The Department of Army Aviation Medicine (DAM) is the “Rally Point” where aviation and medicine meet. The DAM is a satellite campus of the Medical Center of Excellence (MEDCoE) located at Fort Novosel, AL, and is the Army’s center for all aeromedical training for aviators, aircrew members, and aeromedical providers.
The DAM trains, educates, and develops capable and adaptive aeromedical leaders focused on readiness and enabling the Combatant Commander to compete and win in all Army and joint operations. We train over 2,500 Soldiers annually in 160 courses per year within 44 programs of instruction.
The DAM supports the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence (USAACE) by providing instruction to aviators and aircrew on aeromedical subjects in accordance with AR 95-1, TC 3-04.93, AR 40-501, AR 40-502, and NATO STANAG AAMedP-1.2 Edition A Version 1, RTO MP-086 / HFM-085. We operate the Army’s only training altitude chamber supporting aviators and aircrew flying in pressurized cabins, as well as high-altitude parachutists.
The DAM trains aeromedical physician assistants, aeromedical clinical psychologists, flight surgeons, critical care flight paramedics, aviation medicine nurse practitioners, medical planners from all military services and international military students. DAM also serves as the only non-hospital based graduate medical education program under TRADOC producing physicians specializing in aerospace and occupational medicine.
Mission
The Department of Aviation Medicine is the subject matter expert in all aspects of Army Aviation Medicine, aeromedical evacuation, and joint inflight critical care transport. We develop leaders and drive change through the DOTMLPF-P process producing competent, agile, and adaptive aeromedical professionals. The DAM combines advanced medicine with unmatched aviation standards enabling our graduates to enable commanders, aviators, and aircrew members to compete and win against all threats in Army and joint operations.
Vision
To prepare, develop, and modernize the joint aeromedical community to ensure the Army is the best warfighting organization it can be.
Functions
- Educating tomorrow’s aviation leaders and ensuring proficiency for today’s aviation leadership
- Advancing the skill, knowledge, and confidence of Critical Care Flight Paramedics
- Equipping Combat Aviation Brigades with aeromedical providers
- Training behavioral health professionals to understand and affect the aviation environment
- Prepare Service Members to work as a team in the joint medical evacuation and patient movement environment
Leadership
Director, Department of Aviation Medicine
Col. John Venezia is a board-certified aerospace and occupational medicine physician with substantial experience in graduate medical education and training. He is a native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and earned his commission in the Medical Corps through the F. Edward Hebert Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program in 2002. Venezia earned his doctorate in osteopathic medicine from Nova Southeastern University in 2006, a master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Texas Medical Branch in... READ MORE
First Sergeant, Department of Aviation Medicine
1st Sgt. Kathryn Asurmendi is a native of California and enlisted in the United States Army in June 2009. She attended Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson, SC, and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Sam Houston, TX, becoming a Healthcare Specialist (68W). 1st Sgt. Asurmendi’s military education includes Master Leader Course (Honor Graduate), Senior Leader Course, Advanced Leader Course (Commandant’s List), Basic Leader Course (Commandant’s List), Master Resilience Training Course, Unit Prevention ... READ MORE