Frederick M. "Skip" Burkle, Jr. (born April 29, 1940) is an American physician known for his work in human rights, international diplomacy and peacemaking, humanitarian assistance, and disaster response.
The evaluation, done at the time when little was known about learning disabilities and their co-existence with giftedness, revealed an extremely bright but "lazy" child.
Shy and self-conscious, Burkle intensely disliked school, even though he dreamed of becoming a doctor, inspired by seeing magazine pictures of physicians who saved starving children in Africa's jungle hospitals.
With her support and against his father's wishes, Burkle decided to apply to Saint Michael's College in Colchester, Vermont: "She urged me to plead my case to the High School Academic Dean, a stern gray haired Brother of Holy Cross, to both loan me the application fee and forward a decent recommendation.
He silently pondered the circumstances yet nodded his head and agreed to accept the personal risk despite the potential anger of my Father .
[6] He served at Delta Med hospital at Dong Ha, a few miles south of the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) treating countless casualties and acquiring skills as a combat surgeon.
Attentive to the neutrality of medical personnel, Burkle also treated civilians and enemy combatants and helped manage the bubonic plague epidemic that devastated that area of the country.
[5] As a navy reservist, Burkle was recalled to active duty during the Persian Gulf War of 1990–1991, and deployed to Saudi Arabia.
[10] Just miles from the Kuwait border, this hospital was the largest field medical treatment facility in Marine Corps history.
Several days before the ground war began on February 24, 1991, commanding general of the 2nd Force Service Support Group, Brig.
[18][5] In 1994, Burkle worked with then senator of Hawaii Daniel Inouye to develop a Center of Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance (COEDMHA).
[20] Burkle's vision was to have the CFE serve as a civilian-led research and training institute that would enhance the capacity of the U.S. and foreign militaries to operate effectively in humanitarian assistance missions.
Dr. Burkle hired a highly experienced staff drawn from academia, the United Nations, the medical field, and the U.S. military to fulfill this vision.
Burkle and the staff he hired led numerous research projects and training courses including the Health Emergencies in Large Populations (H.E.L.P.)
[25] In the late 1970s and early 80s, Burkle traveled to China to assist in treating and lecturing on malnutrition and poverty that plagued 83% of the population.