BRIGADIER GENERAL (DR.) JAMES J. DOUGHERTY Brig. Gen. (Dr.) James J. Dougherty is Commander, 81st Medical Group, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. General Dougherty is also the Senior Market Manager for TRICARE's Gulf Coast Multiservice Market, which includes seven military medical facilities stretching from Mobile, Ala., to New Orleans, La. As commander of the largest medical group in the Air Force, the general is responsible for the direct delivery of health care to more than 50,000 patients in the Keesler AFB area, and he coordinates care for 95,000 beneficiaries along the Gulf Coast. He ensures the availability of major war and peacetime medical readiness response forces. Additional responsibilities include directing nine graduate medical education programs and an extensive clinical research program. He leads more than 2,300 health care professionals and manages a local budget of $82 million. In addition, General Dougherty is also the federal coordinator for the Gulf Coast National Disaster Medical System. General Dougherty graduated from Rice University in 1970 and began postgraduate study in parasitology. He obtained his medical degree in 1975 through Baylor College of Medicine, completing one year of general surgery and neurological surgery residency at Baylor Affiliated Hospitals, Houston. After four years of private practice in emergency medicine, General Dougherty entered the Air Force Medical Service. The general has spent the majority of his career in aerospace medicine, from squadron flight surgeon to tactical hospital commander. He has commanded the 4th Medical Group, was Air Surgeon at the National Guard Bureau, and has served as Command Surgeon for Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command and, most recently, Air Education and Training Command. General Dougherty has published original research in the area of G-induced loss of consciousness. He has postgraduate training in philosophy and earned an academic appointment in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Maryland. The general is a chief flight surgeon with more than 1,100 flying hours, a senior parachutist and jumpmaster with 61 static line deployments, and a U.S. Navy closed and open-circuit diver. EDUCATION 1970 Bachelor of Arts degree, Rice University, Houston, Texas 1975 Medical doctorate degree, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 1984 Master's degree in public health, Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, Md. 1985 Residency, aerospace medicine, Brooks AFB, Texas ASSIGNMENTS 1. June 1980 - June 1983, flight surgeon, 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah 2. June 1983 - June 1984, student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, Md. 3. July 1984 - June 1985, student, residency in aerospace medicine, Brooks AFB, Texas 4. July 1985 - June 1989, Commander, 363rd Tactical Hospital, and Chief, Aeromedical Services, Shaw AFB, S.C. 5. July 1989 - June 1991, Inspector, Air Force Inspection and Safety Center, Norton AFB, Calif. 6. July 1991 - August 1995, Chief, Medical Operations, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla. 7. October 1995 - July 1997, Commander, 4th Medical Group, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. 8. July 1997 - July 2000, Air Surgeon, National Guard Bureau, Andrews AFB, Md. 9. July 2000 - June 2003, Command Surgeon, Headquarters AFSOC, Hurlburt Field, Fla. 10. June 2003 - June 2005, Command Surgeon and Director of Medical Services and Training, Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas 11. June 2005 - present, Commander, 81st Medical Group, Keesler AFB, Miss., and Senior Market Manager for TRICARE's Gulf Coast Multiservice Market FLIGHT INFORMATION Rating: Chief flight surgeon, senior parachutist and diving medical officer Flying hours: More than 1,100 Aircraft flown: F-16, F-15E, AC-130, MC-130, HC-130, C-21 and MH-53 MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters Air Force Commendation Medal Air Force Achievement Medal OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS 1975-1976 Assistant professor of general surgery, Baylor College of Medicine 1976 Assistant professor of neurological surgery, Baylor College of Medicine 1983 Aircrew of Distinction Award, Tactical Air Command 1986 Diplomate, American Board of Preventive Medicine, in Aerospace Medicine 1989 Fellow, American College of Preventive Medicine 1989 Associate Fellow, Aerospace Medical Association 1999 Instructor, Philosophy Department, University of Maryland, College Park PUBLICATIONS "Operational Medical Support for the Tip of the Spear: The Heart of Air Force Special Operations Forces Medicine," Aerospace Power Journal, Winter 2001 EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION Major April 15, 1983 Lieutenant Colonel April 15, 1989 Colonel April 15, 1995 Brigadier General July 1, 2005 (Current as of July 2005)