The Department of Defense is honored to serve over 63,000 beneficiaries with limb loss. The Defense Health Agency’s Extremity Trauma and Amputation Center of Excellence is leading the way in advancing science and improving patient-centered care.
Health care providers are encouraged to learn about limb loss diagnosis and treatment protocols. Service members, veterans, and family members with limb loss are encouraged to discover tools and resources available.
Since 2001, the Department of Defense has cared for over 63,000 beneficiaries with some level of limb loss, including over 1,700 service members with deployment-related amputations. Of that number, over 400 service members have returned to duty thanks to advancements in military research and a holistic approach to patient care.
The Extremity Trauma and Amputation Center of Excellence continues to facilitate the most advanced care for amputation in the United States. The establishment of three DOD Advanced Rehabilitation Centersgoes to Walter Reed website allows for eligible DOD and Department of Veterans Affairs beneficiaries to receive state-of-the-art treatment and care. These are teams of multidisciplinary providers dedicated to achieving a meaningful quality of life for their patients following amputation or limb dysfunction.
DOD is home to three Advanced Rehabilitation Centers that cares for military beneficiaries of all ages and addresses the complex needs of individuals with severe limb disfunction, including amputation. At the centers, professionals work with beneficiaries and their health care teams to develop optimal care plans.
- Physical medicine and rehabilitation
- Physical, occupational, and recreational therapy
- Orthotics and prosthetics
- Behavioral health
- Surgery (orthopedics, plastic, and urology)
- Nursing
- Pain management
- Dermatology
- Cardiology
- Internal medicine
- Primary care
- Spiritual support
- Nutrition care
- Case management
- Assistive technology
- Biomedical engineering
The Intrepid Battlefield Exoskeleton, called IBEX, is an assistive device designed to stabilize an open tibia fracture and enables independent mobility on the battlefield. The IBEX is lightweight and unfolds out of a rucksack. It fits 95% of service members and will free team members from litter carry duties during mass casualty events.
The IBEX was one of four medical technologies tested and one of two evacuation systems tested during the U.S. Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment held February 2024 at Fort Moore, Georgia. Surveys taken by service members who wore the IBEX showed that the device was considered useful for a combat arms unit.
More information and demonstrations of the IBEX will take place at the 2024 Military Health System Research Symposium.
EACE Calendar of Events
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The Limb Trauma Educational Series is an educational platform for information-sharing from experts to the multi-disciplinary team that treats patients with an extremity trauma. Monthly sessions are aimed to bring new material, case studies, and best practices into the clinical setting in order to provide exceptional care to the limb trauma and limb ...
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Jan 23, 2026
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Jan 23, 2026
The Limb Trauma Educational Series is an educational platform for information-sharing from experts to the multi-disciplinary team that treats patients with an extremity trauma. Monthly sessions are aimed to bring new material, case studies, and best practices into the clinical setting in order to provide exceptional care to the limb trauma and limb ...
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Jan 23, 2026
Knowledge products, training opportunities, and on-demand educational modules for clinicians working in amputation and limb trauma.
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Jan 23, 2026
The Extremity Trauma and Amputation Center of Excellence is the leading advocate for research and treatment of Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) patients with extremity trauma and amputation.
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Jan 26, 2026
This Extremity Trauma and Amputation Center of Excellence virtual training highlights Integration of Outcomes in Clinical Decision Making.
Calendar Event
Jan 23, 2026
This is a calendar event announcing the Extremity Trauma and Amputation Center of Excellence's Federal Advanced Skills Training 2025 virtual event on June 10-12, 2025.
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Jan 23, 2026
The Limb Trauma Educational Series is an educational platform for information-sharing from experts to the multi-disciplinary team that treats patients with an extremity trauma. Monthly sessions are aimed to bring new material, case studies, and best practices into the clinical setting in order to provide exceptional care to the limb trauma and limb ...
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Jun 23, 2025
EACE's Global Health Engagement Division serves to build relationships with applicable national and international entities to maintain clinical readiness, enhance education, develop research partners and support efforts related to traumatic extremity injuries and amputations.
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This page provides knowledge products to include evidence-based clinical protocols, research reviews and associated links for amputation and limb trauma.
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Last Updated: June 26, 2025