Personal profile
Biography
Captain Armstrong is a native of Birmingham, Michigan and was raised in Clearwater,
Florida. He graduated from Emory University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology in
1985 and subsequently was awarded a Master of Science in Public Health in 1988 at the
University of South Florida. In 1996, he graduated medical school from Des Moines
University and was promoted to Lieutenant, Medical Corps.
Prior to entering the United States Navy Captain Armstrong worked at the University of
South Florida as a data analyst investigating epidemiological factors associated with lung
cancer in non-smoking women (1988-1992). During his second year of medical school
Captain Armstrong joined the US Navy after being awarded a scholarship through the
Health Professional Scholarship Program. His first duty assignment was the Internal
Medicine residency program at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth where he served until
1999. After completion of residency he entered Infectious Disease Fellowship training at
the National Naval Medical Center/ Walter Reed, Washington D.C.
In 2001 he reported to Naval Medical Center Portsmouth where he served as a staff
Infectious Diseases physician. In 2004, he became the head of the Infectious Diseases
Department. During his time at NMCP he also served as the Associate Program Director
for Internal Medicine in 2004. In 2005, he had the opportunity to serve as the Program
head for the Clinical Trails and Military Studies Program at Naval Medical Research Unit
Number Three, Cairo Egypt. His program had clinical and epidemiological studies
throughout Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean Region and CENTCOM. During his tenure
he also served as the Tropical Medicine Course Coordinator. In 2008, he was promoted
to the head of the Navy Central HIV program located at National Naval Medical Center
Bethesda Maryland where his program administratively handled all HIV testing for the
Department of the Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard. In 2010, he was assigned as the
Senior Medical Officer to a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan under ISAF,
where he helped to develop health infrastructure. Upon his return from deployment, his
program was realigned under the Navy Marine Corps Public Health Center and he
became the first Officer in Charge of the newly created Navy Bloodborne Infection
Management Center, Bethesda Maryland in 2011.
Captain Armstrong’s awards include the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medial (2),
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement
Medal, and Army Achievement Medal in addition to various unit and campaign awards.
Captain Armstrong is also a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and serves as
an Associate Professor of Medicine with the Uniformed Services University of the Health
Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland.
Research interests
- Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases in Military and Deployed Settings
- Global Health Security and Disease Surveillance in Conflict Zones
- HIV Prevention and Management in Military Populations
- Tropical Medicine and Emerging Infectious Diseases in the Middle East and Africa
- Military Medical Research and Clinical Trials for Infectious Disease Control
- The Role of Military Medicine in Global Health Diplomacy
- Public Health Infrastructure Development in Post-Conflict Regions
- Preventive Medicine Strategies for Military Personnel in High-Risk Environments
- Operational Medicine and Force Readiness in Infectious Disease Outbreaks
- Technology and Innovation in Disease Surveillance and Management for Armed Forces
Education/Academic qualification
Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences, DO, Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy
Emory University, Bachelor, Bachelor of Science (BS), Biology, General
University of South Florida, Master, Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH), Epidemiology
Keywords
- R Medicine (General)
- Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases in Military and Deployed Settings
- Global Health Security and Disease Surveillance in Conflict Zones
- HIV Prevention and Management in Military Populations
- Tropical Medicine and Emerging Infectious Diseases in the Middle East and Africa
- Military Medical Research and Clinical Trials for Infectious Disease Control
- The Role of Military Medicine in Global Health Diplomacy
- Public Health Infrastructure Development in Post-Conflict Regions
- Preventive Medicine Strategies for Military Personnel in High-Risk Environments
- Operational Medicine and Force Readiness in Infectious Disease Outbreaks
- Technology and Innovation in Disease Surveillance and Management for Armed Forces
Fingerprint
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Hepatitis B seroprevalence in the U.S. military and its impact on potential screening strategies
Scott, P. T., Cohen, R. L., Brett-Major, D. M., Hakre, S., Malia, J. A., Okulicz, J. F., Beckett, C. G., Blaylock, J. M., Forgione, M. A., Harrison, S. A., Murray, C. K., Rentas, F. J., Fahie, R. L., Armstrong, A. W., Hayat, A. M., Pacha, L. A., Dawson, P., Blackwell, B., Eick-Cost, A. A., Maktabi, H. H., & 4 others, 1 Sep 2020, In: Military Medicine. 185, 9-10, p. E1654-E1661Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access3 Scopus citations -
Next-generation sequencing of HIV-1 single genome amplicons
Kijak, G. H., Sanders-Buell, E., Pham, P., Harbolick, E. A., Oropeza, C., O'Sullivan, A. M., Bose, M., Beckett, C. G., Milazzo, M., Robb, M. L., Peel, S. A., Scott, P. T., Michael, N. L., Armstrong, A. W., Kim, J. H., Brett-Major, D. M. & Tovanabutra, S., Mar 2019, In: Biomolecular Detection and Quantification. 17, 100080.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access10 Scopus citations -
Costs and consequences: Hepatitis C seroprevalence in the military and its impact on potential screening strategies
Brett-Major, D. M., Frick, K. D., Malia, J. A., Hakre, S., Okulicz, J. F., Beckett, C. G., Jagodinski, L. L., Forgione, M. A., Gould, P. L., Harrison, S. A., Murray, C. K., Rentas, F. J., Armstrong, A. W., Hayat, A. M., Pacha, L. A., Dawson, P., Eick-Cost, A. A., Maktabi, H. H., Michael, N. L., Cersovsky, S. B., & 2 others, 1 Feb 2016, In: Hepatology. 63, 2, p. 398-407 10 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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D-dimer levels before HIV seroconversion remain elevated even after viral suppression and are associated with an increased risk of non-AIDS events
Freiberg, M. S., Bebu, I., Tracy, R., So-Armah, K., Okulicz, J., Ganesan, A., Armstrong, A., O'Bryan, T., Rimland, D., Justice, A. C. & Agan, B. K., Apr 2016, In: PLoS ONE. 11, 4, e0152588.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access49 Scopus citations -
Perceived risk of watery diarrhea and dysentery and intended compliance with chemoprophylaxis among a deployed military population
Porter, C. K., Felicione, K., Tribble, D. R., Armstrong, A. W., Mostafa, M. & Riddle, M. S., 2015, In: Tropical Diseases, Travel Medicine and Vaccines. 1, 1, 7.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access2 Scopus citations
Press/Media
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Sgt. Michael Verardo honored at military funeral in NC: a hero who never stopped standing for the flag
3/09/25
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Naval Medical Research Unit - San Antonio Gets New Commanding Officer
27/05/21
1 item of Media coverage
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