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Information > Biographies > BRIGADIER GENERAL WILLARD L. MEADER
BRIGADIER GENERAL WILLARD L. MEADER

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Retired Oct. 1, 1989.  

Brigadier General Willard L. Meader is command surgeon, Headquarters Air Force Logistics Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He is responsible for advising the Logistics Command commander on all medical matters and overseeing command health care programs, with special emphasis on occupational health and health promotion.

General Meader was born in 1933, in LaPorte, Ind., and attended Avonworth High School, Ben Avon, Pa. He earned a bachelor's degree from Albion College in 1954, a medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, in 1958 and a master's degree in public health from the School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, in 1965. The general completed the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1975.

After completing his internship at Butterworth Hospital, Grand Rapids, Mich., General Meader received a direct commission as an Air Force captain in August 1959. He attended the primary course in aerospace medicine at Brooks Air Force Base, Texas, in 1961, after his initial duty assignment as a general medical officer at Goose Air Base, Labrador. From January 1961 to October 1963 he was assigned to the hospital at Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas, where he served as chief of hospital services. He then transferred to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., for duty as chief of aerospace medicine and physiological support. He began his studies at the University of California School of Public Health in September 1964.

In July 1965 the general entered residency training at the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks Air Force Base, and completed his residency training in aerospace medicine at the Office of the Surgeon, Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., where he was assigned in July 1966. After a brief assignment as chief of flight and missile medicine at SAC headquarters, he transferred to Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, in November 1967, as commander of the 377th U.S. Air Force Dispensary and 21st Casualty Staging Flight.

From September 1968 to June 1970 General Meader commanded the 20th Tactical Hospital, Royal Air Force Station Wethersfield, England. He then served as chief of aerospace medicine and deputy surgeon at Headquarters 2nd Air Force, Barksdale Air Force Base, La.

Returning to England in December 1971, General Meader became commander of the Air Force dispensary at Royal Air Force Station Bentwaters. He left in August 1974 to attend the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. After graduation in July 1975, the general was assigned as director of biotechnology and deputy surgeon at Headquarters Air Force Systems Command, Andrews Air Force Base, Md. He served as commander of the Air Force hospital at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., from May 1978 until April 1980, when he became command surgeon at Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. He assumed his present duties in October 1983.

The general is a chief flight surgeon and was certified in aerospace medicine by the American Board of Preventive Medicine in 1970. He is a fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association, American College of Preventive Medicine, American College of Occupational Medicine and American College of Physician Executives. He is a member of the Society of U.S. Air Force Flight Surgeons and Space Medicine Branch, organizations which are constituents of the Aerospace Medical Association, as well as the American Medical Association.

His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, and Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster.

He was promoted to brigadier general Dec. 1, 1983, with date of rank Oct. 1, 1983.

General Meader's hometown is Canfield, Ohio.

(Current as of August 1989)






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