Here are 21 spine surgeons who are current or former U.S. military veterans. To recommend a surgeon for the list, contact Heather Linder at hlinder@beckershealthcare.com.
Jahangir Asghar, MD (Miami Children's Hospital). Dr. Asghar has been a major in the United States Army Health Reserves and served for more than a year in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Dr. Asghar is currently an attending spine surgeon at Miami Children's Hospital. He is a member of several professional societies, including the Society for Military Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and North American Spine Society. He is a founding member of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and has published extensively on treating complex pediatric spinal deformities. Dr. Asghar earned his medical degree at St. George's University School of Medicine on the island of Grenada, West Indies, and completed his residency at the University of Medicine and Dentistry in Newark, N.J., His additional training includes a fellowship in pediatric spine surgery spine surgery at the Philadelphia Shriners Hospital for Children.
Paul Baek, MD (BayCare Medical Center, Green Bay, Wis.). Dr. Baek has been with Aurora Bay Care Clinic since its inception. Prior to joining Aurora BayCare, he was a member of the U.S. Navy stationed in San Diego from 1995 to 1998 and was honorably discharged as a Lt. Commander in 1998. As a neurosurgeon, Dr. Baek focuses on neurotrauma, peripheral nerve surgery and spine surgery. He performs minimally invasive spine surgery in his practice as well as spinal reconstruction and fusions. He is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurosurgeons. Dr. Baek earned his medical degree at Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee and completed his residency in neurosurgery at affiliated hospitals.
Robert S. Bray Jr., MD (DISC Sports & Spine Center, Marina del Rey, Calif.). Dr. Bray is the CEO and founding director of DISC Sports & Spine Center. Throughout his career, he has spent more than 20 years on active and reserve duty with the United States Air Force and received multiple medals for his contributions to protocol development and teaching wartime trauma techniques. Dr. Bray was chief of neurosurgery for the U.S. Air Force at David Grant Medical Center in 1989 and the founding director of the Institute for Spinal Disorders at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He previously founded the Institute for Spinal Disorders at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and served as director of neurosurgery and headed the spine program at St. John's Medical Center, Century City Hospital and Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital. Dr. Bray earned his medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and completed additional training at Baylor affiliated hospitals.
Robert J. Berkowitz, MD (The Center for Orthopedics, Westlake, Ohio). Dr. Berkowitz was previously the chief of the department of orthopedic surgery and podiatry at Andrews Air Force Base in Malcolm Grow Medical Center near Washington, D.C. He served in Operation Enduring Freedom in the Middle East caring for wounded American soldiers, airmen and seamen. During his career, he also ran an orthopedic clinic at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., where he took care of several government leaders. He has a professional interest in many areas of orthopedics, including spine surgery, sports medicine and arthroscopy. In his practice, Dr. Berkowitz performs minimally invasive spine procedures, such as the X-stop procedure and disc replacements. He is a member of several professional societies, including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and North American Spine Society. Dr. Berkowitz earned his medical degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine in Burlington and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Akron (Ohio) General Medicine Center.
Gene E. Bolles, MD (Denver Health). Dr. Bolles served as chief of neurosurgery at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany for more than three years after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, caring for military soldiers who were wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was originally drafted during the build up for the conflict in Vietnam and became an army flight surgeon, division flight surgeon and then division surgeon of the 8th Infantry Division in Germany at that time. He spent 32 years as a general neurosurgeon before returning to Germany to serve military members in the most recent conflicts. During his career, he has been interviewed by several news organizations about his experiences, including Anderson Cooper 360 and 60 Minutes, and he has done extensive humanitarian medical work in countries such as Belize and Indonesia. In 2006, Dr. Bolles was invited as a special guest to a gathering in Iraq hosted by President Mazzoud Barzani. Dr. Bolles earned his medical degree and completed a residency at the University of Colorado in Boulder. His additional training includes time at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.
Wesley Carrion, MD (Stony Brook Orthopaedic Associates, East Setauket, N.Y.). Dr. Carrion serves as the chief of pediatric orthopedics at Stony Brook University Medical Center, and is an assistant professor within the Stony Brook University School of Medicine. Dr. Carrion has an expertise in the surgical management of pediatric spinal deformity, such as scoliosis, kyphosis, spondylolisthesis and flat back syndrome. He is active as a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves and has served overseas several times, including during the Gulf War and in Iraq and Afghanistan. Dr. Carrion received his medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco. He remained at UC San Francisco to complete his internship and residency training in orthopedic surgery, and then completed a fellowship in pediatric orthopedics and spinal deformity at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He remains active in several professional organizations, including the Leroy C. Abbott Orthopaedic Society, Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Larry D. Cordell, MD (The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kan.). Dr. Cordell is on the Board of Councilors for the Kansas Orthopaedic Society. He is a past president of the society and previously served in the United States Army. He has a professional interest in treating patients with deformity, arthritis and tumors in the spine and neck. He practices at University of Kansas Medical Center and is a member of the North American Spine Society and Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Cordell earned his medical degree at the University of Kansas Medical School and completed his in pediatric orthopedics residency at the Alfred I. DuPont Institute in Wilmington, Del. His additional training includes a residency in orthopedics at Naval Regional Medical Center in Oakland, Calif.
