Cooper University Health Care, already a national leader in combat-readiness training, has been invited to join the Bridging Forces portal. This prestigious national platform, developed by the American College of Surgeons (ACS), is designed to formalize and advance the partnership between military and civilian trauma systems.
The invitation follows a rigorous evaluation of Cooper’s Level I Trauma Center and reflects the health system’s unique role as the primary training ground for elite medical teams from every branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.
The Bridging Forces portal serves as a centralized hub for the nation’s leading health systems to share best practices in life-saving trauma care. By participating, Cooper will collaborate with federal and academic institutions to ensure that both combat medics and civilian surgeons are prepared for “high-kinetic” trauma events—whether they occur in a theater of war or a local emergency.
“Military-civilian partnerships are essential to maintaining trauma readiness,” Dr John Chovanes, founding medical director of Cooper’s Section of Military, Diplomatic, and Field Surgical Affairs and a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve said. “By sharing knowledge between military and civilian teams, we strengthen our ability to deliver lifesaving care in the most challenging circumstances.”
A history of firsts in Camden
Cooper’s inclusion in the ACS portal is the latest in a series of milestones that have made the Camden-based system a cornerstone of national security:
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2019: Cooper became the first hospital in the U.S. to establish the AMCT3 (Army Military-Civilian Trauma Team Training) program.
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Specialized Asset: It is one of only three hospitals nationwide selected for the SMART (Strategic Medical Asset Readiness Training) initiative, providing specialized training to active-duty personnel.
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Universal Trainer: Cooper remains the only hospital in the United States to have trained medical providers from every branch of the military, as well as multiple international and federal agencies.
“Our efforts to foster military-civilian partnerships are strengthened by institutions like Cooper,” Dr. Brian Eastridge, medical director of the ACS partnership, said.
The announcement comes as Cooper continues to expand its footprint and reputation. Recently named one of America’s Best Large Employers for 2026 by Forbes, the $2.4 billion health system serves more than 2.5 million patients annually.
As the only Level I Trauma Center in Southern New Jersey, Cooper’s flagship 663-bed hospital in Camden handles the highest volume of trauma cases in the region. This “high-volume” environment is exactly what makes it an ideal training site for military surgeons who must maintain their skills between deployments.
By joining the Bridging Forces portal, Cooper ensures that the innovations born in the trauma bays of Camden will continue to inform the survival strategies used by American forces across the globe.
