09/24/2021

Greetings from the Javits Center in New York City

CDR Bradley Butler, MD FACEP FAAEM

Greetings fellow GSACEP members from the Javits Center in NYC, where I am currently deployed in support of the COVID-19 response with JTF Silver Dragons alongside our colleagues from the Army, Air Force, and US Public Health Service. We have cared for over 2,000 patients at the Javits Center, on the USNS Comfort, and in the community!    

I have never been prouder to be an emergency physician, especially one in the military!  As the current Emergency Medicine Specialty Leader for Navy Reserve Medicine, I am very proud of my Navy Reserve colleagues for their patriotic medical support of our country,our service members, and our allies serving around the world!  

Allow me to share some statistics on Navy Reserve Emergency Medicine.  Currently we have nearly a third of our entire force deployed on active duty!  Half are deployed CONUS in support of the COVID-19 response in NYC, and half OCONUS in support of military operations around the world. Our own recently promoted RDML Pamela Miller is leading many Navy Reserve efforts on the east coast, including the USNS Comfort mission in NYC.  Two emergency physicians will be advising the Marine CENTCOM CG as MARCENT Surgeon (CAPT(sel) Delk) and MARCENT Deputy Surgeon (CDR Byrne). Another half dozen will be spinning up to deploy over the next six months.  Most of us who deployed CONUS in support of the COVID-19 response waived dwell and volunteered for the deployment.  Nearly two thirds of those deployed CONUS were volunteers.  At least three members have returned from a deployment within the last six months.  Two members currently deployed both volunteered for the deployment and are less than a year out of finishing their EM residencies (ooh rah LT Reeder and LT McCreary!).   An additional half dozen Navy Reserve emergency physicians volunteered to deploy in support of the COVID-19 response but were not needed, including retired Navy Reserve CDR Mark Plaster!  All of this, in addition to supporting our own communities back home, taking care of COVID-19 patients in addition to our “regular” ED patients.

It is certainly a great time to be an Emergency Physician with Navy Reserve Medicine.  Thank you all for your service.  You make me proud to humbly serve as your Specialty Leader!

“Navy Reserve Emergency Medicine- a ready medical force ensuring a medically ready force”