Military service has never been just a duty for Idaho WWAMI second-year medical student Alexander LeBlanc. It’s a calling that continues to shape who he is, and that calling is a family tradition.
For LeBlanc, military medicine and medical education are two parts of the same mission: caring for others with skill, integrity, and heart.
“I followed the footsteps of my grandfather and two older brothers and joined the U.S. Navy after high school,” LeBlanc said.
He enlisted in June 2013 as a Hospital Corpsman in the Navy Reserves, serving with the U.S. Marine Corps 4th Tank Battalion, Charlie Company in Boise for the entirety of his service.
During those years, he provided medical care in both clinical and field settings, eventually deploying to Jordan in 2019. There, he served as medical chief for his unit and medical advisor to the Jordanian Quick Reaction Force.
“The most rewarding part of my service was getting to work alongside some of the best American patriots I’ve ever met,” LeBlanc said. “It was a great honor and privilege to have their faith in my abilities and earned respect.”
He credits his time in uniform with shaping how he views leadership and human connection, lessons that continue to guide him in medicine.
“I was lucky enough to have some truly exceptional leadership during my service,” he said, adding that he learned great leaders “never fail to also see the person behind the uniform.”
After separating from the Navy in December 2020 as a Hospital Corpsman Second Class (E-5), LeBlanc pursued his undergraduate education and medical training through Idaho WWAMI. Yet his commitment to service didn’t end there.
In July 2025, LeBlanc reenlisted as an Officer Candidate First Class (E-6) in the U.S. Navy’s Health Services Collegiate Program (HSCP), a pathway that supports medical students as they train to become Navy physicians.
“Being selected for this program will allow me to continue my service upon graduation through residency and beyond,” he said.
For LeBlanc, the transition from military medicine to medical school represents more than a career shift—it’s a continuation of his mission to care for others, both in and out of uniform.