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ALUMNI PROFILE
Daniel S. McNulty, Major, USAF
"Serving on that team has been a very rewarding experience in that, like a lot of other Americans, I was compelled to contribute after seeing the smoke come out of the Pentagon and the loaded F-16s flying over the nation's Capital on September 11, and I feel that I really have. I'm very proud of that!"
| Hometown: |
Johnstown, PA |
| Penn State Class Year: |
1990 |
| Years at Penn State Altoona: |
1986-88 |
| Degree: |
B.S. in Health Policy and Administration |
| Family: |
Wife, Christine, and children, Jacob and Brianna Paige |
As a Penn State Altoona undergraduate scurrying to make his 8 a.m. classes on time in the 1980s, Daniel S. McNulty never imagined the exciting, fast-paced existence that would await him as a globe-trotting officer in the United States Air Force. Fourteen years after completing his last course at the Ivyside Campus, McNulty credits his alma mater for instilling in him the dedication and discipline necessary to climb through the ranks of the Air Force, having earned the rank of major in only nine years. McNulty's latest ascent has taken him to the headquarters of the USAF Surgeon General's Office and our nation's Department of Defense: the Pentagon.
As administrator for the United States Air Force Surgeon General's Tactical Action Team, Major McNulty administers an annual operating budget of $2.3 million and directs 61 military personnel stationed throughout the Air Force Medical Service (AFMS) in support of Air Force Global Health initiatives. Since the terrorist attacks on September 11, McNulty also has assisted in staffing the HQ Air Force Crisis Action Team in the Pentagon. In addition, he serves as a voting member of the AF Medical Service's Global Engagement Panel that is responsible for allocating $3.5 million a year to medical readiness and global deployment initiatives.
McNulty's extensive background in medical readiness and operational experiences made him a perfect candidate to serve on the Crisis Action Team.
"Literally, this Crisis Action Team works in a bunker in the Pentagon where we monitor the war and all Air Force deployments," McNulty explained. "Serving on that team has been a very rewarding experience in that, like a lot of other Americans, I was compelled to contribute after seeing the smoke come out of the Pentagon and the loaded F-16s flying over the Nation's Capital on September 11, and I feel that I really have. I'm very proud of that!"
 The ten members of the Tactical Action Team work directly for the Air Force's Surgeon General and focus on humanitarian/civic assistance, disaster response, and medical global training. McNulty described the team members as "flexible infielders."
"Every corporation has its bureaucracy, and we are a fast-acting team that isn't bound by functional allegiances," McNulty stated. "If there's a new project that needs to be started, we basically get it rolling, institutionalized, and then align it under another function, if appropriate. For example, if the Air Force Surgeon General wants to develop a new program that cuts across the medical, financial, and manpower lines, the Tactical Action Team works on the project instead of having the medical folks do their piece, the finance folks doing their piece, and the manpower folks doing their piece, with another section putting it all together."
Major McNulty was promoted to his current position after serving for two years as Chief of Information Systems Plans and Resources at Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Wilford Hall is the Air Force's largest medical center. McNulty administered a $14.2 million operations budget, managed $2.9 million in information technology maintenance and service contracts, and directed the asset management and allocation planning for 10,000 pieces of information technology equipment valued at $17 million.
From September 1996 until July 1999, McNulty was stationed at Aviano Air Base in Italy with the Sixteenth Air Force which is responsible for U.S. Air Force units and contingency planning throughout NATO's Southern Region, the Balkans, and Northern Africa. As Commander of the 616th Contingency Hospital, McNulty managed the operation of a $13 million, 500-bed contingency hospital at a Middle-East location that included over $11 million of war reserve material. Among his achievements, McNulty developed operational support agreements with the Israeli Defense Forces and the Department of State to secure troop support during a medical activation.
McNulty arrived at Aviano as Director of Medical Plans and Operations, which entailed the management of all medical contingency and peacetime planning for allied forces in the Southern European Region. McNulty performed medical site surveys to several European and African countries to determine the level, scope, and compatibility of different medical care systems, planned and executed two joint-medical humanitarian operations to Benin and Chad, Africa, and coordinated on all aeromedical evacuation procedures for the Balkan region.
McNulty's distinguished military career also includes three-plus years with the Fourth Medical Group in Goldsboro, North Carolina, and two-plus years with the USAF Drug Testing Laboratory in San Antonio, Texas. At Goldsboro, McNulty planned disaster/contingency response exercises with the base and civilian medical communities. As the Administrator of the USAF Drug Testing Laboratory in San Antonio, McNulty implemented the military's first anabolic steroid testing program.
McNulty is board-certified with the American Academy of Medical Administrators and is a member of the American College of Contingency Planners. The Major recently took time from his very hectic schedule to participate in this interview with
Ivy Leaf:
Ivy Leaf: When your military service began, did you have aspirations of one day working in the Pentagon?
