Colonel (Dr.) Thomas W. Harrell is the Command Surgeon, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. He leads a staff of military and civilian healthcare experts providing strategic planning, policy assessment, and resource management for AETC's 13 medical treatment facilities employing in excess of 10,000 individuals serving more than 500,000 beneficiaries. He advises the AETC Commander on all health-related matters. Colonel Harrell also allocates and plans for the use of combined operations and maintenance, military personnel, and TRICARE contracts totaling more than $6 billion. He is responsible to the AETC Commander and the Air Force Surgeon General for the education and training of Air Force personnel in all medical career fields.
Colonel Harrell received an ROTC Pre-Health Profession Scholarship graduating from the University of South Florida in 1988 and commissioning as a second lieutenant. He was conferred a doctor of medicine degree from the University of South Florida College of Medicine in 1992 and completed residency training in internal medicine at Wright-Patterson AFB Medical Center, Ohio, in 1995 followed by a sponsored fellowship in cardiology and electrophysiology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, completing his training in 1998.
Colonel Harrell has commanded a Squadron, DoD/VA Hospital and Medical Center. He has also served as the Deputy Director of Air Force Medical Services at the Air Force Medical Operations Agency and as Command Surgeon for the sub-unified Alaskan Command. Clinically he has served as both a department chief and the Chief of Medical Services. Additionally, he conducted aerospace cardiology research and clinical evaluations as the Aeromedical Consult Service cardiologist and subsequently served as the first Chief of the Medical Flight Screening Branch at the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine followed by an operational tour as the Chief of Aeromedical Services. He holds a Master of Strategic Studies with academic distinction from the Air War College, is a board certified cardiologist and physician executive, and is a Fellow of both the American College of Cardiology and the American College of Chest Physicians. Colonel Harrell is a senior flight surgeon with experience in a variety of aircraft required to execute both the United States Air Force combatant and humanitarian relief missions.
EDUCATION
1988 Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology, cum laude, University of South Florida, Tampa
1992 Doctor of Medicine Degree, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa
1995 Residency in Internal Medicine, Wright-Patterson AFB Medical Center, Ohio
1998 Fellowship in Cardiology/Electrophysiology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver
2001 Aerospace Medicine Primary Course
2004 Air War College (by correspondence)
2004 Chief Aeromedical Services/Advanced Flight Surgeon Course
2005 Intermediate Executive Skills Course
2009 Interagency Institute for Federal Health Care Executives
2009 American College of Physician Executives Washington, D.C.
2011 Master of Strategic Studies with academic distinction, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2012 Medical Capstone Course, Washington, D.C.
2014 Joint Senior Medical Leaders Course, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
2015 U.S. Air Force Leadership Enhancement Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, North Carolina
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1998 - June 2002, Chief, Medical Services; Chief, Medicine Clinic; Chief, Cardiopulmonary; Director, Phase II Physician Assistant Training Program, Mike O'Callaghan Federal Hospital, Nellis AFB, Nevada
2. June 2002 - June 2005, Chief, Medical Flight Screening Branch; Chief, Medical Flight Screening Echocardiography; Chief, Flying Class One Screening Program; Officer-in-Charge, Nuclear Medicine; Staff Cardiologist, Aeromedical Consultation Service, Brooks City-Base, Texas; and staff cardiologist, Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB, Texas
3. June 2005 - June 2007, Chief of Aeromedical Services, 435th Medical Group; Flight Commander, Flight Medicine Clinic, Ramstein AB, Germany; Medical Director, Kaiserslautern Military Community Emergency Response System; and staff cardiologist, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany
4. July 2007 - July 2009, Commander, 48th Surgical Operations Squadron; RAF Lakenheath, England
5. July 2009 - July 2010, Deputy Director, Medical Operations, Air Force Medical Operations Agency; Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
6. July 2010 - May 2011, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
7. May 2011 - March 2014, Commander, DOD/VA Joint Venture Hospital and Alaskan Command Surgeon, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
8. March 2014 – June 2016, Commander, 81st Medical Group and Keesler Medical Center, Keesler AFB, Mississippi
9. June 2016 – present, Command Surgeon, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Flight Surgeon
Flight hours: Total: 556 Hours Combat: 94 Hours
Aircraft flown: F-16, T-43A, T-37B, C-40, C-21, C-20, C-130, C-17, UH-60, KC-135, C-12
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with nine oak leaf clusters
Alaska National Guard Legion of Merit
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2011 Secretary of the Air Force Leadership Award
2011 Air War College Research Excellence Award
2007 Excellence in Clinical/Academic Teaching Special Experience Identifier
2004 Air Force Materiel Command Outstanding Achievement in Clinical Research Award
2004-2009 Aerospace Cardiology Consultant to the Air Force Surgeon General
2002 Paul W. Myers Award for USAF Physician Assistant Preceptor of the Year
Fellow, American College of Cardiology
Fellow, American College of Chest Physicians
Certified Physician Executive
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant April 30, 1988
Captain April 25, 1992
Major April 25, 1998
Lieutenant Colonel April 25, 2004
Colonel May 31, 2009
(Current as of July 2016)