Colonel Melissa J. Dooley currently serves as 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 9,000 beneficiaries through accessible, high quality healthcare. Col Dooley commands and develops a group of 5 squadron commanders and 400 personnel in support of a 23 bed hospital with the capability of expanding to 75 beds during contingency operations. She is a recent graduate of the Air War College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. Previously she served as the Commander, 96th Medical Operations Squadron, 96th Medical Group, 96th Test Wing, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Col Dooley was enlisted from 1992-1996 as a Satellite Communications Maintainer. Upon completion of her enlistment, she earned her degree from the University of Maryland College Park under a Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) scholarship. Upon graduation from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), School of Medicine in 2005, she commissioned into the Medical Corps and trained in emergency medicine at the San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium (SAUSHEC).
She has since deployed multiple times in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, Operation RESOLUTE SUPPORT and SOCAFRICA.
EDUCATION
1995 Associates of Arts, Electronic Principles, Community College of the Air Force
2001 Bachelor of Science, in Physiology/Neurobiology, University of Maryland, College Park, graduated Cum Laude
2005 Doctor of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md
2008 Graduate, Residency in Emergency Medicine, San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, San Antonio, Texas
2009 Squadron Officer School, (correspondence) Maxwell Air Force Base (AFB), Ala
2013 Air Command and Staff College, (correspondence) Maxwell AFB, Ala
2015 Air War College, (correspondence) Maxwell AFB, Ala
2016 Intermediate Executive Skills Course, San Antonio, Texas
2017 Aerospace Medicine Primary Course, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio
2017 MedXellence Course, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Germany
2018 Joint Senior Medical Leader Course, Falls Church, Va
2019 Masters of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala
2019 Combined Senior Leadership Course, Leesburg, Va
ASSIGNMENTS
1.September 1992 – November 1992, Air Force Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, Texas
2.November 1992 – June 1993, Satellite Equipment Maintenance School, Keesler AFB, Miss
3.June 1993 – September 1996, Satellite communication maintenance 789th Communications Squadron, Andrews AFB, Md
4. September 1996 – May 1997, 119th Wing, North Dakota Air National Guard, Fargo, N.D.
5.May 1997 – May 1998, Refuel/POL technician, 175th Wing, Maryland Air National Guard, Baltimore, Md
6.August 2001 – July 2005, School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md
7.July 2005 – August 2008, Residency in Emergency Medicine, San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, Lackland AFB, Texas
8.August 2008 – April 2011, Staff Emergency Medicine Physician, 96th Medical Operations Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla
9.May 2011 – July 2013, Staff Emergency Medicine Physician, 81st Medical Operations Squadron Keesler AFB, Miss
10. July 2013 – May 2016, Special Operations Surgical Team, 720th Operations Support Squadron, Birmingham, Ala
11. May 2016 – June 2018, Commander 48th Surgical Operations Squadron, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom
12. July 2018 – May 2019, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala
13. May 2019 – June 2020, Commander, 96th Medical Operations Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla
14. July 20 - Present, Commander, 35th Medical Group, Misawa Air Base, Japan
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant 24 May 2001
Captain 21 May 2005
Major 21 May 2011
Lieutenant Colonel 30 May 2016
Colonel 29 May 2020
(Current as of Jul 2020)