(WOODSTOWN, NJ) During the Mid-Atlantic Severe Situation Exercise (MASSE), hosted by Cooper University Health Care in partnership with the Salem County Sheriff’s Office May 4-8, a notable moment for an Army Reserve colonel highlighted the enduring commitment of military medical leadership.
John Chovanes, DO, FACS, USAR MC, a trauma surgeon at Cooper University Health Care and a colonel in the United States Army Reserve Medical Corps, formally reaffirmed his oath of office in a ceremonial act administered by NJ Assemblyman Dave Bailey. The ceremony, a public recommitment to service and leadership, took place in front of a UH-60 Black Hawk, symbolizing the intersection of military readiness and civilian emergency response.
Dr. Chovanes has served at Cooper Trauma since 2010 and is the founding Medical Director and Chief Surgeon of Cooper’s Section of Military, Diplomatic, and Field Surgical Affairs (MILDAF), which provides advanced trauma training for military and diplomatic special operations teams.
Since joining the Army Reserve in 2001, Dr. Chovanes has completed six tours of duty supporting U.S. military operations, including deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has received numerous honors for his military and emergency response service, including the U.S. Army Soldier’s Medal for Heroism following the September 11 attacks.
The Mid-Atlantic Severe Situation Exercise brought together military, health care, and law enforcement partners to strengthen coordinated response capabilities for complex emergency scenarios. The collaboration underscores a shared mission of advancing readiness, enhancing interagency partnerships, and improving outcomes during high-acuity events.
About Cooper University Health Care’s Section of Military, Diplomatic, and Field Surgical Affairs
Cooper University Health Care serves as the only Level I Trauma Center for all of southern New Jersey and is one of the busiest trauma centers in the region. Due to its high-volume and expertise in surgery and critical care, Cooper has become one of the premier sites to train medical providers from every military branch as well as multiple local, state, and federal government agencies and international partners.
In 2019, Cooper became the first hospital in the nation to establish the Army Military-Civilian Trauma Team Training (AMCT3) program and later became one of only three hospitals nation-wide to provide specialized medical training to active duty and reserve personnel from all branches of the U.S. military as part of the SMART (Strategic Medical Asset Readiness Training) initiative. For more information visit: https://www.cooperhealth.org/center/serving-our-military-and-veterans.
About Cooper University Health Care
Cooper University Health Care is a leading academic health system affiliated with Cooper Medical School of Rowan University. Cooper, headquartered in Camden, New Jersey, has revenues of more than $3 billion and an A+ credit rating from both S&P and Fitch Ratings.
Cooper has nearly 14,000 team members, including more than 2,200 nurses, more than 1,200 employed physicians representing 95 specialties and subspecialties, and more than 700 advanced practice providers.
Cooper operates MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper as well as three hospitals – its 663-bed flagship Cooper University Hospital in Camden, its 229-bed Cooper University Hospital Cape Regional in Cape May Court House, and Children’s Regional Hospital in Camden.
Cooper University Hospital in Camden is the only Level 1 trauma center in South Jersey and the busiest in the region. The hospital has been recognized as a top-performing regional hospital by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals annual survey for six years.
More than 2.54 million patients visit Cooper’s facilities annually. Cooper’s ambulatory network encompasses three outpatient surgery centers, seven urgent care centers, a wound care center, and more than 130 physician, physical therapy, and radiology offices extending from the Delaware River to the New Jersey shore.
Cooper was named one of America’s Best Large Employers for 2026 by Forbes, ranking among the top 200 in the nation. Visit CooperHealth.org to learn more.
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