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United States Army Veterinary Corps

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Howell and Snow
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Profiles

  • Capt. Welling C. Howell (1916 - 1995)
    Captain, US Army - World War II - 112th FA 102nd Cav - VMD
  • David Byrd Snow (1894 - 1942)
    Residence : 1900 - ED 207 Precincts 25, 31, 35 Carr, Grover, Ault, Weld, Colorado, United States* Residence : 1940 - Cheyenne, Laramie, Wyoming, United States** Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - Sm...

Please add those who are or were in the US Army Veterinary Corps.

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The U.S. Army Veterinary Corps is a staff corps (non-combat specialty branch) of the U.S. Army Medical Department (AMEDD) consisting of commissioned veterinary officers and Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) veterinary students. It was established by an Act of Congress on 3 June 1916. Recognition of the need for veterinary expertise had been evolving since 1776 when General Washington directed that a "regiment of horse with a farrier" be raised. It has evolved to include sanitary food inspectors and animal healthcare specialists.

The Army Veterinary Corps was made up of “horse mechanics” when America went to war against the German Empire in 1917. In less than two decades, however, horses and mules, once essential for transporting artillery and troops, had been largely replaced by the engine, and the horse mechanics turned their attention to caring for military working dogs.

The Veterinary Corps is supported by warrant officer and enlisted AMEDD personnel. Warrant officers are the core of its Food Inspection service. Enlisted personnel can serve as Food Inspection Specialists and Animal Care Technicians; enlisted collar insignia lacks the 'V' and is the same as that worn by medics.

The U.S. Army Veterinary Service is currently[when?] composed of more than 700 veterinarians, 80 warrant officers, and 1800 enlisted soldiers in both the active duty and in the Army Reserves. The Chief of the Veterinary Corps is a Brigadier General. The Veterinary Service employs an additional 400 civilians.

The US Army Veterinary Corps' mission is to protect the Warfighter and support the National Military Strategy. They accomplish this by providing veterinary public health capabilities through veterinary medical and surgical care, food safety and defense, and biomedical research and development. In addition, Veterinary Corps Officers provide military veterinary expertise in response to natural disasters and other emergencies. While the current mission statement does not include the performance of stability and reconstruction operations, Veterinary Corps personnel are involved in these missions.

The US Army Veterinary Corps provides food safety and security inspections for all of the Armed Services. They also are responsible for providing care to Military Working Dogs, ceremonial horses, working animals of many Department of Homeland Security organizations, and pets owned by service members. They also contribute their skills in the development of life saving medical products that protect all service members.

The Army Veterinary Corps was made up of “horse mechanics” when America went to war against the German Empire in 1917. In less than two decades, however, horses and mules, once essential for transporting artillery and troops, had been largely replaced by the engine, and the horse mechanics turned their attention to caring for military working dogs.

Notables in the US Veterinarian Corps:

Chiefs of the US Army Veterinary Corps

  • Gerald E Griffin - 1917
  • Ruben B Miller - 1917-1918
  • Charles F Morse - 1918-1922
  • John A McKinnon - 1922-1926
  • George W Turner - 1926-1930
  • Walter Fraser - 1930-1934
  • Robert J Foster - 1934-1938
  • Raymond A Kelser - 1938-1946
  • James A McCallam - 1946-1953
  • Jacob L Hartman - 1953-1954
  • Elmer W Young - 1954-1959
  • Russell McNellis - 1959-1964
  • George A Kuhn - 1965-1968
  • Wilson M Osteen - 1968- 1972
  • Charles VL Elia - 1972-197
  • Thomas G Murnane - 1976-1980
  • Frank A Ramsey - 1980-1985
  • Robert R Jorgensen - 1985-1988
  • Robert E Via, Jr - 1988-1890
  • Clifford I Johnson - 1991-1994
  • Paul L Barrows - 1995-1999
  • John S Fournier - 1999-2004
  • Michael B Cates - 2004-2008
  • Timothy K Adams - 2008-2011
  • John L Poppe - 2011-2015 (Washington State Magazine - A Veterinarian to the corps by David Wasson. Spring 2016)
  • Erik H Torring III - 2015-present (US Army Medical Dept. Veterinary Corps)

Resources & Additional reading: