John Feagin was an artillery officer in the 82nd Airborne Division for two years before becoming the first active duty Army officer to attend medical school. He subsequently served as a surgeon in Vietnam and at West Point. Following his retirement from the Army, Feagin held a number of leadership positions in the medical field, earning a reputation as an influential pioneer in orthopedics and sports medicine. In 2004, he received the U.S. Military Academy Distinguished Graduate Award.