Colonel Johnny West excelled as an aviator, commander and a senior staff officer making significant and long-lasting contributions to our DUSTOFF community, the Army Medical Department and the United States Army. As the director of MEDEVAC Proponency, he initialed and directed the fielding of the first UH60Q and oversaw its field testing at Fort Hood, Texas. Under his command the 421st Evacuation Battalion won the ELLIS D PARKER award for the best Combat Support Battalion in the Army two years in a row. COL West self-deployed a medical task force of UH60’s, crews and additional medical personnel from Wiesbaden Germany into the high remote mountains of Albania in 1994 to provide critical medical and dental care and treatment. After his selection as Commander, 1st Medical Brigade, The Army Surgeon General selected COL West as the MEDEVAC Consultant to Army Surgeon General. He has served the DUSTOFF Association with countless hours of support and to this day can be found accomplishing important tasks for the association. In every command and leadership position he exemplified the highest degree of professionalism and dedication and has left a lasting positive impact on the DUSTOFF legacy. Johnny West was inducted into the DUSTOFF Hall of Fame on 1 May 2025.
