MAJ Joshua “Josh” Radi was born and raised in the town of Battle Creek, Michigan, colloquially known as “Cereal City.” After earning his professional motocross and supercross licenses in 2005, MAJ Radi hung up the boots in pursuit of a career in medicine. He direct commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army Medical Service Corps with the Michigan Army National Guard in April 2011 and upon completion of the Western Michigan University Physician Assistant Program in September 2011, MAJ Radi branch transferred to the Army Medical Specialist Corps. MAJ Radi went on to complete an orthopaedic surgery Physician Assistant residency program from 2011-2012 and from 2012-2016, MAJ Radi continued to expand his clinical expertise while he served as the lead Physician Assistant for the Chief of orthopaedic trauma surgery at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, IL. Since 2011, MAJ Radi has continued to practice orthopaedic surgery and currently maintains his orthopaedic skills at Tripler Army Medical Center. His other medical specialties include aviation medicine, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) response, and occupational medicine.
MAJ Radi served in multiple PA assignments with the Michigan Army National Guard including the Medical Detachment, HHT (Headquarters & Headquarters Troop) 1st Squadron 126th Cavalry, and HHC (Headquarters & Headquarters Company) 3rd Battalion 238th General Support Aviation Battalion. In 2014, MAJ Radi was attached to the 46th Military Police Company in Latvia during Exercise Winds of Change as part of the Michigan State Partnership Program. In 2016, MAJ Radi deployed in support of Operation SPARTAN SHIELD (OSS) / Operation ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF) with the HHB (Headquarters & Headquarters Battery) 1st Battalion 182nd Field Artillery Regiment. In 2016, MAJ Radi was hired as an Active Guard reserve (AGR) CBRN Responder PA for the 93rd Weapons of Mass Destruction-Civil Support Team (WMD-CST) with the Hawai’i Army National Guard. From 2016-2022, he supported real world responses including Operation Pa’a Mau (2018 Kilauea Volcano Eruption), Operation Leverage Lost (2020 FBI/IRS coordinated crime syndicate bust involving chemical weapons), and COVID-19 Operations. In 2020, MAJ Radi served as the medical OIC (Officer in Charge) assigned to the White House for Task Force CBRN in Washington, DC in during the 59th Presidential Inauguration of Joseph R. Biden.
MAJ Radi’s military education includes AMEDD (Army Medical Department) Basic Officer Leadership Course, AMEDD Captain’s Career Course, US. Army Command and General Staff Officer College (Distinguished Graduate), AMEDD Junior Leaders Course, Mary Lipscomb Hamrick Research Course, Brigade Healthcare Providers Course, Joint Hyperbaric Medical Officer Course, Combat Casualty Care Course, Tactical Combat Medical Care Course, Defense Support to Civil Authorities Course (Distinguished Graduate), and Public Health Emergency Management Course. MAJ Radi holds Additional Skill Identifiers in Orthopaedic Surgery (M1), Aviation Medicine (M3), Air Assault (2B), CBRN Responder (R1) and a Professional Development Skill Identifier of Defense Support of Civil Authorities Specialist (D7A).
MAJ Radi holds a Master’s Degree in the Science of Medicine and a PhD in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences from Western Michigan University. He is residency trained and board certified in orthopaedic surgery as a physician assistant. MAJ Radi has 19 peer reviewed research publications to his credit and serves on the editorial review board for JBJS’s (Journal of Bone and Joint Sciences) Journal of Orthopaedics for Physician Assistants and the Journal of Special Operations Medicine. He holds faculty appointments as an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery at both the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences and University of Hawai’i, John A Burns School of Medicine.
MAJ Radi is the recipient of multiple individual service and leadership distinction awards, including the Chief, Army Medical Specialist Corps Award of Excellence, Army Medical Department Iron Majors Award, National Guard Association of the United States Meritorious Service Award, Hawaii National Guard Association Outstanding Officer Award, U.S. Army Command and General Staff Officer College Order of the Iron Pen, and Order of the Silver Spur.
His federal awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Achievement Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M Device and 10 year device, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon, Expert Field Medical Badge, Flight Surgeon Badge, Air Assault Badge, German Armed Force Proficiency Badge Gold, Excellence in Competition Badge for Pistol.
His state awards include the DC National Guard Presidential Inauguration Support Ribbon, Hawaii National Guard Humanitarian Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Kahili), Hawaii National Guard State Active Duty Ribbon (with 1 Bronze Kahili), Kentucky National Guard Commendation Ribbon, Michigan National Guard Broadsword Service Medal Ribbon, Michigan National Guard OCONUS Service Ribbon (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), Michigan National Guard War on Terrorism Ribbon with M Device, Michigan National Guard State Partnership Ribbon, and the Michigan Governor’s 20 Tab for Pistol.
Acknowledgments: This biography was written by MAJ Joshua Radi and was submitted to the Society in April 2023. Photographs are courtesy of MAJ Radi.
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Disclaimer: The authors’ views do not reflect the official policy of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.
