Community Service

American Legion

The American Legion is the largest war-time veteran’s organization in the United States. The American Legion was founded by Congressional Charter in 1918, after the end of World War I. The American Legion is dedicated to serving the public, promoting the ideals of Americanism and serving those who have served in our military. Dr. Rappard is a U.S. Navy Cold War veteran and veteran of the Lebanon and Grenada military periods. Dr. Rappard serves on the Board of Directors of the American Legion Theatre foundation. The board oversees certain aspects of the American Legion Theatre, a recently renovated theatre and historical site located in Hollywood California and operated by the American Legion Hollywood Post 43.

Dr. Rappard is a member of the Newport Beach American Legion Post 291. He has served the Post as Rear Commodore and Fleet Surgeon. In 2019 Dr. Rappard oversaw the Post’s annual “Sailing For The visually Impaired” event. The event is the largest on-the-water event in Newport Harbor and brings together hundreds of the visually impaired with about a thousand volunteers, allowing the visually impaired to experience the joy of sailing.

The Los Angeles Medical Reserve Corps

Dr. Rappard is an emergency response physician for the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC). The MRC is overseen locally by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and nationally by the Department of Health and Human Services. The MRC was formed after 9-11, when it was recognized that the nation needed a network of credentialled and vetted health care volunteers in case of a national emergency. The Los Angeles MRC has deployed in response to Hurricane Katrina, the Zika virus, SARS/MERS virus and has been very active in the Los Angeles county’s COVID-19 response, assisting in the care of vulnerable patients, testing and vaccination.

Covid Busters

COVID BUSTERS was an organization formed by Dr. Rappard during the height of the COVID pandemic to broaden the availability of SARS-CoV-2 testing. The organization was formed after a county wide pivot to vaccination left many communities without testing. COVID BUSTERS worked in conjunction with charitable organizations and local municipalities to provide timely testing to the public at no cost to patients.