Congrats to VCH staff in the Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces Trauma Training Centre (West) would like to extend heartfelt congratulations to Commander Ross Brown, Lieutenant Commander Ed Peramaki, Lieutenant Tracy Johnson, and Captain Dawn Thompson as the recipients of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Commander Ross Brown is a general surgeon and trauma surgeon at VGH and medical director of Trauma Services for British Columbia.
The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal was created in 2012 to mark the 60th Anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the Throne as Queen of Canada. The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal is a tangible way for Canada to honour Her Majesty for her service to this country. At the same time, this commemorative medal serves to honour significant contributions and achievements by Canadians. During the year of celebrations, 60,000 deserving Canadians were recognized.
Commander Ross Brown is a practicing general surgeon and trauma surgeon at Vancouver General Hospital and medical director of Trauma Services for British Columbia. He is a clinical professor, Department of Surgery, UBC. He is also an associate medical director of the Canadian Forces Trauma Training Centre (West), located at the VGH. In Vancouver, he established the CFTTC (W), partnered with VGH Trauma Services, to facilitate trauma training for CF physician assistants, nursing officers and medical officers. Since its inception, many of Canada’s military medical personnel have been trained at VGH and the CFTTC (W) prior to their deployments. In 2010, Dr. Brown was seconded to VANOC to support the Olympic & Paralympic Games; managing the Whistler Polyclinic, which included the Mobile Medical Unit (MMU). In addition to his current clinical, academic, and administrative work, Dr. Brown supports the Provincial Health Services Agency as the Medical Director of the MMU.
In addition to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, Commander Ross Brown was also awarded the Commander’s Commendation for his outstanding accomplishments while overseas in Afghanistan.
Lieutenant Commander Ed Peramaki is a radiologist at VGH.
Lieutenant Commander (LCdr) Ed Peramaki is a radiologist working in the Emergency Room and the Trauma Imaging Section at the Vancouver General Hospital. In addition, Ed is a clinical instructor with the University of British Columbia. LCdr Peramaki received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for his role in establishing Canada’s first National Digital Imaging Archive system (PACS) and for “rebuilding the Canadian Armed Forces radiology cadre”.
Captain Dawn Thompson is a critical care Nursing officer at the Canadian Forces Trauma Training Centre in Vancouver.
Lt (N) Tracy Johnson is a critical care nursing officer employed in the ER and ICU at the Vancouver General Hospital. Tracy began her career in the Reserve Officer Training Corps in 2008 and completed her Basic Nursing Officers Course in Borden, Ontario. On graduation, Tracy was awarded Top Candidate for her overall excellence in the didactic and practical portions of the course. In 2010, Tracy departed Canada and deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, where she received the Commanding Officer’s Coin for her dedicated service and support to the mission. In 2011, Tracy again ventured out of the country aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship, the USNS COMFORT. The USNS COMFORT provided humanitarian civic assistance to the countries of Guatemala, Nicaragua, Columbia, and Ecuador. In 2012, Tracy once more ventured south to Honduras to provide once again humanitarian aid to the civilian population. In recognition for her continuing dedication and support, Tracy was awarded the Commanding Officer’s Coin.
Captain Dawn Thompson is a critical care nursing officer at the Canadian Forces Trauma Training Centre in Vancouver. This Detachment is part of one Canadian Field Hospital in Petawawa, Ontario. Dawn’s career in the military spans over twenty-two years of dedicated service to Queen and Country. Dawn began her career as a Reserve Medical Technician in Thunder Bay in 1991, reaching the rank of MCpl in 1996. In 2000, Dawn commissioned from the ranks and became a Lieutenant in the Army as a Health Care Administrator. In 2002 Dawn’s career again evolved, following her completion of her Bachelor of Science Degree at Lakehead University. Now a Nursing Officer, Dawn has had postings in Ottawa and in Trenton and has been deployed to Afghanistan on two occasions, accumulating over 375 days in theatre. On her most recent deployment, she was also awarded a Commander’s Commendation for outstanding leadership and professionalism. Dawn currently holds the position of Detachment Commander at the CFTTC(W).
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