A history of service
Charles Copeland
Trine University - College of Health Professions
B.S, engineering, Purdue University; B.S., M.S., physician assistant program, University
of Nebraska
260.702.8017 | email
At age 17, I started my first career in service to the Army National Guard. Currently, I am assigned as a Flight Physician Assistant (PA), providing health care and flight physicals to the 638th Aviation in Lafayette, Indiana, with the Indiana Army National Guard. My military career includes three combat deployments to the Middle East; the most recent deployment to Iraq and Kuwait was in 2019, lasting for nine months. Over my 31-year career, I have also attended many military leadership academies and schools, including the most recent in 2018 for the Army flight surgeons course at Fort Rucker, Alabama. My awards and decorations include a Bronze Star, Army Commendation medal, Army Achievement medal and Ranger tab.
My educational background includes a bachelor's in engineering from Purdue, and I worked in that field for 13 years. After completing my first deployment to the Middle East and learning about military physician assistants, I began the process of preparing for a career as a military PA. Graduating with another bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Nebraska, I started my career as a physician assistant (PA).
In my nine years of medical practice, including military and civilians alike, I served in the specialties of urgent care, cardiology and pain management.
Socially my wife and I are avid cyclist. We enjoy family game nights and movies, and I am a fan of sports cars and motorcycle touring.
My family and I remain active in support of veteran-related issues and participate in events and fundraising activates for local veterans' charities through our efforts with the combat veterans motorcycle association, where we have raised thousands of dollars in support of “Clothes for Joe’s,” “Shepherds House Fort Wayne” and the veterans' memorial shrine in Fort Wayne, Indiana.