Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, BETHESDA, MD  –   Walter Reed National Military Medical Center has launched the Rapid Assessment Program for Tactical Operational Readiness (RAPTOR), a new multidisciplinary diagnostic initiative designed to provide comprehensive evaluations for active duty service members, with a particular focus on rapid return-to-duty cases.

The RAPTOR program brings together a full team of expert medical and surgical clinicians to deliver individualized assessments using a whole-body, systems-based approach. Designed for speed and precision, RAPTOR provides diagnostic clarity through targeted testing and specialty consultations, compressing a process that typically takes months into days or weeks.

“Specialty programs across the country have risen to meet the needs of our service members, but many face lengthy waitlists,” said Andrew Kocsis, SOCOM Advisor to Walter Reed. “The RAPTOR program overcomes these barriers with prioritized access and coordinated, interdisciplinary care.”

“As we deepened our alliance with the Special Operations community, we realized that they needed a tailored, early intervention outpatient program that would avert the need for inpatient care,” said U.S. Navy Capt. Melissa C. Austin, Director of Walter Reed. “RAPTOR does exactly that, increasing the lethality of the fighting force by returning them to the fight as quickly as possible.”

RAPTOR supports U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) personnel and other active-duty beneficiaries whose operational roles require rapid medical resolution and return to mission. Walter Reed clinicians work closely with referring providers and unit leadership to deliver timely, actionable clinical plans while maintaining confidentiality and professionalism.

“This is about readiness,” said Dr. David Williamson, Medical Director of the Inpatient Brain Injury/Neuropsychiatry Program. “Our mission is to provide the highest quality care to the warfighter and return them to duty when appropriate.”

The program uses the full spectrum of diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities at Walter Reed, including advanced pain management and interventional psychiatry tools such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and emerging pharmacologic treatments for PTSD, depression, and pain.

RAPTOR also includes a partnership with neurorehabilitation experts at Johns Hopkins Hospital, expanding access to advanced diagnostics and broadening care options.

Leveraging the Department of Defense’s integrated medical records system, RAPTOR clinicians remain involved in the long-term care trajectory, supporting patients and unit medical teams through repeat consultation and follow-up.

With the launch of RAPTOR, Walter Reed strengthens its role as a global leader in military medicine and operational readiness, offering mission-focused care to those serving at the forefront of national defense.