Rating: 0 out of 5 stars
0 ratings
Loading
CA![]()
author
COL. Damon T. Arnold
Col. Damon T. Arnold, MD, MPH, CMT (Ret.) was appointed as the 16th director of the Illinois Department of Public Health on October 1, 2007, where he operated an agency of over 1,100 employees with...view moreCol. Damon T. Arnold, MD, MPH, CMT (Ret.) was appointed as the 16th director of the Illinois Department of Public Health on October 1, 2007, where he operated an agency of over 1,100 employees with an annual budget of over 600 million dollars. The agency was responsible for the public health concerns of the approximately 12.5 million residents within, and millions of annual travelers to, the state of Illinois. During his four years in this position, he brought millions of dollars to the state of Illinois and was very active on the local, state, and federal levels.
Dr. Arnold obtained his undergraduate degree from Howard University in Washington, DC, and both his MD and MPH degrees from the University of Illinois in Chicago. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Cook County Hospital, followed by a residency in occupational medicine. He served as the Medical Director for over 25 years in private hospital and health care systems in Chicago. Dr. Arnold also served for 26 years in the Army National Guard, where he served as the commander of the Joint Medical Command Task Force and State Surgeon General for over 12 years. He completed 17 overseas missions that included locations in Africa, Central America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
He was awarded the highly coveted Military Legion of Merit Medal by President Barack Obama for his military achievements. Dr. Arnold also was awarded three Army Commendation Medals for his wartime deployments to Iraq and Kuwait, where he served as the officer in charge of battlefield medical operations. During these deployments, he functioned as a mechanized infantry combat medic as well as a qualified flight surgeon on over 120 field and flight operations. Among numerous medals, he also received two National Defense Service Medals as well as awards on the battlefield. He has completed formal training in holistic medicine for therapeutic massage therapy and acupuncture. He has received over 60 major awards in the fields of public health and medicine.
Dr. Arnold served as a member of several health care focus groups, including the Harvard University LAMPS Committee, Institute of Medicine in Washington, DC, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, and several federally based organizations. He has published many articles and contributed to books over the years. He is currently serving as the associate dean for the College of Health Sciences and the director of the public health graduate program at Chicago State University. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois, College of Medicine, and the School of Public Health. He lives with his wife, Sharon Johnson-Arnold, in Chicago and has several hobbies, including writing and art.view less