English: Lt. Col. Johnny Vandiver (right), the 7th Infantry Division's senior physician assistant and chief of clinical operations, prepares to speak to a crowd of friends, peer and leaders after being awarded the Legion of Merit, July 26, in honor of his many accomplishments in his 30 years of service. Vandiver, of Athens, Texas, began his army career in 1983, serving as an enlisted combat medic. While a staff sergeant, Vandiver was accepted to the Interservice Physician Assistant Program, and received commission as a second lieutenant in the Medical Specialist Corps in 1991. He served two tours in Iraq, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2003 to 2004 and again from 2008 to 2009. During his deployment in 2003, he established the casualty tracking and liasion systems that were used in Multinational Division-Baghdad for the remainder of the United States' presence in Iraq. Vandiver served in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from 2011 to 2012. "He was the driving force behind the establishment of the Afghan Army Physician Assistant School" and his work in analyzing and refininf the Afghan National Security Forces Tashkil "ensured the development of a capable and sustainable medical support structure for the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police," according to the award's citation. Vandiver will retire in Fairbanks, Alaska, where his wife and two sons currently reside.