Mass production of penicillin and advancements in blood storage and transfusion techniques significantly reduced infections and increased survival rates among wounded service members.

Dr. Robert S. Ledley, an Army Dental Corps officer during the Korean War, became a pioneer in biomedical computing, developing early computer-assisted diagnostic tools and data systems for medical research. His work, supported by the Department of Defense, helped establish medical informatics. In 1973, Ledley invented the first whole-body CT scanner, transforming diagnostic radiology and battlefield imaging.

The introduction of helicopter medical evacuation during the Korean War significantly reduced transport times for wounded service members, improving survival rates and revolutionizing battlefield medicine.

The Korean War saw widespread use of Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals and advancements in treating acute renal failure in military casualties using artificial kidney technology.

Dr. Frank Bradway Rogers became director of the Army Medical Library in 1956, overseeing its renaming as the National Library of Medicine and relocation to the NIH campus. He launched the Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System in 1964, the first computerized biomedical indexing system, paving the way for platforms like PubMed. Rogers is remembered as a visionary in medical information science.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency was established to develop and deploy advanced technologies, including medical research innovations for military use.

Capt. Brian Cody Markle played a key role in improving medical logistics during the Vietnam War and Persian Gulf War. He introduced early computer systems to streamline supply delivery and helped optimize medical support for combat operations, ensuring critical care reached wounded service members efficiently.

The 1970s saw the evolution of organized trauma care systems and the emergence of advanced surgical innovations, including early laparoscopic techniques, improving outcomes for injured patients.

Rear Adm. Gayle D. Shaffer, born in 1959, served over 30 years in the U.S. Navy, including as commanding officer of the expeditionary dental unit in Kandahar, Afghanistan. She pioneered forward-deployed dental care critical to combat readiness. As the 38th chief of the Navy Dental Corps and deputy surgeon general, Shaffer led advancements in dental technology, digital imaging, and tele-dentistry, enhancing Navy Medicine’s operational and technological capabilities worldwide.

During the 1990s, the Gulf War prompted early adoption of telemedicine for remote medical consultations, while robotic surgical systems began emerging, laying the foundation for future advancements in military medical technology.

Early work in telehealth and telemedicine began, with the Army using video-enabled care in Somalia in 1993. The capability expanded during the Balkan conflicts, and U.S.-based military telehealth programs were also launched.

Lt. Col. Fred Goeringer pioneered the Army’s move to filmless radiology, integrating advanced imaging and teleradiology systems that improved medical diagnostics during the Gulf War and beyond.

Col. Richard M. Satava led key advances in robotic surgery and battlefield telesurgery during the 1990s, including the first remote surgery on the battlefield and development of the da Vinci Surgical Robot.

Robotic platforms such as the da Vinci surgical system were integrated into military hospitals during the 2000s, enabling more complex procedures to be performed with minimally invasive techniques and improving patient outcomes.

The 2010s saw expanded use of tele-mentoring and simulation-based training to better prepare military surgeons for battlefield conditions and enhance surgical readiness.

Artificial intelligence and wearable health technologies have been integrated into military medicine, providing real-time monitoring and predictive diagnostics to enhance care for deployed forces.

The Automated Processing of the Physiological Registry for Assessment of Injury Severity - Hemorrhage Risk Index is a decision support tool helping combat medics assess hemorrhage risk near the point of injury. The AI-enabled tool is the first and only Department of Defense software as a medical device to receive FDA approval. A team led by Jaques Reifman, Ph.D., of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, and Dr. Francisco Vital-Lopez of the Henry M. Jackson Foundation developed the app. The team received awards at the 2025 Military Health System Research Symposium for their work in big data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.