WHEREAS, John Otho Marsh, III, M.D., of Augusta County has been named Country Doctor of the Year for 2014 by Staff Care, a physician staffing company; and

WHEREAS, the Country Doctor of the Year award is given to a primary care physician who works in a community of fewer than 30,000 people; the award honors the spirit, skill, and dedication of America's rural medical practitioners; Dr. Marsh practices in the village of Middlebrook; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Marsh, who became a rural medical practitioner in 1996 after serving as a physician in the United States Army, established a medical practice in rural Augusta County, an area where he has family ties; and

WHEREAS, during his military career, Dr. Marsh was a surgeon for the Army Special Forces; in 1993, he tended to many wounded soldiers who were injured during a severe firefight in Mogadishu, Somalia, that became known as the Black Hawk Down incident; and

WHEREAS, soon after treating dozens of wounded soldiers, Dr. Marsh was injured in a mortar attack and was transported to Germany for intensive treatment; he credits a 24-hour prayer vigil led by members of his church in Swoope for helping to save his life; and

WHEREAS, for nearly 20 years, Dr. Marsh has provided medical care to the people who live in the Shenandoah Valley; recently, he opened a second medical clinic at White's Travel Plaza on Interstate 81 in Raphine to treat long-haul truckers and patients who live nearby; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Marsh derives great satisfaction from his work despite the long hours involved; in addition to seeing patients at his clinics, he makes rounds at the local hospital, conducts house calls, and regularly attends to residents at a nearby nursing home; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Marsh gives much credit for the success of his busy practice to those around him, including his office staff and his wife, Barbara, who is a nurse at the clinic, and his children, Adam, Madeline, Doug, and Isabelle; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend John Otho Marsh, III, M.D., of Augusta County for being named Country Doctor of the Year for 2014 by Staff Care; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to John Otho Marsh, III, M.D., as an expression of the General Assembly's respect and admiration for his many years of providing medical care to the people of Augusta County, the Shenandoah Valley, the Commonwealth, and the nation.