Maj. Gen. Sean T. Collins is the Air National Guard Assistant to the Surgeon General for the Department of the Air Force and Space Force, and Director of Space Force Medical Operations. He is the champion for the Surgeon General, focusing on medical readiness and support of Space Force Guardians. In collaboration with the Chief of Space Operations and senior level Space Force leadership, Maj. Gen. Collins plays a key role in the overall development and establishment of policies and practices that best support Guardians as they forge a unique path in space operations. He also serves as the senior ANG medical advisor to National Guard leadership, ensuring mission readiness of 108,100 military and civilian Air National Guard personnel in 90 Wings and 180 installations throughout the U.S., the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands. He interacts with Air Staff, Joint Staff, Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs and civilian health care organizations to ensure the highest caliber of patient care and highly trained personnel.
Maj. Gen. Collins started his career at the 104th Fighter Wing, Barnes ANG Base, where he was commissioned in the Nurse Corps. He is a licensed Board Certified Nurse Practitioner and Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, with a joint appointment in Medicine and the Graduate School of Nursing. He also holds a clinical appointment at the UMass Memorial Diabetes Center of Excellence. In addition, he is also the President and Chief Executive Officer of a vertically integrated manufacturing plant with an international footprint, employing over 100 individuals. He has served in multiple senior leadership roles in the National Capitol Region.
Prior to his current assignment, the general served as the Commander, Air Force Medical Readiness Agency at Headquarters Air Force. Previous positions also included the ANG Assistant to the Deputy Surgeon General, Headquarters Air Force and the Assistant for Mobilization and Reserve Affairs, Office of the Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, where he worked in concert with the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Readiness Policy and Oversight and with the Director, Defense Health Agency. He has had command and leadership experience in garrison and in deployed settings.
EDUCATION
1986 Diploma in Nursing (Registered Nurse), Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, Mass.
1989 Associate in Arts, General Studies, Springfield Technical Community College, Springfield, Mass. 1990 Bachelor of Science, Nursing, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
1994 Master of Science, Nursing, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester
1996 Post Master's Certificate, Nurse Practitioner, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester
2008 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2009 Doctor of Philosophy, Clinical Research, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester
2014 Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government, Leadership in Homeland Security, Cambridge, Mass.
2015 National Defense University; Reserve Component National Security Course, Washington, D.C.
2018 Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government, National and International Security Program, Cambridge, Mass.
2019 Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government, General and Flag Officer Homeland Security Executive Seminar, Cambridge, Mass.
2020 National and International Security Leadership Seminar, Capitol Hill Club, Washington, D.C.
2020 Regional Seminar - Africa, Capitol Hill Club, Washington, D.C.
2022 National Strategic Studies Management Course, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 1995–February 2000, Clinical Nurse, 104 Fighter Wing, Barnes Air National Guard Base, Westfield, Mass.
2. February 2000–September 2003, Nurse Practitioner, 104 Fighter Wing, Barnes ANGB, Westfield, Mass.
3. September 2003–April 2005, Nursing Administrator, 104 Fighter Wing, Barnes ANGB, Westfield, Mass.
4. May 2005–May 2016, Commander, Medical Group, 104 Fighter Wing, Barnes ANGB, Westfield, Mass.
5. May 2016–May 2019, Assistant for Mobilization and Reserve Affairs, Office of the Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, Defense Health Agency, Joint Duty Assignment, Falls Church, Va.
6. May 2019–April 2021, Air National Guard Assistant to the Air Force Deputy Surgeon General, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
7. April 2021–July 2021, Commander, AFMRA, HAF, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
8. July 2021–June 2023, Assistant to the Surgeon General, United States Air Force and Space Force; Dual Hat - ANG Assistant to the Chief Nurse Corps, Office of the Surgeon General, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
9. June 2023–present, ANG Assistant to the Surgeon General, Office of the Surgeon General, Director of Space Force Medical Operations, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 2008–August 2008, Chief Combat Medical Advisor, Coalition Air Force Transition Team, Baghdad, Iraq, as a lieutenant colonel
2. January 2011–July 2011, Joint Combat Casualty Research Team, Senior Researcher, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, as a colonel
3. May 2016–May 2019, Assistant for Mobilization and Reserve Affairs, Office of the Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, Defense Health Agent, Falls Church, Va., as a brigadier general
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1995 Distinguished Nurse Award for Clinical Practice, Baystate Medical Center, Nurses Alumni
1998 Wing Junior Officer of the Year,104th Fighter Wing, Barnes Air National Guard Base, Westfield, Mass.
2007 Dean Lillian Goodman Outstanding Doctoral Student Award, University of Massachusetts Medical School
2010 Distinguished Faculty Award, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Amherst
2014 Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
2019 Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Amherst
2020 Chairmen, Board of Trustees of the Holyoke Veterans home, Gubernatorial appointment
(Current as of August 2023)