd.army.mil/merit/o2m3.html.
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