The ability to 3D print a variety of healthcare-related products in deployed locations would greatly benefit the nation’s warfighters.

A recent pilot program conducted by the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) in collaboration with the U.S. Military Academy at West Point has shown that a 3D printer capable of biofabrication could expedite repair or perhaps replace damaged tissues for troops injured on the battlefield.

Imagine unmanned vehicles bringing medical supplies or blood products to support a field medic’s care of wounded soldiers, or even transporting a wounded warfighter to safety. Researchers at the Army’s Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, or TATRC, are collaborating with the services, academia, and private industry to make such scenarios a reality.

Congratulations to our Senior TATRC Leaders for their invaluable contributions and dedication to advancing military medicine.

In FY19, a new research area, known as Virtual Health (VH) awarded its first funding. Ms. Jeanette Little from TATRC serves as a capability area manager (CAM) for this new research portfolio. This is significant since the Army research portfolios are realigning efforts to address the priority areas for our future Warfighters.

On 20 June, COL Jeremy C. Pamplin took the reins from COL Gina Adam as the tenth Director to serve at the Telemedicine & Advanced Technology Research Center.

Good friends, good food, and a good time was had by all as Team TATRC came together for the 24th Annual Summer Picnic & Org Day! Just over 60 people were in attendance for a fun day of food, fellowship, and relaxation as we looked back on the past year’s successes and achievements.

There was big news in the world of Virtual Health earlier this summer, as TATRC’s “Optometrist to the Stars,” Dr. Fran McVeigh officially moved up (or down) the road to the Office of the Surgeon General as the Army’s Director of Virtual Health!

When COL Gina Adam arrived at TATRC to assume her Directorship in late July of 2018, she hosted a meet and greet with TATRC staff where she stated, “The time is right for TATRC to find its voice in the new research landscape, and I’m glad to be here to lead in that direction.” Now, as we thank COL Adam for her dutiful and dedicated leadership and say farewell as she assumes command of the United States Army Medical Materiel Development Activity (USAMMDA), we can proudly and graciously say that TATRC has indeed found that voice.

Time to update your TATRC rolodexes, as TATRC’s overarching command was both moved and renamed in an announcement during a Fort Detrick town hall meeting that took place on 31 May. Senior Army leaders redesignated the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC) to the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC), as well as realigned MRDC from the Army Materiel Command (AMC) to be under the newly inaugurated Army Futures Command (AFC).

It was a picturesque day; the sun was shining and a light breeze had Old Glory waving proudly in front of the scenic backdrop of Nallin Pond for our esteemed Director, Jeremy Pamplin’s promotion to Colonel!

On 21 May, TATRC had the pleasure of hosting a talented team of individuals from Madigan Army Medical Center’s Telemedical Research for Operational Support (TR4OS), who, along with TATRC Director COL Jeremy Pamplin, carried out a demonstration of telementoring capabilities for prolonged field care (PFC). The 2-day event took place in TATRC’s outdoor simulated field environment.

Team TATRC had the honor and pleasure of being a part of the third biennial Department of Defense Lab Day 2019 held at the Pentagon Courtyard hosted by the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E)) which took place on 25 April.

Senior members from Team TATRC traveled the globe to participate in this year’s SHORESH Meeting, which was hosted by the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) in Tel Aviv and took place 8 – 12 April. COL Gina Adam, TATRC’s Director at the time, attended with both Dr. Jaques Reifman and Dr. Gary Gilbert, who were invited to give specific presentations on their individual areas of expertise.

Short on rest but no time to nap? The U.S. Army has your quick fix caffeine map.

A team of Army researchers, including Jaques Reifman, a senior research scientist at the Army Medical Research and Development Command, has built a “caffeine optimization app,” known as 2B-Alert, that notifies its users when they should drink a cup-o-joe.

Army leaders redesignated the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command as the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command during a town hall at Fort Detrick, Maryland, on May 31.

YAKIMA, Wash. - Members of the Regional Health Command-Pacific team recently executed virtual health capabilities testing with partner agencies during the U.S. Army's largest annual joint-multinational live exercise.

U.S. Army medical researchers want to equip combat medics with a head-up display so they can connect with surgeons in the rear for help with critically wounded troops on the battlefield.

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AFNS) --
Eye injuries in a deployed setting can be a significant setback for any Airman, but new telemedicine capabilities are helping to keep them in the fight.

With funding from the 59th Medical Wing, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, Air Force and Army medical researchers are developing a HIPAA-compliant smart phone application to connect providers downrange with on-call ophthalmologists either in-theater or at a clinic.

As the 39th Chief of Staff of the Army, Gen. Mark A. Milley has spearheaded the Army's transformation to build readiness. Earning his commission from Princeton University in 1980, Milley has gained a reputation for being a Soldier's Soldier and battle-tested commander throughout his 39-year career.

A Regional Health Command -- Central health systems specialist, who has impacted virtual health for beneficiaries from all services of the Armed Forces -- both stateside and deployed - retires this month.

FORT BRAGG, N.C. -- The U.S. Army is one step closer to increasing the ability of non-surgical medical personnel in remote locations to potentially save the lives of severely injured Soldiers thanks to continuing efforts by the U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), Womack Army Medical Center and the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command -- Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC).

It's only been since the early 1990s that CPR training has been available to the general public, and this simple training has saved countless lives. MRMC's 'Stop the Bleed' campaign aims to save even more lives with training to treat traumatic hemorrhage.

Every year, the Defense Department recognizes March as Brain Injury Awareness month to increase awareness of traumatic brain injury. Throughout the month, the Military Health System will provide tools and resources to educate the military community, and those who support them, about TBI.

