Lt. Col. G. Jeffrey Poffenbarger

[Roycroft201]

I don't normally watch the Oprah Winfrey Show but I am glad that I did on Monday when home on a sick day.

After the show was over I wanted to learn more so I went to the Internet. I can't possibly do justice to this story in my own words, so I'm including links that will tell a great deal more about a young soldier and an amazing doctor.

The topic of the show was Amazing Medical Breakthroughs. Oprah's last guest was a vibrant young woman named Jessica Clements, who was critically injured in Iraq in 2004 when an IED detonated next to the truck she was riding in and shrapnel penetrated her skull.

Staff Sergeant Clements was airlifted to the 31st Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad, where the chief neurosurgeon was Lt. Col. Jeffrey Poffenbarger. Poffenbarger was also the commander of an eight-member medical team, known as the 359th neurosurgical team from Brookes Army Medical Center (BAMC) at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

Lt. Col. Poffenbarger was also " a Green Beret". ( Their words, not mine ! I know he is not a "HAT";) ).

The link to Monday's Oprah Show is here:
http://www2.oprah.com/tows/slide/200611/20061113/slide_20061113_350_108.jhtml

Oprah often has a surprise for her guest. It is hard to describe how moving it was when Jessica Clements actually met Dr. Poffenbarger, a man whom she had only spoken to once since that fateful day in 2004 and who she calls her hero.

There is another site that has a very good synopsis of Jessica's story and it's called "Talking Proud - magazine about service and sacrifice" . This particular issue was "Do not let our wounded walk their journey alone !". Written in 2004, it is a moving, gripping look at the side of war that should be required reading for every American. To read about Dr. Poffenbarger and SSgt.Clements, scroll down and read the story that continues down the far right hand column, next to the main article.
LINK:
http://www.talkingproud.us/Medical100904.html

After reading that article, I really wanted to know a bit more about the man who wouldn't give up on this soldier, even when colleagues thought her chances were grim. This next site, and especially the part about the e-mail exchanged between a doctor in Germany and Col. Poffenbarger, was helpful.
LINK:
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=292965&page=1


Dr. Poffenbarger wrote an interesting article in the newletter of the Congress of Neurosurgeons entitled :" A Day in the Life of a Neurosurgeon in Iraq".
LINK:
http://www.neurosurgeon.org/publications/newsletter/pdf/cnsnews_05winter.pdf

There are a lot of medics and 'docs' here on PS.com. As one of your guests I have no idea, of course, if Col. Poffenbarger is one of our QPs here. It is my understanding that he is now in private practice in neurological surgery. Yet the segment on the Oprah Winfrey Show Monday brought home to me once again what amazing people America's Quiet Professionals are - regardless of MOS. There are some of you that have become known to us when something attracts the attention of the media, but most of you do equally incredible things that are known only to your fellow warriors and perhaps a few others.

Dr. Poffenbarger, there was a beautiful young soldier on Oprah's show whose survival and recovery have been deemed a 'miracle'. Thank you and thank you to your colleagues, then and now, who continue to be the 'miracle workers' for the men and women who are willing to put their lives on the line for all of us back home.

Respectfully,
Roycroft201

Pic of Dr. Poffenbarger and SSG Clements added - Richard

[Karl.Masters]

Roycroft,

Dr. Poffenbarger and I crossed paths in mid September 2004. We spent a week at Walter Reed reviewing casualty data in the wake of his interview in the WSJ late August of that same year. The issue was the ACH/MICH helmet area of coverage and his concern, expressed in the interview, that reduced coverage area would lead to increased casualties.

While we normally try to speak with one voice in the Department of the Army, his sincere concern and resulting media focus rapidly lead to a comprehensive study of the sizing, fit, wear, and impact pad suspension system of the ACH. We were able to make some improvements in the fit and wear of the ACH as a result. We were also able to establish some ties to the medical community that remain in place to this day and help us provide better protective kit to Soldiers.

IIRC, he said that he went through SFQC in 83-84 timeframe.

After Dr. Poffenbarger showed me some digital pictures of some of his surgical procedures, I left with a very healthy respect for what he had done for Soldiers with very severe head trauma and penetrating brain injuries.

Agree with your assessment that he is a Great American and an extremely talented neurosurgeon with absolute commitment to his patients. I wish him all the best in his civilian practice.

v/r
Karl

[LongWire]

As a Sidenote Doc Poffenbarger might not be a Greenhat (not sure), but he was the 2nd Ranger Bn. Surgeon back in the early 90's. ;)


Also, one of the best Doc's that I've had work on me!!!!!

[Karl.Masters]

As a Sidenote Doc Poffenbarger might not be a Greenhat (not sure), but he was the 2nd Ranger Bn. Surgeon back in the early 90's. ;)


Also, one of the best Doc's that I've had work on me!!!!!


I can't vouch for his QP status but this is the go to guy for skull rebuilds and treatment of PBI. His titanium mesh technique was absolutely astounding. I learned a lot about cranial anatomy and fragmentation that week.

