Frederick Downs, Jr., retired from the Veterans Administration as the Senior Executive Service VHA Chief Procurement and Logistics Officer. This included Contracting, Materiel Management, Program Management Office, Data Management and the Medical/Surgical Standardization Program. He had also served asthe National Director of the Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service for the Veterans Health Administration. He managed a nationwide 2 billion dollar Prosthetics and Sensory Aids Program that furnished assistive aids and services to over 2 million veterans with disabilities.In addition to his VA duties Mr. Downs worked on special assignments for the Department of Defense (DoD) and the State Department Agency for International Development (AID) to develop prosthetic projects in areas of civil conflict in Mexico, Egypt, El Salvador, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. From 1987 to 1992, he was a key member of the humanitarian team established by General John W. Vessey, Jr. Presidential Envoy to Vietnam on POW/MIA Affairs. Mr. Downs is a decorated Vietnam Veteran who served in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1969. Severely wounded in combat, he lost his left arm above the elbow. He was decorated with the Silver Star, Bronze Star with “V” device for Valor, the Vietnam Gold Cross of Gallantry, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, and four Purple Hearts. Other awards included induction into the Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame at Fort Benning Infantry School; In 1994, Recipient of the Citation of a Layman for Distinguished Service, the highest award the American Medical Association bestows on a non-physician; University of Denver Alumni of the Year Award; Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive in the Senior Executive Service; President Bush Points of Light Awardee. Mr. Downs is the author of three critically acclaimed books: The Killing Zone: My Life in the Vietnam War: Aftermath: A Soldier’s Return from Vietnam: and No Longer Enemies, Not Yet Friends.