For MEMA physician Dr. Dan Martinie, service extends far beyond the emergency department. In addition to caring for patients across the Charlotte region, Martinie serves as State Air Surgeon for the North Carolina Air National Guard, helping oversee medical readiness initiatives, operational planning, and international partnerships. Over the course of his military career, he has supported disaster response efforts, overseas deployments, and multinational training exercises focused on strengthening healthcare systems and emergency preparedness around the world.
Dr. Martinie’s path into military medicine began while attending Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine through the Health Professions Scholarship Program. After completing his active-duty commitment, he joined the Air National Guard in 2005, where he has served for more than 30 years. Today, he is State Air Surgeon, the senior medical officer for the North Carolina Air National Guard.
Throughout his military career, Martinie has supported numerous operations and deployments, including Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Hurricane Katrina response efforts, and IRT Arctic Care. He has also accumulated more than 440 flight hours as an aircrew member across multiple aircraft platforms.
One of Martinie’s areas of focus is the National Guard’s State Partnership Program. North Carolina currently maintains partnerships with Moldova, Botswana, Zambia, and Malawi, creating opportunities for military medical teams to learn from one another, exchange best practices, and strengthen readiness across borders.
“These partnerships are built around collaboration and shared learning,” Martinie explains. “We train together, exchange knowledge, and help strengthen medical readiness.”
That collaboration takes many forms, from training medics and improving aeromedical evacuation capabilities to coordinating patient movement operations and sharing emergency response strategies. Martinie is currently preparing for Southern Accord, a multinational military exercise that will take place in Botswana this August. The exercise brings together the United States and several African partner nations to strengthen cooperation and enhance operational readiness.
Martinie believes the skills developed through military service translate naturally to emergency medicine.
“Emergency medicine and military medicine complement each other very well,” he says.
Throughout his military career, he has worked in environments that demand decisive leadership, effective teamwork, and the ability to remain calm under pressure. Those experiences continue to influence his work as a MEMA physician, shaping the way he approaches patient care, collaborates with colleagues, and responds to the challenges that are part of emergency medicine.
MEMA is grateful for Dr. Martinie’s continued service to both his patients and his country. The experience, perspective, and leadership he brings to our organization strengthen the care we provide to the communities we serve every day.