FORT GORDON, Ga., Feb. 21, 2019 -- In August 2016, the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Blanchfield Army Community Hospital Telehealth, Europe Regional Medical Command Telehealth and Eisenhower Army Medical Center Telehealth partnered in a pilot program to support forward-deployed special forces medics with video, email and telephonic consultative services using EAMC's on-call specialty care providers. The provider specialties included orthopedic surgery, general surgery and critical care.

“Change is the only constant in life.”
- Heraclitus of Ephesus, circa 500 BC

I suppose the Greeks figured it out a long time ago, so it should not surprise us how much change we are faced with on a daily basis. TATRC has certainly experienced a vast amount of change over the past year: in its leadership, its focus, and even its command! Still, the men and women who make up TATRC have accepted, adapted to, and continue to overcome the challenges that change presents to us.

LTC(P) Jeremy Pamplin, a critical care medicine physician and TATRC’s newest Deputy Director, was a featured speaker at the 2018 Association of Military Surgeons of the United States (AMSUS) Annual Meeting.

Another joyful and fitting end to a highly productive year as Team TATRC celebrated their 23rd Annual Holiday Party! The TATRC staff, along with family, friends, and alumni came together over great food, great games, teambuilding activities, and the perennial favorite … TATRC’s Infamous Year in Review Holiday Slideshow!

We at TATRC take the Secretary of Defense’s question very seriously and have internalized the Secretary’s question in all that we do. Before proposing new efforts and/or evaluating ongoing work, we dive deeper and ask ourselves a more specific question, “How do TATRC’s knowledge and materiel products increase the Warfighters’ lethality, will, and readiness?”

TATRC Hosts Officers from the Korean Armed Forces Nursing Academy

On Tuesday, 13 November, TATRC had the distinct honor of hosting three senior military leaders from the Korean Armed Forces Nursing Academy for a morning of briefings on our key initiatives and focus areas, followed by an interactive tour and demonstration of our top technologies in the areas of Simulation, Unmanned Systems and Robotics, and Operational Telemedicine.

The Advanced Virtual Support for Operational Forces system, or ADVISOR, coordinated through the Army Virtual Medical Center at Brooke Army Medical Center, provides 24/7/365 on-demand telephone consultations with on-call specialty providers during emergencies.

The U.S. Army has allowed women to serve in combat for about two years now, opening up new challenges for male medics who have had little training in how to treat wounded women on the battlefield.

With great excitement, the staff at TATRC warmly welcomed COL Gina E. Adam, former Commander of the Cold Regions Test Center in Fort Greely, Alaska, to lead the team. COL Adam assumed Directorship from Acting Director, Mr. Tim McCarthy on 30 July.

The U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command’s Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC) hosted its fourth annual open house and technology demonstration at Fort Detrick 12 September.

After 2 years of serving as both Deputy Director and Acting Director of TATRC, along with a dedicated life of work in the federal sector, Mr. Timothy McCarthy has retired from Civilian Service. The TATRC Times sat down with Mr. McCarthy and new incoming Deputy Director, LTC (P) Jeremy Pamplin for a collegial chat about where TATRC has been and where it is headed.

The 2018 Military Health System Research Symposium (MHSRS) offered a great opportunity for members of the TATRC team to present their current research efforts.

DHITS, the Defense Health Agency’s (DHA) annual IT Symposium took place 23 – 26 July this year in Orlando, Florida. Returning to the Caribe Royale Resort and Convention center for the 5th consecutive time, DHA Director, Vice Admiral Raquel Bono opened the conference this year with a message aimed at both rallying confidence and calming nerves across the enterprise.

Technology shapes our future and redefines our perception of normal. What was once considered science fiction is now science fact.

FORT BELVOIR, Va. – Senior leaders from across all of U.S. Army Medical Command converged for a leader forum at Fort Belvoir Oct. 11, 2018. The priority of the leader forum is MEDCOM’s way forward during a time of significant transformation in the overall Army.

(Reuters Health) - An initiative to replace the use of live animals with a human simulator for trauma surgery practice got training programs in more than 20 countries to make the switch, saving them money in the process, researchers say.

The simulators are anatomically realistic and allow trainees to practice surgical skills and invasive procedures such as chest tube insertion, airway punctures, and draining fluids from the body, the study authors write in the Journal of Surgical Education.

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. (Oct. 11, 2018) -- Medics are trained for the immediate care of the injured, wounded and seriously ill. Caring for patients for extended time periods or performing complex procedures have not traditionally been a significant part of their training. As medical techniques and equipment are pushing the bounds of their lifesaving capacity and aid is rendered in more and more austere locales, medics are required to do more before handing a patient off to the next level of care.

The U.S. Army Medical Research & Materiel Command’s Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, held a telesurgical consultation test and evaluation event at TATRC, 4-7 September 2018. TATRC conducted a proof-of-concept capabilities study to meet research objectives on multiple systems to perform tactical telemedicine & communications integration testing, as well as operational and technical proof-of-concept research objectives for Prolonged Care.

FORT BENNING, Ga. -- Personnel from the office of the Program Executive Officer for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation, or PEO STRI, brought new, technologically advanced medical training mannequins to Fort Benning Oct. 1 to increase the realism of medical trauma training and ultimately save lives and limbs.

The mannequin, which is called a Tactical Combat Casualty Care Exportable, or TC3X, can scream, breathe, bleed and move, and it has arteries, lungs and a blivet for storing fake blood when the mannequin bleeds.

The US Army will be using more than 500 Fitbit activity trackers in a remote patient monitoring program at two military hospitals.

The US Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) is budgeting almost $81,000 to purchase the mHealth wearables through a sole-source contract. Some 540 Fitbit Charge 2 activity trackers will be used in an RPM pilot program at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, and Walter Reed National Medical Center in Washington DC.