MAJOR GENERAL (DR.) BYRON C. HEPBURN
Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Byron C. Hepburn is Commander of the 59th Medical Wing, Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, whose mission is to provide deployed and home station health care, graduate medical education, and clinical research, all designed to enhance Air Force readiness. He leads the Air Force's largest medical wing composed of seven groups with a staff of 6,010 military, civilian, contract employees, residents and students. As the Deputy Director of the San Antonio Military Health System, he supports a $1.2 billion budget providing health care for more than 230,000 beneficiaries in 10 medical treatment facilities in the San Antonio metropolitan area.
Prior to his selection to serve as Commander, 59th MDW, General Hepburn was confirmed for promotion to the rank of major general and served as the Deputy Surgeon General, Office of the Surgeon General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. As chief operating officer, he directed all operations of the Air Force Medical Service, a $5.1 billion, 43,000-person integrated health care delivery system serving 2.4 million beneficiaries at 75 military treatment facilities worldwide. General Hepburn is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and received a Masters of Arts degree in European Studies from the University of Geneva, Switzerland. He is one of 15 U.S. Air Force pilot-physicians and is a command pilot with more than 3,000 flight hours on the T-37, T-38, C-9A and C-17A aircraft. In 1987, he graduated from the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences School of Medicine and completed a residency in Family Practice. He has commanded a medical squadron, group and center, and served as Command Surgeon, U.S. European Command, and Air Mobility Command Surgeon. General Hepburn is an honored recipient of the Mackay Trophy for his participation in the USS Cole medical evacuation mission. General Hepburn deployed to Afghanistan in 2001 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He was assigned as Deputy Surgeon General, Office of the Surgeon General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Bolling AFB, D.C., before his last assignment as the 59th Medical Wing Commander and Director and Deputy Director of the San Antonio Military Health System.
EDUCATION
1976 Distinguished graduate, Bachelor of Science degree in Western European Area Studies and Geography, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1977 Master of Arts degree in European Studies, University of Geneva, Switzerland
1980 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1987 Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences School of Medicine, Bethesda, Md.
1990 Family Practice Residency, Andrews AFB, Md.
1994 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1999 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2002 Interagency Institute for Federal Health Care Executives, Washington, D.C.
2002 Medical Capstone Course, Washington, D.C.
2007 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1978 - December 1978, student, undergraduate pilot training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
2. December 1978 - July 1981, C-9A copilot and aircraft commander; Airlift Control Element mission commander, Rhein-Main Air Base, West Germany
3. July 1981 - August 1983, C-9A instructor pilot, flight examiner and assistant Chief of Aircrew Standardization; later, staff officer, Policy and Programs Division, Headquarters Military Airlift Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
4. August 1983 - July 1987, medical student, Uniformed Services Health University, Bethesda, Md.
5. July 1987 - August 1990, family medicine resident, Andrews AFB, Md.
6. September 1990 - June 1995, staff physician, Department of Family Practice, and Medical Director, Physician Assistant Training Program, U.S. Air Force Academy Hospital, Colorado Springs, Colo.
7. July 1995 - May 1996, Chief, Flight Medicine; later, acting Commander, 437th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C.
8. June 1996 - July 1998, C-17A Pilot Physician, Detachment 1; later, acting Commander, 33rd Flight Test Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C.
9. August 1998 - June 1999, student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. July 1999 - June 2001, Commander, 86th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, Ramstein AB, Germany
11. June 2001 - June 2002, Commander, 62nd Medical Group, McChord AFB, Wash.
12. June 2002 - June 2004, Command Surgeon, Headquarters U.S. European Command, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany
13. July 2004 - July 2006, Commander, 60th Medical Group, Travis AFB, Calif.
14. July 2006 - September 2008, Command Surgeon, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
15. September 2008 - August 2009, Commander, Air Force Medical Support Agency, Washington, D.C.
16. August 2009 - November 2010, Deputy Surgeon General, Office of the Surgeon General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Bolling AFB, D.C.
17. November 2010 – present, Commander, 59th Medical Wing, JBSA-Lackland, Texas, and Director, San Antonio Military Health System, Joint Base San Antonio. On Sept. 12, 2013, Hepburn rotated into the position of Deputy Director, SAMHS, following the organization’s customary transition of authority between the Air Force and Army leadership.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
June 2002 - June 2004, Command Surgeon, Headquarters U.S. European Command, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany, as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,000
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, C-9A and C-17A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Ordre National de la Légion d' Honneur, Republic of France
Medaille d' Honneur, French Military Medical Services
Medaille de la Defense Nationale, Republic of France
Chevalier dans l'Odre de la Valeur, Republic of Cameroon
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1976 Swiss University Award
2000 Mackay Trophy Recipient
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
American Academy of Family Physicians, Fellow
American College of Physician Executives
American College of Healthcare Executives
American Medical Association
Aerospace Medical Association
Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.