Steven J. Cyr, MD (Orthopaedic and Spine Institute, San Antonio). Dr. Cyr served in the United States Air Force as a flight surgeon for two years before completing his medical residency and then served as the Chief of Air Force Spine Surgery and a spine surgery consultant to the Surgeon General of the Air Force after completing his fellowship. He has twice served war wounded military members in Iraq at the Air Force Theater Hospital in Balad. During his time in the military, he brought innovative techniques to spine care and was among the first to perform total disc replacement and endoscopic spine surgery on his patients. Dr. Cyr has a professional interest in caring for complicated spine cases and failed surgeries for patients around the world. Dr. Cyr earned his medical degree at the University of Texas Health Science Center and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Wilford Hall Medical Center, both in San Antonio. His additional training includes a spine surgery fellowship at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
John Dietz Jr., MD (OrthoIndy, Indianapolis). Dr. Dietz is a spine surgeon with OrthoIndy and serves as secretary of the board of directors. He is a former Army orthopedic surgeon who is still active in the Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Dietz graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a concentration in civil engineering and received his medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine. He then completed an internship in general surgery and a residency in orthopedic surgery at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Wash. He is an inventor and has been awarded patents on surgical instruments used in endoscopic spine surgery. He has authored many articles published in medical journals and has presented at numerous national meetings of orthopedic surgeons. Dr. Dietz completed a fellowship in spine surgery at Swedish Hospital Medical Center in Seattle.
Randall Dryer, MD (Central Texas Spine Institute, Austin). Dr. Dryer is a spine surgeon with the Central Texas Spine Institute who focuses on treatment of the cervical and lumbar spine. Dr. Dryer is a past president of the Texas Spine Society, fellow with the American College of Surgeons and a member of the North American Spine Society and Cervical Spine Research Society. He served as chief of orthopedic surgery for the U.S. Air Force at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio until he joined The Austin Back Clinic in 1988, which later expanded to become the Central Texas Spine Institute. Along with his practice, Dr. Dryer has participated in FDA-approved clinical trials and spearheaded innovative procedures, such as using adult stem cells from a patient's body to aid in tissue regeneration. Dr. Dryer earned his medical degree from University of Iowa College of Medicine in Iowa City and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery, also at the University of Iowa.
C. Timothy Floyd, MD (St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, Boise, Idaho). Dr. Floyd joined the army after Sept. 11, 2001, to serve his country. He was the sole orthopedic surgeon serving in the 934th Forward Surgical Team in the U.S. Army Reserve. He spent time caring for wounded patients at several camps in Iraq, treating the Iraqi Army, Republican Guard, Special Republican Guard, foreign terrorists and civilians caught in the crossfire. He is a member of several professional organizations, including the Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons and Scoliosis Research Society, and is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Floyd earned his medical degree at the University of Florida in Gainesville and completed the San Francisco Orthopaedic Residency Program. His additional training includes spine surgery fellowships at Texas Back Institute in Plano and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
Kevin Foley, MD (University of Tennessee, Memphis). Dr. Foley is a professor of neurosurgery at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and director of the spine fellowship program at the University of Tennessee department of neurosurgery. He is also the director of complex spine surgery at Semmes-Murphey Clinic in Memphis. Prior to entering into private practice, Dr. Foley served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps as an assistant chief of neurosurgery at Brooke Army Medical Center and chief of neurosurgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. During his career, Dr. Foley has authored more than 70 journal publications and been a visiting professor at several universities in the United States and abroad. He has a professional interest in minimally invasive spine surgery, image guided spine navigation and spine biomechanics. Dr. Foley has served as an officer of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery. He earned his medical degree at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he also completed his residency in neurosurgery.
Bryan Fox, MD (Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center, Chesapeake, Va.). Dr. Fox served in the U.S. Navy for 17 years as a physician and eight as a naval aviator. He served as an orthopedic and spine surgeon during Operation Iraqi Freedom and was most recently chief of orthopedic spine surgery at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Va. During his time in the Middle East, he was on the battlefields and performed emergency orthopedic and spine surgery on wounded soldiers. In his clinical practice, Dr. Fox has a professional interest in minimally invasive surgical techniques and treats patients with a variety of complex deformities and fractures. He is a member of several professional societies, including the Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons and North American Spine Society. Dr. Fox earned his medical degree at Ohio State University in Columbus and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at the Naval Medical Center. His additional training includes an adult spinal surgery fellowship at Duke University in Durham, N.C.
