JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –
A researcher from the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston was among several military scientists, engineers and inventors at the 2017 Military Invention Day held May 20 at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.
Michael A. Dubick, Ph.D., chief of the USAISR Damage Control Resuscitation Research Program, displayed and demonstrated the function and capabilities the SAM Junctional Tourniquet to attendees at the event including Gen. Mark A. Milley, Army Chief of Staff.
“It's important for military leadership to know about this work because they make the plans to send Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines into harm's way,” Dubick said. “Leadership needs to know that we're working on solutions to take care of these service members should they get injured.”
The SAM Junctional Tourniquet was awarded the 2015 Major General Harold “Harry” J. Greene Award for Innovation (group category), formerly known as the Top 10 Army’s Greatest Invention Award.
The SAM Junctional Tourniquet is designed to stop bleeding in junctional areas of the torso where limb tourniquets cannot be used like in the groin area or shoulder.
“We shared our booth with the ‘ballistic shirt’ which won the individual Innovation Award,” Dubick added. “The event coordinator from our headquarters at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command said that of all the exhibits visited by Gen. Milley, he spent the most time with us and the ballistic shirt.”
Dubick said that he had a great experience at the event where he said he was visited by more than 1,000 attendees.
“I know I spoke to several military veterans and medical personnel, but the majority of people I spoke with were the lay public of all ages,” Dubick said. “The young kids liked to inflate the bladder on the SAM. One woman said she found this much more interesting than visiting Julia Child's kitchen.”