Major General Spurgeon Neel and the Army Physician Assistant

<p>Third Place Winner of the MacArthur Military Leadership Writing Competition for the CGSC Class 2009-02. Policy gives the Army its skeleton. Its components change to adapt to both stress and inactivity. Flimsy policy weakens Army foundation and generates negative consequences that may remain invisible for years. Intelligent and innovative policy strengthens the Army and gives it resilience. Wartime experience is especially important in the process of military policy formation because it presents data specific to the core identity of a military force. As opportunities arise to incorporate wartime lessons into current policy patterns of the past become relevant. Perhaps the greatest modern medical policy-maker was Major General (MG) Spurgeon Neel. Serving from 1943 to 1977 Neel is best known as the Father of DUST OFF or the Father of Aviation Medicine for his pioneering role in the creation of the doctrine of helicopter medical evacuation. One of Neel's greatest strengths was his power of evidenced-based persuasion. He published more than 33 articles in the fields of flight operational and military medicine. He was passionate about his causes to be sure. Nonetheless his support for them was based on rational analysis. Diverging from common mental models the ideas contained in his writings included a supported set of instructions for an improved future. Most importantly as a champion of change MG Neel possessed the leadership skills to convince the establishment that his visions were incontrovertible. Almost all of Neel's policies have withstood the test of time. One has become distorted. In 1973 Neel described the concept of the physician assistant (PA) to the Army. Whether the idea was his alone that of his superior or a consensus creation is unclear. What is definite is that it was MG Neel who provided the justification and voice behind the plan. His vision for the PA position was specific. As with other policies he supported it with documented insig</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p><br>