HJF's FY20 Annual Report

Meeting Military Medicine's Needs

Progress Through The Pandemic

Since 1983, the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine has been a vital link—the “connective tissue”—between our military medical research partners and industry. 

When the U.S. Congress authorized our creation, our purpose was to support research and education at the Uniformed Services University and throughout the military. Washington Senator Henry M. Jackson was influential in championing this legislation, and so, following his death, the organization was named in his honor. By providing exceptional scientific, administrative and program management services, we empower military medical researchers to make the medical discoveries our warfighters need. 

Today, thanks to our mission and our workforce, we operate at the intersection of medicine and science. We are uniquely positioned to not only advance military medicine but bring those advancements to the public, through our ecosystem of industry partners, so others may benefit.  

This year, we witnessed again how military medical research advances important scientific work for all. Shortly after the COVID-19 threat was identified, HJF joined its military partners and other medical researchers around the world in the race to find a vaccine and treatments. With significant experience studying HIV, Ebola, anthrax, malaria, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, H1N1 and Zika, HJF is especially well-positioned for studying infectious diseases. As you’ll read in this FY20 Annual Report, HJF, in collaboration with the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, is currently assisting with the development of a vaccine to prevent COVID-19.  

HJF is driven to solve the biggest puzzles and hardest problems by using the resources necessary to support the mission. As we move through the COVID-19 pandemic, we continue to anticipate needs, respond at the pace of change and focus on continually adding value to military medical research. 

184
New Awards in FY20
1295
Active Research Protocols in FY20
2743
Employees Worldwide
43
Patents issued in FY20

HJF Commits to Fighting Racism

As the country erupted in protests and marches this summer following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and other Black people, the issue of systemic racism became the focus throughout the nation this year. With this stimulus, in 2020, HJF took a look at itself, asking tough questions and committing to fight systemic racism and unconscious bias within the organization.  

Led by HJF’s President and CEO, Joseph Caravalho, a series of employee focus groups aimed at gathering candid input from throughout the organization was the first step towards the goal to root out and fight racism within HJF. Joe also started an important conversation with teammates through an internal blog entitled “We Must Do Better,” focused on shared concerns, individual thoughts and proposed actions to combat racism. Follow-on steps of HJF’s action plan to fight racism were further defined after employees offered ideas, including making the focus on Diversity and Inclusion a full-time responsibility, through the establishment of a new position reporting directly to the CEO. 

Continuing to Modernize HJF

This year, HJF continued to modernize its technology for improved efficiency, productivity and customer satisfaction. By implementing new services and technologies such as a new Human Resources Information System (HRIS)as well as a new intranet, HJF created better workflows and improved communication throughout the organization.

While the new intranet, called Compass, provides a one-stop-shop helping employees find tools and items easier, the HRIS rolled out in phases, giving employees access to even more information including organizational charts, improved timesheets, access to online workflows and more.  

Additionally, an HJF COVID-19 task force was convened to develop and communicate HJF’s response, including details on a re-engagement plan which incorporated phases based on CDC and local government recommendations. HJF transitioned to maximal teleworking, enabling many employees to work effectively from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Toughest Mission

Nearly 250,000 service members annually are expected to leave the military in the next five years. Some find it difficult to transition from a highly-structured environment that provides basic living requirements—housing, employment, healthcare and more—to a situation in which they must independently navigate new challenges. This transition can be even more daunting for those suffering from a mental health condition, post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.

To help address this information gap, a five-year study called The Veterans Metric Initiative: Linking Program Components to Post-Military Well-Being (TVMI Study) launched in 2015. The aim: to conduct collaborative, translational metrics-related research designed to improve the well-being of veterans and their families.  

Heroes Honored in 10th Year of Awards

Since 2011, HJF has recognized individuals who have made outstanding contributions in military medicine for our nation’s warfighters, veterans and civilians. Each year they are honored at the Heroes of Military Medicine (HMM) Awards Dinner. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, HJF had to cancel the 10th anniversary of the HMM Awards Dinner.  

While HJF was unable to recognize these individuals in person, we proudly honored three active duty service members, as well as a Hero of Military Medicine Ambassador Award. 

