[www.hjf.org](www.hjf.org) ************************************************************************************* The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. (HJF) answers the needs of the military medical community by offering a full range of services, including proposal development, research and program support, and administrative services. HJF serves as a link between military researchers and the private medical sector. It supports research and education at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) in Bethesda, Maryland, and throughout the military medical community. By shouldering as much of the administrative burden as its clients require, HJF helps researchers and clinicians maintain their scientific focus. The Foundation is named in honor of the late United States Senator Henry M. “Scoop” Jackson (D-Wash.), who sponsored the legislation that led to its founding. HJF is headquartered in Bethesda. Its employees work in 28 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, Germany, Japan, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, and Mozambique. HJF has supported overseas research programs for more than 20 years. The organization’s revenues reached $414 million in fiscal 2014. HJF has approximately 2,450 employees, nearly 90 percent of whom work side-by-side with military medical researchers in the field. HJF has about 250 open positions that cover a wide range of research support positions. Many are scientific in nature, but others are in management, administration, and information technology. ******************************************************************************* A VETERAN AND A LEADER John W. Lowe is the president and CEO of HJF, and a retired colonel in the United States Army. He started working for HJF in 1988, and became president and CEO in 1990. He was previously a program director, and he started the HIV (AIDS) Research Program. As an Army lieutenant, Lowe served in the 7th Infantry Division in Korea and as a medical-evacuation helicopter pilot in the United States and Germany. He later served as the executive officer to the Army surgeon general; and, from 1980 to 1983, he commanded the 44th Medical Brigade based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. His last active-duty assignment was chief of staff of the 7th Medical Command, U.S. Army Europe. He retired after 31 years of service. Because of Lowe’s military experience, he understands very well how valuable veterans can be. “We believe veterans offer a unique combination of skills, knowledge, and commitment to service that helps ensure the success of HJF and our clients,” he said. Veterans are already a significant part of the HJF work force, and the organization is looking to increase that impact. “Last year, we conducted a survey of our employees, asking them about their veteran status,” said Lowe. “This was a voluntary survey. Approximately 7 percent of our employees voluntarily identified themselves as veterans.” There are many reasons HJF would like to increase the number of veterans in the organization. “While veterans have discipline and experience in command-and-control structures, we find that the military's emphasis on leadership, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills results in a confident employee that brings integrity and a unique perspective on teamwork to HJF,” he said. A background of working well on teams is also valuable. “Veterans bring a knowledge of the military and many skills gained during their military service to HJF,” said Lowe. “They understand the importance of planning and executing those plans. They treasure teamwork, and that is incredibly important in serving our clients. None of us can do it alone. We need to work together.” The objective at HJF should appeal strongly to veterans. “Our mission to advance military medicine is at the heart of all we do,” said Lowe. “Our veterans understand this commitment to mission, and their commitment inspires us all.” The organization targets veterans when positions are open. “We have great success in hiring veterans,” said Lowe. “These employees are putting their experience and skills to work in an atmosphere of mission commitment and work excellence.” HJF also likes to hire military spouses. “We make special efforts to hire veterans by participating in many veteran recruitment events, especially in the Washington, D.C., area, where the majority of our employees work,” said Lowe. “We are also a partner in the Military Spouse Employment Partnership, and are committed to recruiting, hiring, promoting, and retaining military spouses in portable careers.” Support for veterans goes beyond the organization’s walls. “HJF is a member of the Montgomery County Veterans Collaborative,” said Lowe. “The organization includes dozens of veteran groups in Maryland who work together to serve all veterans with job, health, and financial support.” Lowe believes that veterans will want to work for an organization that directly supports the military. “Our focus on advancing military medical research makes HJF a natural fit for individuals who have benefitted directly from the scientific work we support,” he said. “We are honored to welcome America’s veterans to our employee team.”