Hospital Corpsman Named 2024 OSD Junior Enlisted Service Member of the Year
Petty Officer First Class Jonathan Shumaker, Uniformed Services University non-commissioned officer, is recognized for outstanding service to the Department of Defense.
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Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Jonathan Shumaker, USU and DoD’s Service Member of the Year, signals to an incoming medical team carrying a patient to a medevac helicopter during the University’s annual Bushmaster exercise. (Photo credit: Tom Balfour, USU) |
April 15, 2025 by Sharon Holland
Navy Hospital Corpsman First Class Jonathan T. Shumaker was selected as the 2024 Junior Enlisted Service Member of the Year by the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD). This prestigious award honors service members for their leadership, professional excellence, and commitment to mission success.
Shumaker, a 14-year veteran with extensive experience in the Indo-Pacific Region, has been with the Uniformed Services University (USU) Department of Military and Emergency Medicine (MEM) since July 2022. As the Leading Petty Officer and senior tactical instructor, he is pivotal in developing the next generation of military medical professionals.
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Hospital Corpsman First Class Jonathan T. Shumaker, U.S. Navy (Photo credit: Tom Balfour, USU) |
In his role, Shumaker has been instrumental in helping to shape USU’s Military Unique Curriculum. He has refined MFPs and designed leadership and emergency medicine exercises, directly supporting military personnel readiness. He also served as a lead faculty member in developing USU’s Emergency Fresh Whole Blood curriculum.
Additionally, Shumaker serves as a Senior Enlisted Medical Advisor for multiple Department of Defense initiatives, helping to enhance the capabilities of the Military Health System and improve joint-force interoperability.
Shumaker’s leadership goes beyond training and curriculum development. He manages the career progression of 13 service members through evaluations, counseling, and career development. Under his mentorship, his team has seen academic and professional successes, including promotions and award nominations.
Beyond his primary duties, Shumaker has contributed to the USU community in various roles, including as a fitness leader, overseeing physical readiness programs and ensuring 100% completion of physical fitness assessments with zero failures.
Shumaker also led the training of Ukrainian combat medics, developing the training curricula and securing the medical supplies needed for their instruction. His efforts also include presenting at conferences and co-authoring research focused on battlefield survivability.
Shumaker was the first author for the publication titled "Ukrainian Healthcare Professionals’ Experiences During Operation Gunpowder: Implications for Increasing and Enhancing Training Partnerships." He used the data from that project to author the research abstract for the Special Operations Medical Association Scientific Assembly, titled "Closing the Health Service Support Gap Amidst Irregular Warfare: Prolonged Casualty Care Simulation Training for Ukraine." This research led to a grant to establish a train-the-trainer curriculum for Ukrainian combat medics to improve their health service support capability. Shumaker was a co-author of “Operation Bushmaster’s Impact on Military Medical Student Deployment Readiness,” “Emergency Fresh Whole Blood Transfusion Training for Ukrainian Health Professionals in Austere Environments,” and “The Impact of Simulation-Based Training on Medical Students' Whole Blood Transfusion Abilities.”
Shumaker was also previously selected as USU’s Service Member of the Year for 2024. As such, he will have the honor of leading the procession as mace bearer during the 2025 Commencement Ceremony at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, DC, in May.
"HM1 Shumaker epitomizes the highest standards of leadership, professionalism, and dedication to duty,” said Army Col. Albert Kinkead, USU Brigade Commander, who commended Shumaker’s exceptional leadership and commitment. “His influence spans across the Department of Defense, Homeland Security, and allied forces worldwide, advancing military health capabilities and fostering international collaboration.”
A formal award ceremony will be held at a later date to honor his accomplishments.