Karl

[Gypsy]

Outstanding post, thanks.

[LongWire]

I don't normally watch the Oprah Winfrey Show

Hmmmmm...........Lucky Catch then!!! :D :D :D :D

[Roycroft201]

My wording may have been awkward here:

I know he is not a "HAT" ).


So, just to clarify, I worded that to reflect that we are often reminded that 'Green Beret' describes a "hat", while the proper terminology when referring to QPs is 'SF". When I used the word "not", I was not questioning his SF status. It was referencing the article's usage of 'Green Beret'.

Longwire,
but he was the 2nd Ranger Bn. Surgeon back in the early 90's.

One of the articles also mentioned time spent in Haiti as a Ranger.

Karl,
his concern, expressed in the interview, that reduced coverage area would lead to increased casualties.


I read the WSJ article and several others regarding the concerns of the helmet design. As civilians we never hear much about the follow-up collaboration and communication that results in increased safety for the troops.

Thank you for the sharing your work with Dr. Poffenbarger on that issue.

Sincerely,
RC201

[Pitufo Reyes]

I first met SP/4 Jeffrey Poffenbarger in 1985 when he was going through the SFQC 18E course. I had already been on an A-Team for 3 1/2 years and put in for the BEAR program to change my primary MOS from 11B3S/11C3S to the new 18 series 18E (Communications) and we were in the same class. Jeff was a very spiritual and determined young soldier with the 19th SFG National Guard unit and recently taking a break from school at Brigham Young. Since I was already a qualified SF soldier I was told by COL Nick Rowe that my actions and scores would reflect if any more SF qualified soldiers would have to go through the entire 18 series course if they desired to change their primary MOS from the old "S" identifier. I maxed out every test except my morse code test and only dropped 7.5 points in the entire Q-Course. However, COL Rowe told me it would be a greater gesture since I proved a point to allow a well-deserving soldier to receive the Distinguished Honor Graduate Award. SP/4 Jeffrey Poffenbarger was the Distinguished Honor Graduate for our class. From there he returned to his 19th SFG unit and continued his medical education and became a surgeon. I will never forget his graduation speech about freedom and his mother's homeland of Lebanon trying to live in peace which we take for granted. Not a dry eye in the house. Since then he has continued to be that person not to take freedom for granted. Tip of the beret to LTC G. Jeffrey Poffenbarger...a great soldier...a true Christian...and a wonderful friend.

[Pete]

Nice post PR but you post count shows only "1".

If your first post was lost in the old intro thread you need to toddle over there and make a new one.

[miclo18d]

By no means do I want to detract or hijack this thread, but with the mention of the MICH/ACH and head trauma I will say this. I saw two US head injuries on my 2nd tour.

Background: I went to a modified SOT when I was in the 75th where Joe C was showing us K-pots with 9mm bullet holes (at close range) and 5.56mm bullet holes (long range) through both sides and thinking: "Why do we even wear them?" I have also seen the old K-pots deflect pistol bullets during Just Cause in the Torillos terminal bathroom.

That said, the two MICH/ACH helmet shots in A-Stan were 7.62mm either AK or PKM (educated guess from the arms involved in the firefights) and neither helmet was penetrated. Quite frankly I was amazed. I was able to examine one of them quite well and it looked like it hit the helmet at 90 deg/perpendicular which in the old K-pot would have gone right through, the other was at night at a CCP after an ambush and PT was MEDEVACed, I never saw the helmet.

Here's the pic of the helmet. I thought I had a pic of the inside but I can't seem to find it. I will say that it had a lump on the inside and I told the guy he was lucky to be alive.

Both PTs had their bells rung. The first was able to sit up and talk but was in great pain, the second was semi-conscious and wouldn't take a J-tube. Both were alive.

Now I don't know anything about the fit of the MICH/ACH v. TBI but I will say that seeing them alive was amazing and I really trusted that helmet with saving lives and I will give Col Poffenbarger great credit for working so hard with the helmets developers to keep his fellow soldiers safe and his surgical skills to repair them when they are injured.

[Richard]

I was reading about Dr Poffenbarger - he said his FST was doing up to 7 craniectomies a day on soldiers in Iraq. Amazing!

Richard :munchin

[kingfish]

Pitufo Reyes IS a QP. He is what he says he is and I personally vouch for him. We attended the 18E course together and Jeff Poffenbarger was our classmate. All three of us appear in our class graduation photo.

Pitufo served in C-1-7 while I was in A-1-7 and I credit him for getting me to an ODA after the Q course instead of having to serve the "mandatory" year in the BOP as was the practice back then. Since he came from C-1-7 as an 18B to be retrained as an 18E, he able to get me in to see his Co SGM and make my case for getting on a team right away, and it worked.

As for Jeff, IIRC, he was our 18E honor graduate. He was a quiet guy and probably the youngest one in the class, but a genius. It's good to see him doing well.

BTW, everyone starts at one post! :D

DOL
Bob