BPA Physicians and Advanced Level Practitioners Serve Our Country
In addition to providing for the medical care needs of our community, a number of BPA physicians and advanced level practitioners also work to serve our country.
Anesthesiologist Dr. Corey Anderson, who serves as the Medical Director of Anesthesiology for Viera Hospital, also serves as the Chief of Aerospace Medicine for the 920th Aeromedical Staging Squadron at Patrick Air Force Base. In that capacity, he volunteers at least one weekend a month, and one-two weeks per year, to the Air Force Reserves. In 2011, Dr. Anderson was deployed to Afghanistan for two months where he worked for the 76th Expeditionary Rescue Sqaudron (ERQS). Airmen of the ERQS served as the "ambulance in the air," providing medical or casualty evacuation for US and coalition forces, Afghan National Security Forces and local nationals of all the Regional Commands in Afghanistan. Each "King" aircraft, which was staffed by Dr. Anderson and his colleagues, was capable of carrying up to 14 patients, allowing transportation of more patients to more medical facilities more quickly, as well as to treat injuries in flight.
Emergency Medicine Physician Brian Boggs, MD attended medical school on a military scholarship and then spent several years working at the Naval Hospital in Guam. In this capacity, he served as the director and trainer of the EMT program at Guam Naval Hospital (where he worked in the ER). He also worked with the Navy Seabees Civil Action Program. This program helped build schools, fire houses and other civic structures on the surrounding islands. As part of his involvement with this group, Dr. Boggs surveyed medical clinics and provided medical care at outreach clinics in distant villages of Micronesia and Palau.
Emergency Medicine Physician Edil Agosto, MD is also an active reservist in the US Army Medical Corps. Like Dr. Anderson, Dr. Agosto volunteeers one week per month and several weeks per year to fulfill his duties.
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) John Lanzilotti is also an active reservist who volunteers vacation time and weekends to serve his country. John tells stories of how the members of his squadron provide community outreach to assist those in need wherever they are. One particularly touching story is about a little girl they met in Alabama who had been blind since birth. Her brother had been deployed to Afghanistan and she had always dreamed of riding a bicycle. The members of John's squadron chipped in to buy her a bicycle so that she could experience the thrill of riding a bike. As a gesture of appreciation, she sang the national anthem for them. At the end, she told John that her voice sounded like her brother and asked if she could give him a hug. Needless to say, the squadron was thrilled to learn of her brother's safe return a few months later.
Many more BPA physicians have previously served in all branches of the military. We are proud to be an organization that not only supports the needs of our community, but also our country and our world..
