Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Thomas "Tom" W. Harrell is the Director, Defense Health Network Central; Commander, 59th Medical Wing; Director, San Antonio Market; and lead, Air Force Medical Agency Alpha. As the Director of DHN Central, Harrell leads a joint, integrated medical system of 39 military medical hospitals and clinics, including the Department of Defense’s largest healthcare, medical education and readiness training platforms. The network supports military departments and combatant commands by ensuring the U.S. military has ready medical professionals and a medically ready force.
As the 59th Medical Wing Commander, Maj. Gen. Harrell commands the Air Force Medical Service’s largest healthcare, medical education and readiness platform comprising six groups with a staff of 5,600 personnel executing a $270 million budget. The wing conducts 900,000 clinic visits, performs 19,000 surgical procedures, and supports more than 300 worldwide deployments annually. Additionally, the 59 MDW staff at Brooke Army Medical Center supports 2.5 million patient visits and 19,000 admissions per year.
As the Director for the San Antonio Market, Maj. Gen. Harrell directs and manages the overall operations and resources of an integrated, joint-service health system with a collective operating budget of $1.2 billion. The Market provides high-quality, safe, and reliable health care to more than 255,000 local beneficiaries.
Maj. Gen. Harrell received an ROTC Pre-Health Profession Scholarship, commissioning from the University of South Florida. His doctorate in medicine was conferred from the University of South Florida College of Medicine. He completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, followed by a sponsored fellowship in cardiology/electrophysiology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver.
Maj. Gen. Harrell has commanded a squadron, a DoD/VA hospital and an Air Force Medical Center. Previously, he served as the Commander of Air Force Medical Readiness Agency, Defense Health Headquarters, Deputy Director of Medical Operations for the Air Force Medical Service; Deputy Director of Medical Services at the Air Force Medical Operations Agency; the sub-unified Alaskan Command Surgeon at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; and the Command Surgeon for Air Education and Training Command. Clinically, he has been both a Department Chief and the Chief of Medical Services. Additionally, he conducted aerospace cardiology research for the United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, subsequently serving as the first Chief of the Medical Flight Screening Branch, followed by a tour as the Chief of Aeromedical Services. He holds a Master of Strategic Studies with academic distinction from the Air War College and is a board-certified Cardiologist and Physician Executive. He is a Fellow in American College of Cardiology. Maj. Gen. Harrell is also a Chief Flight Surgeon with experience in a variety of aircraft required to execute the United States Air Force’s combatant and humanitarian relief missions.
EDUCATION
1988 Bachelor of Science, Biology, cum laude, University of South Florida, Tampa
1992 Doctor of Medicine, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa
1995 Residency in Internal Medicine, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Medical Center, Ohio
1998 Fellowship in Cardiology/Electrophysiology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver 2001 Aerospace Medicine Primary Course
2004 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., 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 Certification
2011 Master of Strategic Studies with academic distinction, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Medical Capstone Course, Washington, D.C.
2014 Joint Senior Medical Leaders Course, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
2015 U.S. Air Force Senior Leadership Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, N.C.
2016 U.S. Air Force Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Washington, D.C.
2017 Medical Strategic Leader Program, Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston/Washington, D.C./New York
2022 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
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 Air Force Base, Nev.
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; Staff Cardiologist, Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB, Texas
3. June 2005–June 2007, 435th MDG Chief of Aeromedical Services; Flight Commander, Flight Medicine Clinic, Ramstein Air Base, Germany; Medical Director, Kaiserslautern Military Community Emergency Response System; Staff Cardiologist, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany
4. July 2007–July 2009, Commander, 48th Surgical Operations Squadron; RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom
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, Miss.
9. June 2016–April 2018, Command Surgeon, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
10. April 2018–June 2021, Deputy Director, Medical Operations, Headquarters Air Force, Office of the Surgeon General, Defense Health Headquarters, Falls Church, Va.
11. June 2021–September 2023, Commander, Air Force Medical Readiness Agency, Defense Health Headquarters, Falls Church, Va.
12. September 2023–present, Commander, 59th Medical Wing and San Antonio Market Director, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: chief flight surgeon
Flight hours: 730 hours with 94 combat hours
Aircraft flown: F-16, T-43A, T-37B, T-1, KC-135, C-40, C-130, C-37, C-32, C-21, C-20, C-17, C-12, UH-60
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with silver and three oak leaf clusters
Alaska National Guard Legion of Merit
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2002 Paul W. Myers Award for USAF Physician Assistant Preceptor of the Year
2004 Air Force Materiel Command Outstanding Achievement in Clinical Research Award
2004-2009 Aerospace Cardiology Consultant to the Air Force Surgeon General
2007 Excellence in Clinical/Academic Teaching Special Experience Identifier
2011 Secretary of the Air Force Leadership Award
2011 Air War College Research Excellence Award
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Fellow, American College of Cardiology Certified Physician Executive
Member, American College of Healthcare Executives
Member, Alpha Omega Alpha Medical
(Current as of January 2024)