Brigadier General (Dr.) Craig A. Manifold, USAF (RET) (BVT), 57, died suddenly on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020, due to natural causes in his Helotes home.
Visitation will be held Tuesday, September 29, at 3 p.m., with a service of memories following at 5 p.m. at Porter Loring North, in San Antonio, TX. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 1 p.m. at Community Bible Church in San Antonio, TX. Porter Loring Mortuary North in San Antonio, TX, is assisting the family.
Mr. Manifold was born to the late H. Hughes and J. Sylvania (Hersey) Manifold in Stewartstown, PA. He married Denise L. Moore, and she survives.
His family was his first love, but his professional career, and its impact upon people and emergency medicine across the nation and world, is remarkable for its breadth and depth.
A recognized leader and expert in pre-hospital and emergency medical services with more than three decades of experience, at various points he worked as an EMT (beginning at 14 years of age), military medic, aeromedical technician, emergency medicine physician, EMS physician, medical director, flight surgeon, educator, researcher, product developer, medico-legal consultant and chief medical officer. He constantly juggled multiple responsibilities at once.
He began his career as a volunteer firefighter/EMT in Stewartstown, PA, and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force as a medic at age 18. There, he became an aeromedical evacuation technician/flight instructor. He later completed his undergraduate degree and ROTC commissioning via Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, graduating with a BA in physiology and minor in chemistry. He later graduated from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his emergency medicine residency at San Antonio’s Wilford Hall Medical Center.
Over the years, he held increasingly significant posts, serving as USAF associate residency director at WHMC, EMS initial education director, Chief of Professional Services, Medical Group Commander, and Chief of Service for numerous emergency departments. He concluded his military career as Joint Surgeon (senior physician) for the Texas National Guard.
During his years of service, he deployed in numerous combat operations including Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. He deployed and supported multiple special operations missions and conventional deployments including: Southern Watch, Noble Eagle and Urgent Fury.
He was the first emergency physician to be appointed team leader for the USAF Mobile Field Surgical Team and was an integral member of the development teams for the Critical Air Transport teams, SPEARR and EMEDs. Additionally, he authored the USAF’s first official Concept of Operations manual for the Mobile Field Surgical Team.
In 2003, he transitioned to the Texas National Guard, where an affinity and expertise in disaster response blossomed. He served the senior Texas National Guard physician on many deployments, including Hurricane Katrina. As the Chief of Flight Medicine and Deputy Commander of the deployed medical teams, he led the evacuation of 5,000 civilians from the New Orleans Morial Convention Center. He also responded to hurricanes Gustav, Rita and Ike. In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, he led the National Guard medical response in entirety as the Joint Surgeon, Texas Military deployment, in charge of all the National Guard medical response teams from Texas, Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma, North Carolina, and Delaware. It was a massive response with Manifold leading the way to support the evacuation and recovery of the Texas coast.
His civilian experiences were equally expansive, including active involvement and engagement of prehospital care at the local, state, national and international level. He was a noted researcher with multiple peer-reviewed publications regarding emergency medicine and prehospital care. In DC, he lobbied for emergency medicine and participated in Congressional Committee meetings on behalf of emergency medicine.
At the time of his death, he served as EMS medical director for multiple ground, air, law enforcement, fire based, private, critical care and US governmental agencies. The Texas Governor’s EMS and Trauma Advisory Committee Medical Director committee and Texas Preparedness Council also benefited from Dr. Manifold’s expertise and involvement. He was a current member and former chair of the American College of Emergency Physicians EMS committee, Medical Director of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, the nation’s largest EMS provider organization, and board member of the National Registry of EMTs, the nation’s certifying body for pre-hospital professionals. He also served as a leader of the Eagles, a consortium of the world’s largest EMS systems’ medical directors - most recently participating in worldwide meetings comparing cases and management of COVID-19 cases in the pre-hospital and hospital arenas.
His vision and experience shaped patient and provider safety, education, certification, requirements for initial and continuing certifications, current clinical issues and guideline development. He testified before Congress and was integral in seeing the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017 into federal law.
Although he was the recipient of many awards - including the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation, US Army, and US Air Force Commendation medals, Texas Superiors Service Medal, MAJCOM Flight Surgeon of the Year Award, NAEMT Presidential Leadership Award, Michael Copass EMS Leadership Award and multiple Command awards for exemplary service, including the Humanitarian Service Medal, it was his compassionate humanity and humble servant leadership that will be missed most of all by those who love and admire him. His friends and family will remember the one question he always asked, “Is there anything I can do for you?”
In addition to his wife of 31 years, he is survived by his children, Hanna Moore Manifold Cappadonna and her husband, Barrett; Della Caroline Manifold-Stolle, her husband, Steven, and his son, Caleb Andrew Manifold. At the time of his passing, he was joyfully anticipating the arrival of his first grandchild in May 2021, a tiny Manifold Cappadonna. Additional survivors include his brother, Ray Manifold and wife, Jean, of Stewartstown, PA; his sister Kay Estepp and her late husband Larry, of York; his sister-in-law Linda Manifold; three nieces, Malinda, Katrina, and Laura; three nephews, Chad, Aaron and Josh; and 20 great-nieces and great- nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother Gary Manifold.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that gifts be made to continue his legacy within the first-responder community. Contributions may be made via check to “District 7 Fire and Rescue” with “Dr. Craig Manifold Scholarship Fund” in the subject line and sent to Broadway National Bank, P.O. Box 17001, San Antonio, TX 78217. Donations may also be made to the 100 Club to support First Responders in their time of need, https://www.100clubsa.org/donate/.
Online condolences may be left at www.porterloring.com. Friends and family may also leave condolences at www.houghfuneralhome.com or contact Hough Funeral Homes, Ltd for assistance locally.
