Brig. Gen. James Burks is the Director, Manpower, Personnel and Resources, and Chief of the Medical Service Corps, Office of the Air Force Surgeon General, Falls Church, Virginia. As Director of Manpower, Personnel and Resources, he advises the Air Force Surgeon General on all aspects of planning, programming, budgeting, and execution for a $42 billion Defense Health Program portfolio, and a $6.2 billion annual budget supporting 2.6 million patients and 75 military treatment facilities worldwide. He is also responsible for personnel policy, force development and staffing requirements for 43,000 active-duty officer, enlisted and civilian personnel and is responsible for all Air Force medical education and training worldwide. As the Medical Service Corps Chief, General Burks is the senior healthcare administrator in the Air Force and responsible for accessions, development and management of 1,800 active duty, Guard and Reserve healthcare administrative professionals in the corps.
General Burks joined the Air Force in 1992. He has accumulated experiences in federal healthcare operations, policy, programs, benefits, resourcing, and strategy management. He has held staff assignments with a TRICARE Lead Agent, Air Mobility Command, Air Force Medical Operations Agency, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He has commanded at the flight, squadron and group level. General Burks was an Air Force intern and a Senior Developmental Education Fellow at the RAND Corporation. He has also deployed as mentor to the Afghan National Army Surgeon General in the Office of Military Cooperation-Afghanistan. Board certified in healthcare management, General Burks is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
EDUCATION
1989 Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration, Furman University, Greenville, S.C.
1991 Master of Business Administration degree, University of South Carolina, Columbia
1992 Military Indoctrination for Medical Service Officers course, Lackland AFB, Texas
1992 Health Services Administration course, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
1996 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1999 Master of Arts degree, organizational management, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
1999 Air Force Intern Program, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
2003 Distinguished Graduate, Master of Military Arts and Operational Sciences, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2004 Air War College, by correspondence
2008 Air Force Senior Developmental Education Fellow, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif.
2008 Interagency Institute for Federal Healthcare Executives, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
2014 Military Health System Capstone Course, Joint Medical Executive Skills Institute, Defense Health Headquarters, Falls Church, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 1992, student, Military Indoctrination for Medical Service Officers course, Lackland AFB, Texas
2. February 1992 – April 1992, student, Health Services Administration course, Sheppard AFB, Texas
3. May 1992 - June 1995, Section Commander; Executive Officer; Director, Personnel and Administration; and TRICARE Flight Commander, 384th/22nd Medical Group, McConnell AFB, Kan.
4. July 1995 - June 1997, Chief, Readiness and Transportation, Office of the TRICARE Region 10 Lead Agent; and Executive Officer, 60th Medical Group, Travis AFB, Calif.
5. July 1997 - May 1999, Air Force intern, with assignments in the Air Force Chief of Staff Action Group and Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Environmental Security, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
6. June 1999 - July 2002, Deputy Chief; then Chief, Health Benefits & Policy Branch, Office of the Command Surgeon, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
7. August 2002 - June 2003, Distinguished Graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
8. July 2003 - June 2005, Flight Commander, Business Operations and Beneficiary Support, 10th Medical Support Squadron, 10th Medical Group, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
9. January 2005 - May 2005, Deployed - Chief, Medical Administration; and Interim Team Chief, Medical Plans and Operations, Office of Military Cooperation-Afghanistan, Kabul, Afghanistan
10. July 2005 - June 2007, Commander, 45th Medical Support Squadron; Deputy Commander (July 2006 – June 2007) and Administrator, 45th Medical Group, Patrick AFB, Fla.
11. July 2007 - June 2008, Air Force Senior Developmental Education Fellow, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif.
12. July 2008 – June 2010, Executive Officer; then Chief of Staff to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
13. July 2010 – July 2013, Commander, 87th Medical Group, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
14. July 2013 – May 2015, Acting Vice Commander (January 2015-May 2015); and Director, Air Force Medical Support Operations & Administrator (July 2013-December 2014), Air Force Medical Operations Agency, Joint Base San Antonio Lackland-Kelly, Texas
15. June 2015 – present, Director, Manpower, Personnel and Resources, and Chief, Medical Service Corps, Office of the Surgeon General, Falls Church, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1995 - June 1997 – Office of the TRICARE Region 10 Lead Agent, Travis AFB, Calif., as a captain
2. January 2005 - May 2005, Deployed - Chief, Medical Administration; and Interim Team Chief, Medical Plans and Operations, Office of Military Cooperation-Afghanistan, Kabul, Afghanistan, as a lieutenant colonel
3. July 2008 – June 2010, Executive Officer; then Chief of Staff to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with seven oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Recognition Ribbon with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star device
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2000 Brigadier General Peter C. Bellisario Air Force Young Healthcare Administrator of the Year
2004 Air Force Resource Management Team of the Year
2005 Air Force Medical Service Corps Commitment to Service Award
2014 American College of Healthcare Executives Exemplary Service Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant January 11, 1992
First Lieutenant June 14, 1992
Captain June 14, 1994
Major May 1, 2001
Lieutenant Colonel October 1, 2004
Colonel June 1, 2008
Brigadier General June 2, 2015
(Current as of August 2018)