JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –
John D. Darsey, known as “J.D.” by his friends and co-workers, was remembered as a dedicated, loyal, and trustworthy member of the Army combat medic training team during a memorial service and classroom dedication ceremony at the Medical Education and Training Campus Aug. 11.
Darsey, an emergency medical technician, or EMT, instructor at the Medical Education and Training Campus department of combat medic training, or DCMT, passed away July 9.
According to Maj. Jean Williams, EMT branch chief, Darsey “loved his job and it showed. I knew it, his peers knew it, but more importantly, his Soldiers knew it.
“J.D. was truly a great asset to our organization and the Army,” she continued. “He always placed our Soldiers and the mission first as priorities above his own personal interests. His contribution was always as a professional, seeking and striving for excellence in all that he did.”
Darsey began his more than 32-year career in emergency medicine as an athletic trainer at the University of New Mexico in 1983.
He successfully served and trained in many positions during his career, including EMT and volunteer firefighter in New Mexico; paramedic at Fort Bliss, Texas and Fort Bragg, N.C., and during his last eight years as an EMT instructor for the department of combat medic training program at METC at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
EMT-2 Room 306 was dedicated as the John David “J.D.” Darsey classroom. A plaque now hangs on the wall outside the classroom door to honor this outstanding teacher and his incredible ability to help Soldier Medics reach success.