Former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, 96, died today.Surgeon General Dr. Regina M. Benjamin called Koop, who served from January 1982 until October 1989, a friend and mentor. "Today, America lost an extraordinary physician, public servant, and great American; I, like many others, lost a mentor and a friend," Benjamin said. "Dr. Koop proved to be an outspoken advocate on public health issues. The problem of tobacco was one that he attacked particularly vigorously.- As the nation began to recognize AIDS as a new and deadly disease, Surgeon General Koop became an influential voice in educating Americans. Dr. Koop released …