Group Recognizes 2011 Oklahoma Veteran of the Year

May 9, 2011 - PRLog -- OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Veterans Committee of the Oklahoma Democratic Party has announced that Dr. Katherine Scheirman, MD (Colonel, USAF, Retired), has been selected as the 2011 Oklahoma Veteran of the Year. The committee is one of the state Democratic party’s four federations and has two delegates to the state party convention, which is being held on May 14 in Oklahoma City.

“As fellow veterans, we greatly appreciate and respect the service that Katherine has given over her military career and since retiring,” said Isaac M. O’Bannon, president of the Oklahoma Democratic Party Veterans Committee. “She has devoted her entire life toward caring for veterans and active troops, as well as helping to ensure the protection of veterans benefits, and it is our honor to recognize her as the 2011 Oklahoma Veteran of the Year.”

Dr. Scheirman spent more than 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, attaining the rank of Colonel and serving as Chief of Medical Operations for U.S. Air Forces in Europe at Remstein Air Base, Germany during the height of the Iraq War. During this final post of her career, she oversaw more than 700 medical personnel and 11 junior chiefs of medical staff, and oversaw medical operations for 10 hospitals and clinics, as well as the Air Force squadron at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.

Prior to Ramstein, Dr. Scheirman served as Chief of Medical Staff at the Tinker Air Force Base hospital from 1994 to 1997, and coordinated the military medical response to the bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building. She also served as commander of the Air Force hospital at Warner Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, and led medical teams to El Salvador and the Ukraine, and provided medical support to the NASA Space Shuttle program.

Since she retired in 2006, Dr. Scheirman has been an outspoken advocate for the health and well-being of veterans, active service members and their families. She currently serves as treasurer for the Oklahoma Democratic Party Veterans Committee, is on the board of directors for the Oklahoma chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America, is on the Council of Fellows of the American College of Physician Executives, and is a senior advisor to http://www.VoteVets.org.

After growing up in Oklahoma and Texas, Dr. Scheirman earned her BA from Michigan State University, her MD from the University of Oklahoma, and her MHA from Baylor University. She is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Medical Management.

More information on the Oklahoma Democratic Party Veterans Committee is available at http://www.OKDemocrats.org/ODPVC.