JTS Bids Goodbye to Long-time Ally and Battlefield Care Expert

The Joint Trauma System is saddened to note the passing of COL (Ret) Warner D (Rocky) Farr, MC, USA. In addition to his many medical leadership roles in the Special Forces community, COL Farr made time to work with the JTS on every aspect of battlefield trauma care. He was a charter member of the Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care and a regular participant in that group's activities for over a decade. COL Farr will be missed greatly by his many friends and colleagues at the JTS.

Doctor and Retired U.S. Army Colonel Warner "Rocky" Dahlgren Farr, M.D., M.P.H., M.S.S. of Tampa, Florida, passed away on November 20, 2024, in the company of his wife, Kathleen Dunn Farr, and his favorite dachshund, Dartle. He was 76 years of age, and is survived by his wife, Doctor and Retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Kathleen Dunn Farr, his sons the Retired U.S. Army Colonel/Honorable (Senior District Judge) David Dahlgren Farr (Betsy) and Retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Timothy Andrew Farr (Cecilia) and grandchildren Megan Elizabeth, Kathryn Marye, and Jack Dahlgren Farr, and Seth Jonathan and Sarah Marie Farr.

Rocky was born May 30, 1948, to Retired U.S. Army Colonel Charles Dahlgren Farr and Marye Elizabeth Harris Farr in Arkansas. He enlisted in the Airborne Infantry on April 23, 1967, and was assigned to the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne). He volunteered for service in Vietnam and was assigned to the Military Assistance Command-Vietnam Studies & Observation Group (MACV-SOG). In 1971 Rocky attended the Defense Language Institute then joined Detachment A, Berlin Brigade. After a tour in Berlin, he returned to the States and became an instructor at the ROTC Detachment, Northeast Louisiana University, where he completed his Bachelor's in Medical Technology. As a Sergeant First Class he taught the 18 Delta course and was ultimately selected for Master Sergeant. In 1979, he was accepted into and attended the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences (USUHS) and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Medical Service Corps. Rocky was the distinguished honor graduate of his Army Flight Surgeon Course, and solo qualified in the TH-55 helicopter. In 1983, he received his Doctor of Medicine and completed residencies and board certifications in aerospace medicine as well as both anatomic and clinical pathology.

Rocky's many decades of Service included the following: Commander, Company F, 3rd Battalion, Academy Brigade, Academy of Health Sciences; Course Director of the Special Operations Medical Sergeant Course; Infantry Team, Readiness Group at Fort Sam Houston advising the 12th Special Forces Group (A); Chief, Army Aviator Evaluation at the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine; Chief, Department of Pathology, Blanchfield Army Community Hospital; Flight Surgeon, 50th Medical Company (Air Ambulance), 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault); Division Surgeon, 10th Mountain Division; Deputy Commander, U.S. Army Aeromedical Center and Lyster Army Hospital; Deputy Chief of Staff, Surgeon, U.S. Army Special Operations Command; Command Surgeon, U.S. Army Special Forces Command and U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command; Command Surgeon of the U.S. Special Operations Command; and Command Surgeon, Special Operations Command Center Command. As a member of the Department of Defense Tactical Combat Casualty Care Committee, he established training requirements for battlefield care and routinely conducted training for deploying medical personnel. He retired from the Army as the third-longest service U.S. Army soldier on May 1, 2013. Rocky's additional education accomplishments include a Masters of Public Health at the University of Texas and a Masters in Strategic Studies from the Air War College. After his military retirement, Rocky taught at the Bradenton, Florida, campus of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine as the Associate Clinical Professor of Anatomic and Clinical Pathology and Associate Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine. He remained active on the Department of Defense Tactical Combat Casualty Care Committee.

Rocky's military awards include the Combat Medical Badge with Star, Expert Infantryman Badge, Army Master Flight Surgeon Wings, Master Parachutist Badge, Pathfinder Badge, Scuba Badge, Special Forces Tab, Defense Superior Service Medial with oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star for Valor with oak leaf cluster, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army MSM with five oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with 2 devices, Joint Service and Army Commendation Medals, Good Conduct Medal with clasp and 4 loops, President, Valorous, Meritorious and Joint Unit Citations, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm and the U.S. Air Force Operational Excellent Unit Citation.

Rocky enjoyed many interests during his lifetime with a major interest in the history of the Civil War and "The Republic of Texas" leaving behind an enormous academic library. He was fluent in numerous languages including German and Farsi and played the bagpipes as a nod to the Farr family's Scottish lineage. He enjoyed many great long Texas evenings by the campfire at the Farr Ranch in Leakey, Texas with his grandchildren and enjoyed "ranching" in the Hill Country. Rocky was instrumental over several decades in mentoring countless Special Forces medical professionals and in setting the stage for improved combat medical effectiveness in both the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters of combat. His legacy is the development of a long line of medical professionals, both military (officer and non-commissioned officer) and civilian and his significant impact on helping saving the lives of his fellow Soldiers in multiple combat zones. The World will miss his ability to lead from the front; his willingness to assist with almost anything you asked of him; and his calm and direct ability to manage most any challenge.

Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care (CoTCCC) and Prolonged Casualty Care (PCC) Working Group Consensus Statement

JTS tackles the topic of PCC considerations after TCCC intervention in a statement released in April.

The PCC Guidelines are the standard of care for developing and sustaining Department of Defense (DoD) programs required to enhance confidence, interoperability, and common trust among all PCC adept personnel, but first, Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC)¹ and how it relates to PCC. TCCC serves as the DoD standard of care for non-medical and medical first responders.² The concepts outlined within the TCCC guidelines are prerequisite to developing and implementing capable PCC programs. TCCC provides a "principles based" approach to casualty management that is applicable to trauma and disease non-battle injury patients.

Read more.

TCCC Education Materials at DeployedMedicine.com

You can access all of the most up-to-date TCCC education materials at www.deployedmedicine.com/tccc. Deployed Medicine is joint DOD-sponsored partnership of the Defense Health Agency and the Joint Trauma System to trial new and innovative learning models aimed at improving readiness and performance of deployed military medical personnel. The intent is to deliver personalized, dynamic learning using the most current and accessible technology, enabling a self-directed and continuous study of medical best practices and lessons learned.

TCCC goes MOBILE

Official and up-to-date TCCC material is available through the mobile application "Deployed Medicine". You can download DM using your mobile device's app store and is available for iOS, Android, and Google platforms.

TCCC Podcast

Listen to TCCC updates on the TCCC and Combat Casualty Care Podcast. Available in most podcast stores and applications including iTunes.

You can also listen to the podcasts on the Podcast channel of the Deployed Medicine app and website.

Follow TCCC on Social Media

Follow Tactical Combat Casualty Care and the CoTCCC on our official social media channels: