Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Thomas W. Travis is the Surgeon General of the Air Force, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. General Travis serves as functional manager of the U.S. Air Force Medical Service. In this capacity, he advises 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. General Travis 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 exercises 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.
General Travis entered the Air Force in 1976 as a distinguished graduate of the ROTC program at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He was awarded his pilot wings in 1978 and served as an F-4 pilot and aircraft commander. The general completed his medical degree from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences School of Medicine, where he was the top Air Force graduate, and in 1987 he became a flight surgeon. For more than three years, General Travis was Chief of Medical Operations for the Human Systems Program Office at Brooks Air Force Base, Texas. He later served as the Director of Operational Health Support and Chief of Aerospace Medicine Division for the Air Force Medical Operations Agency in Washington, D.C.
Prior to his current assignment, General Travis served as Deputy Surgeon General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. The general has commanded the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine; 311th Human Systems Wing at Brooks AFB; Malcolm Grow Medical Center and 79th Medical Wing, Andrews AFB, Md.; and the 59th Medical Wing, Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB, Texas. He also served as the Command Surgeon, Headquarters Air Force District of Washington, and Command Surgeon, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va. He is board certified in aerospace medicine. A command pilot and chief flight surgeon, he has more than 1,800 flying hours and is one of the Air Force's few pilot-physicians. He has flown the F-4, F-15 and F-16 as mission pilot and, the Royal Air Force Hawk as the senior medical officer and pilot.
EDUCATION
1976 Distinguished graduate, Bachelor of Science degree in biology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg
1980 Master of Science degree in physiology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg
1986 Doctor of Medicine degree, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences School of Medicine, Bethesda, Md.
1991 Master of Science degree in public health, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio
1996 Air War College, by correspondence
1999 Distinguished graduate, Master of Science degree in national resource strategy, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2000 Medical Capstone, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C.
2003 Federal Health Care Executive Course, Interagency Institute, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
2005 Capstone, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C
ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 1977 - March 1978, student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams AFB, Ariz.
2. May 1978 - August 1978, student, fighter lead-in training, Holloman AFB, N.M
3. August 1978 - February 1979, student, F-4 Replacement Training Unit, MacDill AFB, Fla.
4. February 1979 - June 1982, F-4 aircraft commander, 334th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
5. August 1982 - May 1986, medical student, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences School of Medicine, Bethesda, Md.
6. July 1986 - June 1987, internship, Andrews AFB, Maryland
7. July 1987 - July 1990, F-15 pilot physician, Langley AFB, Virginia
8. August 1990 - June 1992, resident in aerospace medicine, Brooks AFB, Texas
9. July 1992 - April 1996, Chief, Medical Operations, Human Systems Program Office, Brooks AFB, Texas
10. April 1996 - June 1998, senior medical officer pilot, Royal Air Force School of Aviation Medicine, Farnborough, England
11. July 1998 - June 1999, student, National Defense University, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
12. July 1999 - July 2001, Director, Operational Health Support, and Chief, Aerospace Medicine Division, Air Force Medical Operations Agency, Washington, D.C.
13. July 2001 - February 2003, Commander, U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks AFB, Texas
14. February 2003 - September 2005, Commander, 311th Human Systems Wing, Brooks City-Base, Texas
15. September 2005 - May 2006, Commander, 89th Medical Group, Andrews AFB, Md.
16. May 2006 - August 2006, Command Surgeon, Headquarters Air Force District of Washington, Bolling AFB, D.C., and Commander, 79th Medical Wing, Andrews AFB, Md.
17. September 2006 - August 2007, Command Surgeon, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
18. August 2007 - November 2010, Commander, 59th Medical Wing, Lackland AFB, Texas
19. November 2010 - July 2012, Deputy Surgeon General, Office of the Surgeon General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
20. July 2012 – present, Surgeon General, Office of the Surgeon General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot and chief flight surgeon
Hours: More than 1,800
Aircraft flown: F-4, F-15, F-16 and Royal Air Force Hawk
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Combat Readiness Medal
Air Force Recognition Ribbon
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1994 Julian E. Ward Memorial Award, Aerospace Medical Association
1994 Unger Literary Award, Society of U.S. Air Force Flight Surgeons
1995 Paul W. Myers Award for outstanding contributions to Air Force medicine, Air Force Association
2003 Stewart Lecturer, Royal Aeronautical Society
2007 Marie Marvingt Award, French Society of Aerospace Medicine
2007 George E. Schafer Award, Society of USAF Flight Surgeons
2008 John D. Chase Award for Physician Executive Excellence, Association of Military Surgeons of the United States
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Academician, International Academy of Aviation and Space Medicine
Member and former President, Society of U.S. Air Force Flight Surgeons
Member and former President, International Association of Military Flight Surgeon Pilots
Fellow, Aerospace Medical Association
Fellow and former Aerospace Medicine Regent, American College of Preventive Medicine
Life member, Association of Military Surgeons of the United States
Order of the Daedalians
Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 2, 1976
First Lieutenant December. 2, 1978
Captain February 25, 1982
Major February 25, 1988
Lieutenant Colonel February 25, 1994
Colonel May 31, 1998
Brigadier General September 1, 2004
Major General June 2, 2007
Lieutenant General July 13, 2012
(Current as of February 2015)