McNulty: "No. Literally, I had a plan to do a tour of three years and get out with military experience on my resume for a job on the outside. However, after my first assignment, I got to manage more and was given more responsibility. I liked it and decided to do three more years. Then I had the opportunity to go oversees, and I figured I'd try that out and see Europe. Hence, my Italian experience. My job in Italy was fabulous. I was given the unique opportunity of being the only medical planner in the HQ 16th Air Force, similar to a regional corporate organization. With this job, I was given an opportunity to excel and plan a medical humanitarian exercise to Chad, Africa. This meant that I had to organize more than 80 Army, Air Force, Navy and British medical personnel into a team and deploy into the country. Our team set up village health clinics, gave shots to the children, treated cases you only read about in medical school, conducted emergency evacuation training with the host nation medical staff, and safely deployed everyone home. It was one of the most rewarding times I've had so far in the Air Force. Those types of trips change your perspective on life when you work alongside and see how others live throughout the world.
"We, as Americans, tend to think the world revolves around us and think the people around the world sees things through our eyes. Most of the time, they don't. A case in point: our public health folks said that this elder in this village shouldn't let his goats drink out of his well due to public health concerns—don't get me wrong…they were valid concerns—so we built him a fence around it to "improve his health." We later found out that the owner took the fence down because it meant that now he had more work to do...he had to get water for his goat now, whereas before, the goat drank when it needed to. Interesting and different perspectives. Another rewarding experience was when the medical staff showed me how to give immunizations to the young children. That's a pretty exciting thing for a manager to do. Think about the possibilities of prevention. I gave close to 1,000 immunizations in that one village that trip. If those 1,000 children didn't get yellow fever or meningitis because of what we/I did, what a wonderful contribution to the world that would be.
"After that experience, I was given the opportunity to manage a 500-bed contingency hospital in Israel. It really was a wonderful experience dealing with the local contractors who helped maintain the hospital. It was a wonderful feeling to know that if needed, my facility would be able to help U.S. soldiers immediately without being evacuated to a more definitive care facility. What an amazing opportunity and responsibility the U.S. taxpayer gave me at only 29 years of age."
Ivy Leaf: Has your career taken the path you envisioned as an undergraduate at Penn State?
McNulty: "No...it actually has been exponentially better. I distinctly remember graduating, thinking I'd get a mid-level manager job in a medical facility with aspirations of maybe being a chief operating officer for a medical facility some day. The Air Force has been, and is, an incredible journey. I've been given incredible and exciting assignments, and times of challenge. The Air Force family is like the Penn State family in that it's very close, due to the common experiences. I've been able to live in three different states and two different countries (along with visiting and working in over 11 foreign countries) in only 10 years since I graduated. I'm having a great time seeing the world. The Air Force isn't always joyful though...9/11 is an immediate reminder. I also remember receiving a call from our Department of State representatives at the U.S. Embassy in Israel and my headquarters, notifying me that I'd have to leave the next morning for 30 to 179 days. How do you prepare for that? How do you say good-bye at the airport? How do you pack? My wife and I know that this is the type of life military folks have signed up for, but it still doesn't make it any easier saying good-bye to your family for weeks and months on end. These are the types of challenges that I've had to overcome and I couldn't have done it without my incredible family."
Ivy Leaf: What hobbies or interests provide a relaxing diversion from your work?
McNulty: "Playing with my two wonderful children. It's really amazing to think of the things the USAF Medical Service is doing and what projects I'm able to be a part of. I'm very honored to be a part of that. Supporting global health initiatives and working on the Air Force Crisis Action Team provides an incredible sense of pride and patriotism. It's also pretty heavy to think about on a daily basis, so it's an incredible stress reliever to come home to my two wonderful children, Jacob and Brianna, and sit on the floor and play with them. I also truly enjoy getting pestered by my wife about finishing my Penn State Room in the basement. Penn Staters are truly an incredible breed. It's kind of a shrine thing.
"I also enjoy going to the beach, traveling around the world, and attempting to play golf. I swear I'm going to break 100 this year. Also, I'm a private pilot, so I truly enjoy defeating gravity every chance I get."
Ivy Leaf: What role did Penn State Altoona play in launching your career?
McNulty: "First of all, it forced me to become independent. I truly learned what it was like to fend for yourself, figure out things like time management; i.e. how can I get up at 7:55 and get to the 8:00 a.m. class, etc.? Second, I was able to form incredible friendships that I still have today. I literally keep in contact with a friend I met there, and we try and meet up at least twice a year, regardless of where our jobs take us. And finally, it gave me an incredible educational base for my career. I didn't know it then—after I changed my major two times—but the teaching there is world-class."
Ivy Leaf: Are there any particularly fond memories of Penn State Altoona that you would like to share?
McNulty: "The fact that it was a smaller school, you were able to know almost everyone. That was an incredible advantage when I went to the University Park campus. Once you went to State College, you couldn't walk to a class without knowing someone from Altoona. Also, I'm truly amazed how incredible the Penn State name is. I've been all over Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and have found folks who are either Penn State alumni (some even Altoona) or know someone who has been there. It has done incredible things for my career. For example, my Air Force entrance interview happened to be with a Penn State alumnus, and my first boss was a Penn State alumnus. Talk about having something to break the ice with. I truly treasure my Penn State experience. Go Penn State!"
© 2002 Penn State Altoona; University Relations; Jonathan O'Harrow, Webmaster.
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