Surgeon General of the United States Army explained

Post:Surgeon General
Body:the United States Army
Insignia:File:United States Army Staff Identification Badge.png
Insigniacaption:Army Staff Identification Badge
Flag:Flag of the Surgeon General of the United States Army with fringe.svg
Flagcaption:Flag of the Surgeon General of the Army, depicting the caduceus
Incumbent:LTG Mary K. Izaguirre
Incumbentsince:January 25, 2024
Seat:The Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia, United States
Appointer:The President
Appointer Qualified:with United States Senate's advice and consent
Termlength:4 years
First:Benjamin Church, Jr.
Deputy:Deputy Surgeon General of the Army

The Surgeon General of the United States Army is the senior-most officer of the U.S. Army Medical Department (AMEDD). By policy, the Surgeon General (TSG) serves as Commanding General, U.S. Army Medical Command (MEDCOM) as well as head of the AMEDD. The surgeon general's office and staff are known as the Office of the Surgeon General (OTSG) and are located in Falls Church, Virginia.

Since 1959, TSG has been appointed in the grade of lieutenant general. By law, TSG may be appointed from any of the six officer branches of the AMEDD. However, prior to the 43rd Surgeon General, Lt. Gen. Patricia Horoho — an Army Nurse Corps officer — all appointed and confirmed surgeons general have been Medical Corps officers — military physicians. The incumbent Surgeon General is Lieutenant General Mary K. Izaguirre.

Duties

As a commanding general, TSG provides advice and assistance to the Chief of Staff, Army (CSA) and to the Secretary of the Army (SECARMY) on all health care matters pertaining to the U.S. Army and its military health care system. The incumbent is responsible for development, policy direction, organization and overall management of an integrated Army-wide health service system and is the medical materiel developer for the Army. These duties include formulating policy regulations on health service support, health hazard assessment and the establishment of health standards. is assisted by the Deputy Surgeon General.

History

Congress established the Medical Service of the Continental Army on July 27, 1775, and placed a "Chief physician & director general" of the Continental Army as its head. The first five surgeons general of the U.S. Army served under this title. An Act of Congress of May 28, 1789, established a "Physician general" of the U.S. Army. Only two physicians, doctors Richard Allison and James Craik, served under this nomenclature. A Congressional Act of March 3, 1813, cited the "Physician & surgeon general" of the U.S. Army. That nomenclature remained in place until the Medical Department was established by the Reorganization Act of April 14, 1818. Additionally, physicians assigned to the U.S. Army were not accorded military rank until 1847.

Surgeons General of the U.S. Army and their precursors

Incumbents from July 27, 1775 — including periods of vacancy
No.ImageNameDates of TenureMilitary Rank
1Benjamin Church, Jr.July 27, 1775 - October 16, 1775None
2 John MorganOctober 16, 1775 - January 1777None
3 William Shippen, Jr.April 11, 1777 - January 17, 1781 None
4 John CochranJanuary 17, 1781 - 1783None
  <-------- VACANT --------> 1783 - 1792 
5 Richard Allison1792 - 1796None
  <-------- VACANT --------> 1796 - August 1, 1798 
6 James CraikAugust 1, 1798 - June 15, 1800None
  <-------- VACANT --------> June 15, 1800 - June 11, 1813 
7 James TiltonJune 11, 1813 - June 15, 1815None
  <-------- VACANT --------> June 15, 1815 - April 18, 1818 
8Joseph LovellApril 18, 1818 - October 17, 1836None
9Thomas LawsonOctober 17, 1836 - May 15, 1861 Brevet Brigadier General
10Clement FinleyMay 15, 1861 - April 28, 1862 Brigadier General
11 William A. HammondApril 28, 1862 - August 18, 1864 Brigadier General
12Joseph BarnesAugust 18, 1864 - June 30, 1882 Brigadier General
  <-------- VACANT --------> June 30, 1882 - July 3, 1882 
13Charles H. CraneJuly 3, 1882 - October 10, 1883 Brigadier General
14Robert MurrayOctober 10, 1883 - August 6, 1886 Brigadier General
  <-------- VACANT --------> August 6, 1886 - November 18, 1886 
15John MooreNovember 18, 1886 - 16 August 1890 Brigadier General
16Jedediah Hyde BaxterAugust 16, 1890 - December 4, 1890 Brigadier General
  <-------- VACANT --------> December 4, 1890 - December 23, 1890 
17Charles SutherlandDecember 23, 1890 - May 30, 1893 Brigadier General
18George Miller SternbergMay 30, 1893 - June 8, 1902 Brigadier General
19William H. ForwoodJune 8, 1902 - September 7, 1902 Brigadier General
20Robert Maitland O'ReillySeptember 7, 1902 - January 14, 1909 Brigadier General
21George H. TorneyJanuary 14, 1909 - December 27, 1913 Brigadier General
22William C. GorgasJanuary 1914 - 1918 Major General
23Merritte W. IrelandOctober 4, 1918 - May 31, 1931 Major General
24Robert U. Patterson1931 - 1935 Major General
25Charles R. Reynolds1935 - 1939 Major General
26James C. MageeJune 1, 1939 - May 31, 1943 Major General
27Norman T. Kirk1943 - 1947 Major General
28Raymond W. Bliss1947 - 1951 Major General
29George E. Armstrong1951 - 1955 Major General
30Silas B. Hays1955 - June 1959 Major General
31Leonard D. HeatonJune 1959 - 1969 Lieutenant General
32Hal B. JenningsOctober 10, 1969 - October 1, 1973 Lieutenant General
33Richard R. TaylorOctober 1, 1973 - October 1, 1977 Lieutenant General
34Charles C. PixleyOctober 1, 1977 - September 20, 1981 Lieutenant General
35Bernhard T. MittemeyerOctober 1, 1981 - February 1, 1985 Lieutenant General
36Quinn H. BeckerFebruary 1, 1985 - May 31, 1988 Lieutenant General
37Frank F. Ledford Jr.June 1, 1988 - June 30, 1992 Lieutenant General
38Alcide M. LanoueSeptember 8, 1992 - September 30, 1996[1] Lieutenant General
39Ronald R. BlanckOctober 1, 1996 - September 22, 2000 Lieutenant General
40James PeakeSeptember 22, 2000  - July 8, 2004 Lieutenant General
  <-------- VACANT --------> July 8, 2004  - September 30, 2004 
41Kevin C. KileySeptember 30, 2004 - March 12, 2007 Lieutenant General (retired as Major General)
  <-------- VACANT --------> March 12, 2007 - December 11, 2007  
42Eric SchoomakerDecember 11, 2007 - December 5, 2011 Lieutenant General
43Patricia HorohoDecember 5, 2011 - December 3, 2015 Lieutenant General
  <-------- VACANT --------> December 3, 2015 - December 11, 2015 
44Nadja WestDecember 11, 2015 - July 19, 2019 Lieutenant General
  <-------- VACANT --------> July 19, 2019 - October 17, 2019 
45R. Scott DingleOctober 17, 2019 - January 25, 2024 Lieutenant General
46Mary K. IzaguirreJanuary 25, 2024 - present Lieutenant General

Agencies, centers, offices, and programs within the OTSG

See also

Further reading

References and notes

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: The Evolution of Forward Surgery in the US Army: From the Revolutionary War to the Combat Operations of the 21st Century. 9780160947841. 2021-10-20. Steahly. Lance P. . Cannon . David W. Sr . 2018. Government Printing Office .