DARPA’s Service Chiefs Fellows Shaping the Future of Military Medicine

Caption: MAJ David Preczewski (left) and LTC Ryan Costantino (right) complete onboarding at DARPA's headquarters in Arlington, Va. (Photo Credit: DARPA)

Two Army Medical Service Corps officers share their experience after being selected for DARPA's Service Chiefs Fellows Program (SCFP). This program immerses military leaders in DARPA's dynamic technological environment and is a rare opportunity for Soldiers to innovate and contribute insights to projects that may transform future defense capabilities.

The DARPA Service Chiefs Fellows Program

"DARPA's mission is made very clear during onboarding," said Preczewski. "Utilize Heilmeier's Catechism, take risks, and change the world. It's this philosophy that inspired me to apply to the fellowship."

DARPA fully funds the three-month program so that the participant's unit of assignment incurs no cost. The fellowship is intended to expose military and government participants to emerging technologies ranging from biotechnology to artificial intelligence. Through hands-on engagement with ongoing projects, the program enriches the fellows and strengthens the bridge between DARPA and the Department of Defense. Officers like Costantino and Preczewski are expected to return to their organizations within the Army with newfound expertise and strategies that integrate advanced technologies into military operations; they are also considered DARPA fellows for the remainder of their careers.

"Disrupting" the Future of Military Medicine

Costantino's background as a military pharmacist focusing on health services research and data science brings a unique perspective to DARPA, where projects often intersect medical and technology domains. Preczewski's knowledge of medical evacuation and experience generating future concepts as part of his assignment to the Medical Capability Development Integration Directorate adds another layer of domain expertise at a time when DARPA is focusing heavily on casualty evacuation during large-scale combat operations.

The selection of two Medical Service Corps officers highlights the Army's growing emphasis on integrating healthcare expertise with technology innovation. Their participation underscores how healthcare professionals, especially those versed in data science and medical operations, can play a pivotal role in DARPA's initiatives to address current and future defense challenges. DARPA's SCFP will provide Costantino and Preczewski with an unparalleled platform to explore innovations that range from basic science in synthetic biology to novel pharmaceuticals. Their involvement ensures that these technological developments will not only enhance military capabilities but also address pressing healthcare challenges, offering solutions with both battlefield and broader public health applications.

Caption: MAJ Preczewski uses virtual reality and augmentation to tour the new Future Long Range Assault Aircraft -Medical Variant at the Association of The United States Army Annual Meeting. (Photo Credit: DARPA)

"The Service Chiefs Fellow (SCF) program provides the direct link to the reality of the warfighter experience, challenges, and needs," said Pedro Irazoqui, a program manager at DARPA's Biological Technology Office. "Not at the high level of the service, but where the rubber meets the road, and from a regularly rotating cast of individuals and experiences from across the service branches. As a program manager who has never served in uniform, the Service Chiefs Fellows are an indispensable link enabling me to develop programs that meet real and present needs, rather than just cool abstract tech of questionable practical utility to DOD."

Become the Next DARPA Fellow

"This is a once-in-a-career broadening opportunity that shouldn't be passed up," said Costantino. "DARPA needs high-quality officers who can influence people and programs to disrupt the future."

If you are an Active Component, Army Reserve - Active Guard Reserve Soldier holding the rank of MAJ or LTC and have recently served in a tactical/operational unit, the DARPA SCFP may be for you. The SCFP consists of four classes a year and more information can be found at on the HRC Website or at Army HRC Service Chiefs Fellow Program.

Caption: LTC Constantino observes a virtual reality demo of Patient Triage at DARPA's In the Moment program workshop, hosted at the University of Maryland's Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security. (Photo Credit: DARPA)