Ediger named surgeon general Published April 1, 2015 Air Force Surgeon General Public Affairs WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The Senate has confirmed Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Mark A. Ediger to become the Air Force's 22nd surgeon general recently. Ediger is currently the Air Force's deputy surgeon general, a position he has held since July 2012, and was recently notified that he will be promoted to the rank of three-star general. He will replace Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Thomas W. Travis, who is retiring this summer. As surgeon general, General Ediger will serve as functional manager of the U.S. Air Force Medical Service. In this capacity, he will advise the Secretary of the Air Force and Air Force Chief of Staff, as well as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs on matters pertaining to the medical aspects of the air expeditionary force and the health of Air Force people. The general has authority to commit resources worldwide for the Air Force Medical Service, to make decisions affecting the delivery of medical services, and to develop plans, programs and procedures to support worldwide medical service missions. He will exercise direction, guidance and technical management of a $6.6 billion, 44,000-person integrated health care delivery system serving 2.6 million beneficiaries at 75 military treatment facilities worldwide. From Springfield, Mo., Ediger entered the Air Force in 1985, as chief of family practice, Air Transportable Hospital Commander, 1st Medical Group, Langley AFB, Va. He earned a Doctorate of Medicine degree from the University of Missouri, Kansas City, in 1978, completed residency in family practice at Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, N.C., in 1981, and completed residency in aerospace medicine at the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks AFB, Texas, in 1992. Ediger has served as the Aerospace Medicine Consultant to the Air Force Surgeon General, commanded two medical groups and served as command surgeon for three major commands. He deployed in support of operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and Southern Watch. He also holds a rating of chief flight surgeon with more than 800 flying hours, including 90 combat support hours and 38 combat hours in the C-130, MH-53, F-15, T-38 and KC-135. USAF. (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Rosario "Charo" Gutierrez) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res USAF. (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Rosario "Charo" Gutierrez)