Colonel (Dr.) Leigh A. Swanson is the Commander, 35th Medical Group, Misawa Air Base, Japan. She ensures maximum wartime readiness by operating a community based healthcare system maintaining the health, welfare and morale for over 11,000 beneficiaries through accessible, high quality healthcare. Col Swanson commands and develops a group of 5 squadron commanders and 415 personnel in support of a 15 bed hospital with the capability of expanding to 75 beds during contingency operations.
Colonel Swanson entered the Air Force in 1994 as part of the Health Promotions Scholarship Program while she received a Doctor of Medicine degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin. She has served in a variety of assignments, to include deploying to South America, Asia, Europe, and Africa. As the JSOAC-N/SG and then JSOAC/SG, she was instrumental in providing medical support during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, to include multiple high risk casevac missions and was on the first daytime landing for infiltration of troops into Afghanistan.
EDUCATION
1994 Bachelor of Medical Science, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
1997 Doctor of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
2000 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
2000 Residency Training in Family Practice, Eglin AFB, FL
2000 Aerospace Medicine Primary Course, Brooks AFB, TX
2004 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence, Maxwell AFB, AL
2005 Master of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX
2006 Aerospace Medicine Residency, Brooks City-Base, TX
2007 Residency in General Preventive Medicine, Brooks City-Base, TX
2008 Air War College, by correspondence, Maxwell AFB, AL
2013 Master of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL
2015 Interagency Institute for Federal Health Care Executives
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1997 - June 2000, Resident in Family Practice, Eglin AFB, FL
2. July 2000 - May 2003, Flight Surgeon, 16th Operational Support Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
3. May 2003 - June 2004, Chief of Flight Medicine, 16 MDG, Hurlburt Field, FL
4. July 2004 - June 2005, Student, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX
5. June 2005 - June 2006, Resident in Aerospace Medicine, USAF School of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks City-Base, TX
6. July 2006 - June 2007, Resident in General Preventive Medicine, USAF School of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks City-Base, TX
7. July 2007 - July 2009, MDOS Squadron Commander, Deputy MDG Commander, and SGP (Chief of Aerospace Medicine), F.E. Warren AFB, WY
8. July 2009 - Aug 2010, Chief of Aeromedical Services and PRP for AFSPC
9. Aug 2010 - July 2012, AMDS Squadron Commander and SGP, Holloman AFB, NM
10. July 2012 - May 2013, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL
11. July 2013 - July 2014, Deputy Commander, 51st Medical Group, Osan AB, Republic of Korea (March 2014 - May 2014, Commander, 8th Medical Group, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea)
12. July 2014 - Mar 2015, Deputy Commander, 51st Medical Group, and Deputy Surgeon, 7th Air Force, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
13. Mar 2015 - May 2015, Commander, 51st Medical Group, and Command Surgeon, 7th Air Force, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
14. July 2015 - present, Commander, 35th Medical Group, Misawa AB, Japan
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior flight surgeon
Hours: More than 545 hours including 55 combat hours
Aircraft Flown: AC130H/U, C12, C130E/H, C141, C21, C5, HH60, KC135, MC130E/H, MH47, T1, UH1H/N, UH60, UH72
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Joint Service Commendation with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
Gallant Unit Citation
Meritorious Unit Award
AF Outstanding Unit Awards with Valor Device with three oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal with Oak leaf cluster
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Chief Physician Badge
Senior Flight Surgeon Badge
2002 AFSOC Flight Surgeon of the Year
2002 AF Flight Surgeon of the Year - Malcolm Grow Award
Board certified in Family Practice
Board Certified in Aerospace Medicine
Board Certified in Public Health and General Preventive Medicine
Associate Fellow of Aerospace Medical Association
Medical License: Alabama
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant January 22,1994
Captain May 14, 1997
Major May 14, 2003
Lieutenant Colonel May 31, 2007
Colonel May 31, 2011
(Current as of July 2015)