Interagency Institute for Federal Health Care Executives
International Association of Military Pilot Physicians
Order of Daedalians, Fraternity of Military Pilots
Uniformed Services Academy of Family Physicians
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 5, 1976
First Lieutenant June 2, 1978
Captain March 8, 1984
Major March 8, 1990
Lieutenant Colonel March 8, 1996
Colonel May 30, 2000
Brigadier General Sept. 7, 2006
Major General June 1, 2011
(Current as of May 2014)
Prior to his selection to serve as Commander, 59th MDW, General Hepburn was confirmed for promotion to the rank of major general and served as the Deputy Surgeon General, Office of the Surgeon General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. As chief operating officer, he directed all operations of the Air Force Medical Service, a $5.1 billion, 43,000-person integrated health care delivery system serving 2.4 million beneficiaries at 75 military treatment facilities worldwide. General Hepburn is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and received a Masters of Arts degree in European Studies from the University of Geneva, Switzerland. He is one of 15 U.S. Air Force pilot-physicians and is a command pilot with more than 3,000 flight hours on the T-37, T-38, C-9A and C-17A aircraft. In 1987, he graduated from the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences School of Medicine and completed a residency in Family Practice. He has commanded a medical squadron, group and center, and served as Command Surgeon, U.S. European Command, and Air Mobility Command Surgeon. General Hepburn is an honored recipient of the Mackay Trophy for his participation in the USS Cole medical evacuation mission. General Hepburn deployed to Afghanistan in 2001 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He was assigned as Deputy Surgeon General, Office of the Surgeon General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Bolling AFB, D.C., before his last assignment as the 59th Medical Wing Commander and Director and Deputy Director of the San Antonio Military Health System.
EDUCATION
1976 Distinguished graduate, Bachelor of Science degree in Western European Area Studies and Geography, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1977 Master of Arts degree in European Studies, University of Geneva, Switzerland
1980 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1987 Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences School of Medicine, Bethesda, Md.
1990 Family Practice Residency, Andrews AFB, Md.
1994 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1999 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2002 Interagency Institute for Federal Health Care Executives, Washington, D.C.
2002 Medical Capstone Course, Washington, D.C.
2007 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1978 - December 1978, student, undergraduate pilot training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
2. December 1978 - July 1981, C-9A copilot and aircraft commander; Airlift Control Element mission commander, Rhein-Main Air Base, West Germany
3. July 1981 - August 1983, C-9A instructor pilot, flight examiner and assistant Chief of Aircrew Standardization; later, staff officer, Policy and Programs Division, Headquarters Military Airlift Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
4. August 1983 - July 1987, medical student, Uniformed Services Health University, Bethesda, Md.
5. July 1987 - August 1990, family medicine resident, Andrews AFB, Md.
6. September 1990 - June 1995, staff physician, Department of Family Practice, and Medical Director, Physician Assistant Training Program, U.S. Air Force Academy Hospital, Colorado Springs, Colo.
7. July 1995 - May 1996, Chief, Flight Medicine; later, acting Commander, 437th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C.
8. June 1996 - July 1998, C-17A Pilot Physician, Detachment 1; later, acting Commander, 33rd Flight Test Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C.
9. August 1998 - June 1999, student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. July 1999 - June 2001, Commander, 86th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, Ramstein AB, Germany
11. June 2001 - June 2002, Commander, 62nd Medical Group, McChord AFB, Wash.
12. June 2002 - June 2004, Command Surgeon, Headquarters U.S. European Command, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany
13. July 2004 - July 2006, Commander, 60th Medical Group, Travis AFB, Calif.
14. July 2006 - September 2008, Command Surgeon, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
15. September 2008 - August 2009, Commander, Air Force Medical Support Agency, Washington, D.C.
16. August 2009 - November 2010, Deputy Surgeon General, Office of the Surgeon General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Bolling AFB, D.C.
17. November 2010 – present, Commander, 59th Medical Wing, JBSA-Lackland, Texas, and Director, San Antonio Military Health System, Joint Base San Antonio. On Sept. 12, 2013, Hepburn rotated into the position of Deputy Director, SAMHS, following the organization’s customary transition of authority between the Air Force and Army leadership.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
June 2002 - June 2004, Command Surgeon, Headquarters U.S. European Command, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany, as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,000
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, C-9A and C-17A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Ordre National de la Légion d' Honneur, Republic of France
Medaille d' Honneur, French Military Medical Services
Medaille de la Defense Nationale, Republic of France
Chevalier dans l'Odre de la Valeur, Republic of Cameroon
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1976 Swiss University Award
2000 Mackay Trophy Recipient
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
American Academy of Family Physicians, Fellow
American College of Physician Executives
American College of Healthcare Executives
American Medical Association
Aerospace Medical Association
Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.
Interagency Institute for Federal Health Care Executives
International Association of Military Pilot Physicians
Order of Daedalians, Fraternity of Military Pilots
Uniformed Services Academy of Family Physicians
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 5, 1976
First Lieutenant June 2, 1978
Captain March 8, 1984
Major March 8, 1990
Lieutenant Colonel March 8, 1996
Colonel May 30, 2000
Brigadier General Sept. 7, 2006
Major General June 1, 2011
(Current as of May 2014)