Medical technology has come a long way after more than decade of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, said Jonathan Woodson, assistant secretary of defense for health affairs. These innovative methods developed on the ground have led to advances in caring for the sick and injured at home, he said. Speaking at a Reserve Officer Association event last week, Woodson said that the trauma system and other advances of combat medicine have contributed to the lowest death rate in the history of recorded warfare, according to a March 6 release. However, it’s also created greater challenges in rehabilitation. He noted that combat care goes beyond treating physical wounds; brain or spinal cord injuries, pain management issues, and sensory loss are all issues that may need to be addressed during the rehabilitation process, he said. “We need to customize the rehabilitation strategy to the individual,” he said. “Our mantra is to ‘create the ability, not define disability.’” (DOD report by Terri Moon Cronk)
Anduril and General Atomics will develop their Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, beating out Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, the service announced on April 24. But any of the non-selected companies can compete to actually manufacture the eventual design, the Air Force said.