BA, Ohio State Univ., 1975
MD, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, 1980
MHA, Baylor Univ., Waco, TX, 1998
Fellow, American College of Surgeons
MEDCOM, Ft. Sam Houston, TX, 2003 to present
Dep. Commander Clin. Srvc., Evans ACH, Ft. Carson, CO, 2001-2002
Commander, 41st CSH, Ft. Sam Houston, TX, 1998-2000
Resident, MEDCOM, Ft. Sam Houston, TX, 1997-98
The next five years, COL Conaway trained in General Surgery at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center. He then completed a one year assignment as a staff General Surgeon at the 121 Evacuation Hospital, Seoul, Korea. In July 1988, he finished a two year Peripheral Vascular Surgery Fellowship at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The next two years, he was Chief of Vascular Surgery at William Beaumont Army Medical Center.
In July 1990, COL Conaway transferred to the Vascular Service at Brooke Army Medical Center where he served for three years. During Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, he deployed with the 41st Combat Support Hospital (CSH) in support of the 24th Infantry Division. COL Conaway was triage officer for the largest acute mass casualty event of the war (Jalibab Airfield, Iraq).
In November 1993, COL Conaway assumed command of the 274th Medical Detachment (Forward Surgical Team--Airborne). He played a significant role in developing and finalizing AMEDD Forward Surgical Team doctrine and TO&E. His unit deployed in support of Operation Uphold Democracy. COL Conaway commanded the Joint Casualty Collecting Point that would have cared for the initial US casualties in the event of combat operations.
Following his command at Fort Bragg, COL Conaway attended Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and graduated in July 1996. He then attended, for the next two years, the U.S. Army-Baylor University Program in Healthcare Administration. During this time, he developed a concept and plan to trauma train military surgical units in civilian trauma centers to improve overall surgical readiness.
In July 1998, COL Conaway assumed command of the 41st CSH, Fort Sam Houston. In September 1998, the 41st CSH conducted the first trauma sustainment training rotation of a military unit through Ben Taub General Hospital (civilian trauma center) in Houston, Texas. This pilot study was so successful that the DOD institutionalized the training program COL Conaway initiated. The DOD created the Joint Trauma Training Center (JTTC) at Ben Taub which now serves as the 'gold standard" for unit surgical readiness training for the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
COL Conaway is a board certified General Surgeon and Vascular Surgeon. He holds an academic appointment as Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University. He is a member of the following professional organizations: Fellow American College of Surgeons, American Association For the Surgery of Trauma, Military Vascular Surgery Society, Rocky Mountain Vascular Surgery Society, Uniformed Services University Surgical Associates.
His military awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (2), Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Ribbon (2), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Southwest Asia Service Ribbon (3), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Liberation of Kuwait Ribbon. He has earned the Air Assault Badge and Parachutist Badge.