Regis W. Haid Jr., MD (Atlanta Brain and Spine Care). Dr. Haid is a founding partner of Atlanta Brain and Spine Care and medical director of the Piedmont Spine Center and neuroscience service line at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta. He was previously the staff neurosurgeon for the U.S. Air Force at Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio from 1989 to 1993. His research interests include spinal reconstruction techniques and he has developed numerous patents for spinal devices and technology, with some internationally distributed. He has contributed more than 130 articles to peer-reviewed journals, written more than 85 book chapters on spinal disorders and is editing his 10th textbook. Dr. Haid has traveled internationally to present at spine conferences, including visits to Italy, Russia and Switzerland. He earned his medical degree from West Virginia University in Morgantown, where he also completed his neurosurgical residency. He received fellowship training in spinal disorders at the University of Florida College of Medicine.
James E. McGrory, MD (Hughston Clinic, Columbus, Ga.). Dr. McGrory served on the staff at Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Va., where he trained as a military orthopedic surgery resident in total joint replacement and sports medicine. After a fellowship at Texas Back Institute in Plano, Dr. McGrory expanded his practice to the non-operative and surgical management of spinal conditions. He has a professional interest in total joint replacement, bone tumors and degenerative spinal conditions. During the most recent conflicts, Dr. McGrory was deployed overseas in support of the Global War on Terrorism and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is a member of the North American Spine Society, International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He earned his medical degree at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
Timothy P. McHenry, MD (Steadman Hawkins Clinic of the Carolinas, Greenville, S.C.). Dr. McHenry is an army war veteran of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has a professional interest in caring for cervical spine disorders, degenerative spinal conditions and deformity. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. McHenry has served as a professor at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia. He earned his medical degree from New York University School of Medicine in New York City and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at the University of Washington/Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and in orthopedic trauma surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
Fred Sweet, MD (Rockford Spine Center, Rockford, Ill.). Dr. Sweet co-founded Rockford Spine Center. Before founding his practice, he served a tour of duty to the United States Navy as a medical officer. During his career, he developed a technique for performing spine surgery and is one of the few spine surgeons performing the technique in the United States. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, North American Spine Society and Scoliosis Research Society. Throughout his career, Dr. Sweet has been dedicated to providing charitable care for children in third world countries through Childspring International. Dr. Sweet earned his medical degree at Rush University Medical Center and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Washington University in St. Louis. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Washington University.
Derek A. Taggard, MD (Sutter Medical Group, Roseville, Calif.). Dr. Taggard has served as theater director of spine and neurosurgery for Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He is a fellowship-trained neurosurgeon with a special interest in spine surgery. During his career, he pioneered research in spinal injury registries and the management of complex cervical spine cases. In his practice, Dr. Taggard performs minimally invasive spine surgery, cervical artificial disc replacement and spinal fusions. Dr. Taggard earned his medical degree at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and completed his residency at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.
Larry L. Teuber, MD (Black Hills Spine Institute, Rapid City, S.D.). Dr. Teuber is a physician owner of Black Hills Surgical Hospital in Rapid City, S.D., which he founded in 1997. He served for 17 years in the active and reserve Army, retiring with the rank of major after serving in Desert Storm. He provides consultative services and frequently speaks to physician organizations concerning the development of surgical facilities for neurosurgical and spinal care. Dr. Teuber earned his medical degree from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion. He completed his general surgery internship and neurosurgery residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.
Nicholas Theodore, MD (Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix). Dr. Theodore is chief of spine surgery at Barrow Neurosurgical Institute and medical director of the Neurological Trauma Program at Barrow. He is also the Neurological Institute associate director of the neurosurgery residency program. Before joining Barrow, Dr. Theodore served as senior medical officer with the U.S. Marine Corps in Okinawa, Japan. He has a professional interest in treating complex spinal disorders and spinal cord injury. In addition to his clinical practice, He has published several peer-review articles based on his research and was recently one of the senior investigators in a multi-center study on a new medication for spinal cord injury. He received an NIH grant to study spinal injuries. Dr. Theodore earned his medical degree at Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., and completed his fellowship at Barrow Neurological Institute.
Anthony T. Yeung, MD (Desert Institute for Spine Care, Phoenix). Dr. Anthony Yeung is an orthopedic spine surgeon who focuses on diagnosing the causes of back pain and sciatica from degenerative conditions of the lumbar spine. He served in the U.S. Navy Medical Corp., in Subic Bay, Philippines. He founded Desert Institute for Spine Care and developed the FDA-approved Yeung Endoscopic Spine System. Dr. Yeung was one of the first spine surgeons to utilize endoscopically-guided laser for degenerative conditions of the lumbar spine. He has authored more than 70 scientific publications on his technique and has been president of the World Congress of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgeons. Dr. Yeung received his medical degree from University of New Mexico School of Medicine in Albuquerque, completed his residency at Maricopa County General Hospital in Phoenix.