Surgeon General of the United States Air Force explained

Post:Surgeon General of the
Air Force
Flag:Flag of a United States Air Force lieutenant general.svg
Flagcaption:Flag of an Air Force lieutenant general
Insignia:United States Air Force Medical Service (seal).jpg
Insigniasize:120px
Insigniacaption:Seal of the US Air Force Medical Service
Incumbent:Lieutenant General John DeGoes
Incumbentsince:July 31, 2024
Department:Air Staff
Air Force Medical Service
Reports To:Chief of Staff of the Air Force
Appointer:The President
Appointer Qualified:with Senate advice and consent
First:Malcolm C. Grow
Formation:1948
Website:Official Website

The Surgeon General of the Air Force is the senior-most Medical Service officer in the United States Department of the Air Force and is the principal medical advisor for both the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. In recent times, this has been a lieutenant general who serves as head of the United States Air Force Medical Service (AFMS). The Surgeon General is usually the senior Medical Corps officer, but acting surgeons general have been from other branches of the medical service.

History

In September 1947 the combat elements of the Army Air Forces separated from the U.S. Army, forming the United States Air Force. But a few Air Force support functions, such as medical care, remained U.S. Army responsibilities for the next two years. Starting in 1948, the Air Force and the Air Surgeon, Maj. Gen. Malcolm C. Grow (1887-1960), began to convince the U.S. Army and the administration of President Harry S. Truman that the Air Force needed its own medical service. In the summer of 1949, Air Force General Order No. 35 established a medical service with the following officer personnel components: Medical Corps, Dental Corps, Veterinary Corps, Medical Service Corps, Air Force Nurse Corps, and Women's Medical Specialist Corps.

List of Deputy Surgeons Generals

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Dr. Sean L. Murphy.