Dr. Andy Baldwin

TV Star, Navy Doctor, Humanitarian of the Year

 

U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Andrew Baldwin, M.D. is a Physician, Humanitarian, and Navy Diver at the Navy's Bureau of Medicine and Surgery in Washington , D.C. where he serves as a spokesman and advocate for Navy medicine.

 

Baldwin is an Ironman Triathlete and a notable national health and fitness specialist.  Highly regarded as a speaker on health, wellness and motivating youth, Dr. Baldwin has had many highly publicized projects just this past year.  Among these, he assisted the acting U.S. Surgeon General with the initiative "Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future" - a National program combating childhood overweight and obesity.  Furthermore, Dr. Baldwin has provided expert testimony before a U.S. Senate Committee panel regarding youth wellness and prevention through healthy behavior along side Former Governor Mike Huckabee.  Additionally, he delivered a keynote speech to the American College of Cardiology’s executive leadership board related to the importance of communicating with today’s young patients.  Baldwin motivated over 3,000 youth during the Global Youth Rally at the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Idaho .  And October 2009 marked the official 3^rd Annual Dr. Andy Baldwin Youth Fitness day in Honolulu .

 

Among his numerous acknowledgements, Dr. Baldwin has been honored on the “ Washington D.C. Most Influential People under 40” list in 2009, with the prestigious Daughters of the American Revolution’s  Medal of Honor in 2009,  and with Outside Magazine's “Top 100 Influential People of the World” list in 2006 for the humanitarian work he did in Laos on a military mission where he treated over 600 Laotians in remote villages.

 

Baldwin has been featured in numerous media outlets including Men’s Health Magazine, GQ Magazine, Runners World, and Triathlete. His television appearances are extensive including interviews on Good Morning America, The View, and FOX News as well as a special guest appearance on ABC’s Extreme Makeover Home Edition. Dr. Baldwin was also the star of the ABC hit television show, “The Bachelor: Officer and a Gentleman”.

 

Andy Baldwin was born is Lancaster, Pennsylvania where he was Valedictorian of his high school class, an All-American swimmer, and was the ESPN national scholar/athlete of the year in 1995. After receiving a full Navy ROTC scholarship to Duke University, he chose to attend the prestigious school and pursue a pre-med curriculum. Baldwin swam as a varsity athlete throughout his undergraduate career and graduated with honors as a student-athlete in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and was commissioned into the United States Navy. Baldwin pursued his dream of becoming a physician, by enrolling and completing medical school at the University of California - San Francisco School of Medicine. After graduating in 2003, Baldwin completed a year internship in General Surgery at Naval Medical Center San Diego, and went on to serve his operational duty in the Navy as an Undersea Medical Officer.

 

He completed Navy Dive School and Undersea medical training and spent a three-year tour in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii with Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit ONE. While stationed in Hawaii, Dr. Baldwin deployed to the Philippines, Thailand, Laos, Singapore, Cambodia, and the Republic of Palau on various diving, recovery and humanitarian missions.

 

Upon moving to California, Baldwin took up cycling, and with his past running and swimming prowess was able to put them all together in a sport new to him - triathlon. He completed his first triathlon in 2001 with Team in Training, combining sport and charity for the first time, and finished atop the podium. He was hooked. Baldwin achieved his childhood dream in 2002 when he qualified for and completed the Ironman Triathlon World Championships in Hawaii. Baldwin has since been named to the All-Navy Triathlon Team five times, been a three time U.S.A. Triathlon All-American, and competed internationally in numerous Half-Ironman and Ironman events. He is an eight-time Ironman finisher, and believes firmly in the motto "Anything is Possible!"

 

While serving as a Navy doctor, he remains active in his athletic and charitable pursuits. Baldwin is founder of the "Got Your Back Network" (www.GotYourBackNetwork.org), a nonprofit organization that raises money to support families of fallen soldiers. Got Your Back provides help in funding and liaison to services that the children and families may need in areas such as tutoring, counseling, mentorship, education, athletics and healthcare.  In 2008, Dr. Baldwin delivered a keynote speech alongside Ross Perot at the 'Time of Remembrance,' an event which honors families of fallen soldiers, at the National Mall, near the base of the Washington Monument.  Dr. Baldwin also spoke at the 2009 Heroes Red, White & Blue Inaugural Ball honoring military families and wounded service members.

 

LCDR Baldwin has become increasingly involved with domestic and global humanitarian projects. He used his medical and Spanish language skills during the summer of 2009 on a six-week mission aboard USNS COMFORT as part of Continuing Promise delivering care to those in need in Central and South America.

 

Currently, Dr. Andy Baldwin is a Spokesperson and Ambassador for the following national and international charitable organizations: Special Olympics World Games, Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, Lion’s Club International, Boys and Girls Club of America, along with a number of other projects and fundraising efforts.