Saving Lives, Supporting the Joint Force, Deterring Adversaries: MRDC’s Lodi Discusses Her Vision

Story by Paul Lagasse

Medical Research and Development Command

FORT DETRICK, Md. – Maj. Gen. Paula C. Lodi assumed leadership of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command on July 10. I sat down with Maj. Gen. Lodi to learn about her background and the experience she brings to her new assignment, her thoughts on the importance of relationships for ensuring MRDC’s mission, as well as her goals for MRDC’s future and her advice for becoming a better leader.

Q: What originally attracted you to a career in military medicine? Please tell me about some of the highlights of your career path and how those experiences and people have helped prepare you for serving as the commanding general of MRDC.

Maj. Gen. Lodi: A legacy of service runs in my family. My father, who immigrated to this country from Italy, was a veteran of World War II. Both of my parents were model leaders in the community and stressed public service to me and my four siblings. My older sister Maria also serves in the Army and today she is the commanding general of U.S. Army Cyber Command. I decided at a young age to pursue the military and was fortunate to commission into the Medical Service Corps. I’ve had the privilege of serving in many leadership and command roles at virtually every level. There is no greater honor than to be entrusted with the health, welfare, safety, morale and training readiness of people. The diversity of my assignments has given me a unique perspective on how to integrate military medicine into military operations.

Q: What excites you the most about the opportunity to serve as commanding general of MRDC? Are you arriving with any particular goals that you would like to accomplish during your tenure?

Maj. Gen. Lodi: Throughout my career, I have endeavored to improve every organization I’ve been a part of. I am committed to improving the way the Army operationalizes its medical capabilities in support of the Warfighter and how to guide MRDC’s efforts in support of the Joint Force. MRDC’s mission of enhancing Warfighter readiness is a natural fit with my interests and experience. Another reason I’m excited to lead MRDC is that I value its ability to develop and cultivate relationships of all kinds – with partners in the private sector, with combatant and theater commands, with other military research institutions. Relationships are vital for carrying out missions in a joint environment and as MRDC integrates its talent and capability into the Defense Health Agency, those relationship-building skills are going to be very advantageous for us. I want to help the command continue establishing and growing those vital connections.

Q: What are you most looking forward to learning more about in terms of MRDC’s capabilities?

Maj. Gen. Lodi: Given my operational background, I am very interested in learning more about MRDC’s work related to combat casualty care, such as traumatic brain injury, hemorrhage control, resuscitation techniques and advanced surgical techniques, just to name a few. There is so much important research and innovation being conducted here related to understanding, diagnosing and treating threats to Warfighter health and to getting tools and techniques out into the field to address those threats. Our research is equally important to deterring our adversaries and it is essential that our capabilities keep pace in competition.

Q: Over the course of your career, what changes have you seen in military medicine, both in terms of how it is practiced in the front lines and behind the lines and how it is perceived by leaders, Service Members, support personnel and even the public? Do you see these trends as positive and if so in what ways?

Maj. Gen. Lodi: Military medicine continues to evolve. The extraordinary talent within MRDC and its direct reporting units are fundamental to this evolution. The drive and innovation needed to advance trauma care techniques, introduce telemedicine far forward and develop new prosthetics and rehabilitation techniques that help injured Warfighters return to duty or transition as Soldiers for Life is remarkable. MRDC’s collaboration with industry partners and academia to accelerate the time between concept to capability is also key. I look to leverage the efforts of Army Futures Command to keep military medicine at pace with industry and academia.

Q: How would you characterize your leadership style? In your experience, what are the skills that make for successful leadership and how did you develop those skills over the course of your career? What advice can you offer others for developing successful leadership qualities?

Maj. Gen. Lodi: I am an engaged leader who seeks to understand talent within an organization, then envision the best possible means to accomplish and advance mission accomplishment. Throughout my career, I have tried to hold myself accountable to the people and the mission. I believe that good leaders should model several key characteristics: at the level of the individual, leaders should show empathy and encourage teamwork and collaboration. They should always model service and gratitude. At the institutional level, they should foster a shared strategic vision and a commitment to innovation. Integrity and ethical behavior are also essential characteristics of any leader; you can’t expect people to trust you if they see you behaving in untrustworthy ways. In military medicine, Warfighters must be able to trust that corpsmen, doctors and nurses have their backs when they are wounded and at their most vulnerable.

I developed those skills through both observation of leaders in action and the practice of leading people. Serving as the Chief of the Leader Training Center at the Medical Center of Excellence was a great opportunity for me to put those skills to use training the next generation of leaders.

The desire to improve leadership skills must come from within. I always encourage leaders to seek out opportunities for continuing professional development such as degrees and coursework related to your current assignment as well as the assignments you want to pursue next in your career. Stay on top of developments in military doctrines and technologies, so that people come to you for your expertise and knowledge. Whenever the opportunity presents itself, mentor people and pay it forward. And be open to change. It’s a very dynamic time in military medicine and your ability to assume a position of leadership will depend a lot on your willingness to stay ahead of the curve – technologically, professionally, doctrinally and personally.