Aug. 06, 2025 | By T. T. Parish, Operational Medical Systems
Representatives from the Office of Research and Technology Applications are taking part in the Military Health System Research Symposium this week to showcase how the team helps accelerate the development of next-generation medical technologies for America's warfighters.
ORTA, part of Operational Medical Systems within the Defense Health Agency, plays a crucial role in expediting official partnerships that bring lifesaving medical innovations from concept to battlefield application.
MHSRS, which provides a venue for presenting new scientific knowledge resulting from military-unique research and development, gives the ORTA team a chance to showcase their top-tier capabilities while reaching the wider Department of Defense, development industry, and academic networks that enable current and future development projects, according to Jon Witt, acting chief of ORTA.
"Innovation, research, and development that comes from our partnerships has and will continue to save lives in the 'golden hour,' the critical window immediately following trauma on the battlefield," Witt explained. "At OPMED, we strive to support the warfighter in current and future conflicts, often in harsh and remote locations around the world. Finding and creating new partnerships has become even more vital in delivering solutions that are needed as rapidly as possible by the warfighter.”
OPMED serves as the DOD’s leading force in medical development and acquisition, with project managers developing and delivering world-class medical capabilities that enhance warfighter lethality and readiness. The organization's dual mission focuses on saving lives on the battlefield and swiftly returning injured service members to duty, particularly during Large-Scale Combat Operations in austere environments.
ORTA's mission centers on speeding official partnerships between OPMED and development stakeholders to acquire technologies and devices focused on warfighter health care at the point of need. This approach is increasingly critical as DOD medical research works to bring lifesaving care closer to the battlefield, developing tools and treatments that help troops survive when evacuation isn't possible.
This symposium provides a platform for ORTA to highlight how it develops partnerships and agreements that benefit OPMED and the DOD, rapidly moving programs and projects from concept to delivery to fill critical capability gaps, according to Witt. "As military medical developers, we have to anticipate ever-evolving threats to develop solutions today, not years from now," said Witt. "Through our partnerships and collaborations, we are jointly working to solve issues with treatments, devices, and technologies that will help shape battlefield medicine for both real-time and future conflicts, with the goal of enhancing the warfighter’s ability to fight, survive, and win."
To learn more about ORTA and to reach their team, visit https://dha.mil/opmed-ORTA.
About OPMED
OPMED is the DOD’s leading force in medical development and acquisition, focused on enhancing warfighter lethality and readiness. Project managers with the team develop and deliver next-generation, world-class medical capabilities that empower combatant commanders for Large-Scale Combat Operations, particularly within austere environments, with a twofold mission: save lives on the battlefield and swiftly return injured service members to duty.
