Dr. Josh Carpenter, a hospitalist at OSF HealthCare St. Mary’s Medical Center in Galesburg did not ring in 2020 toasting with champagne, blowing horns, or watching the ball drop in Times Square on TV.
That’s because Dr. Carpenter not only serves patients at OSF St. Mary’s but Medical Center, but he serves the country on a regular basis with the Illinois National Guard. He’s a flight surgeon at the 182nd Medical Group for Peoria Air National Guard, where for nearly 20 years, he’s been providing care to the country’s aviators and airmen.
This is the third deployment for the Galesburg native. During his first deployment, Dr. Carpenter was based in Kuwait and traveled to Syria, Iraq, Bahrain, Qatar and Egypt. His second deployment was to Poland.
During that first assignment overseas in 2016, Dr. Carpenter rose at 3 a.m. to watch his beloved Cubs win the World Series. He was prepared for the big win and soon after the victory, he displayed the Cubs win flag outside the huge transport plane that carried his unit to Kuwait.
This Christmas and New Year’s, Dr. Carpenter is deployed in Southeast Asia where he was recognized for his service by the commander of a military hospital. While his unit is like an extended family, it has still been a challenge to be so far away from his wife Alison and their young son Knox.
Carpenter also won the Galesburg Chamber of Commerce’s 40 under 40 award last year at age 36. He says he learned the value of service from his mother, who was a special education teacher.
His first experience with service was in high school working at an after-school program helping at risk young people at the Carver Center in Peoria. Carpenter says it drove home the impact that a positive mentor could have in the community.
Dr. Carpenter left for his latest deployment just before Halloween. Before he left, he explained he didn’t relish the idea of being away from Alison and his young son Knox during the holidays, but Carpenter said he wants to set an example for him.
“My hope is that some of that he picks up on some of that sacrifice. I want him to have some of that same sense of responsibility for those around him that I feel and so I feel the only way that you can give that to your son is by showing it to him. So, I’m hoping he picks up on some of that through his life,” Carpenter shared.
Carpenter’s wife is a medical administrator for the 182nd and so Carpenter says while it has been difficult to be away, Alison understands service and is supportive of him.
As the chief of aerospace medicine, Carpenter implemented a quality assurance program for 182 medical group, Illinois National Guard in Peoria. He is responsible for advising wing command as well as providing medical services for military personnel while in the field. Even on long flights, simple things can become a serious medical issue.
*Courtesy of OSF HealthCare*
