The University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine

Stephen C Hunt MD MPH
Dr. Hunt is the National Director of the VHA Post-Deployment Integrated Care Initiative, providing leadership for the initiative to develop and support integrated post-combat care clinics in all VA medical centers nationally. He was the co-chair of the VA Evolving Paradigms Conference September 21-25, 2009; this was the largest VA conference on record. The purpose of the conference was to train 3000 VA and DoD clinicians on how to implement team based approaches to the assessment and management of combat related health concerns, including physical injury, mental health conditions and concerns related to environmental agent and toxic chemical exposures. He also established and is currently Chief Consultant for the Deployment Health Clinic at the VA Puget Sound where since 2003 over 4000 returning combat veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan have undergone comprehensive post-combat assessments and follow-up care. Dr. Hunt has spent the past 17 years providing care for and conducting clinical research on combat Veterans from the 1991 Gulf War. Dr. Hunt also directs the program at the VA Puget Sound that provides evaluations and care for veterans with Agent Orange exposures, ionizing radiation exposures and other toxic environmental exposures related to military service. Since the early 1990’s Dr. Hunt and his clinic have completed more than 1500 Gulf War Registry exams and similar numbers of Agent Orange Registry exams. He is involved in clinical care and research related to health concerns of combat veterans locally, state-wide and at the national level.

Kenneth Lee, MD
Dr. Kenneth Lee is the Chief of Spinal Cord Injury Division at Zablocki VAMC, Milwaukee WI and Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Medical College of Wisconsin.  Dr. Lee joined the Army in 1986 and currently holds the rank of Colonel in the Wisconsin Army National Guard with the duty assignment of State Surgeon.

As an Iraqi war veteran, Dr. Lee’s personal history provides a strong connection to the Veterans he serves. In November of 2003, while stationed in Iraq as commander of a Wisconsin Army National Guard medical battalion, Dr. Lee was severely injured in a Baghdad car bombing.  Dr. Lee was MEDEVAC to Lahnstuhl, Germany for his initial care and then transferred to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. He sustained multiple schrapnel and traumatic brain injury during this incident. For his military service, Dr. Lee was awarded the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, two Army Commendation Medals, and an Army Achievement Medal.