Tech Transfer Team Facilitates COVID-19 Research

The Joint Office of Technology Transfer for the Uniformed Services University and HJF team helps translate innovative research into valuable technologies. Established in 2000, the office was created to advance inventions by HJF and USU researchers, including licensing innovations and discoveries to industry partners for further development. HJF’s technology transfer capabilities ensure that such discoveries, including those focused on COVID-19, extend from military medicine to the civilian world. 

As Director of the Joint Office of Technology Transfer for the Uniformed Services University and HJF, Aoife Cullen has witnessed firsthand many of the collaborative research efforts in the fight against COVID-19. View her video in the link below. 

HJF in FY20

A Message from Joseph Caravalho, Jr., M.D., MG, U.S. Army (Ret.)

President and CEO

Handwriting in blue ink

When this fiscal year began in October 2019, HJF was focused on advancing military medicine through our continued efforts with partners in the Department of Defense, the National Institutes of Health and other organizations, such as Leonardo DRS. We concentrated on research programs that benefit the warfighter, wherever they may be located around the world, knowing that what benefits the warfighter, ultimately benefits civilians as well. 

We were helping the National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health in their “Stop the Bleed” campaign, working with the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Pediatrics department to administer an art therapy program through a partnership with Tracy’s Kids, and celebrating Walter Reed Army Institute of Research’s Military HIV Research Program’s 10th anniversary of the RV144 HIV vaccine study. 

We were focused on continued modernization of our organization—launching new internal systems for Human Resources and Communications as well as delivering new services such as our Information Technology teams’ Authority to Operate offering.  

We made changes by welcoming new leadership as we organized our programs into four customer-driven portfolios. These efforts were made to increase access and efficiency and to better serve our customers. We started to bring our partners closer to us, too, by building out parts of our leased building to accommodate their offices and laboratories—again with the aim at better serving their needs.  

And then, as the winter turned to spring, a new virus that first appeared in one region quickly became a pandemic. It refocused our efforts and moved us into a “warp speed” of response to ensure that what we do best is readily available and accessible for our customers. As we continued, without operational interruption, to advance our work with the important partners mentioned above, we also shifted our expertise to assist them in efforts targeting the coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19. 

This report showcases HJF’s efforts in response to COVID-19 as well as our continued work advancing military medicine—because the work we do for military medicine translates into advances in the civilian world, too. Together, we will combat infectious diseases like COVID-19 and drive results in other areas of military medicine, as we do everything in our power to ensure that military heroes stay as healthy and safe as possible. 

Our Executive Team

Our executive leadership is a diverse team of veterans, physicians, and business professionals dedicated to advancing military medicine. 

Our Council of Directors

Our Council of Directors is committed to supporting HJF. 

HJF Fights COVID-19

 

This global pandemic is taking thousands of lives, and HJF is empowering the fight against coronavirus. Our teammates across the globe are working in labs, conducting research, and supporting scientists researching therapeutics, diagnostics and vaccine development.

Donate to Help HJF Stop COVID-19

Testing, epidemiology, prevention, treatement

Financials FY2020

 

Our mission is to advance military medicine. HJF is proud to report that 98.7 percent of HJF’s expenses go directly to our mission. As a nonprofit organization, federal agencies and a public accounting firm audit HJF regularly.

For a complete copy of the latest financial statement, contact:

Chief Financial Officer
Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine
6720A Rockledge Drive, Suite 100 Bethesda, Maryland, 20817

The financial information expressed here represents unaudited preliminary statements for fiscal year 2020. Take a look at our consolidated statement of activities and consolidated statement of financial position.

Our Financials Funding Sources

Thank You!

While FY20 represented great challenges for many of us, HJF is proud of the continued work of all of our teammates and colleagues around the world. We have been solely focused on advancing military medicine as we are every year, and share our progress with you through this annual report. 

Download Our Full FY20 Annual Report PDF

Download FY20 Annual Report Sections:  

Message from the President
Meeting Military Medicine's Needs
Progress Through the Pandemic
FY20 Financials

Looking for our 2019 Annual Report? Find it here.