Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Leigh A. Swanson is the Deputy Surgeon General and Deputy Commander, Air Force Medical Command, Headquarters U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force, Arlington, Virginia. In these roles, she leads 27,000 uniformed medical personnel, directly supports a $50 billion Defense Health Program portfolio and significantly influences a $6.1 billion, 44,000-person integrated healthcare delivery and readiness system at 76 military treatment facilities worldwide. As the Deputy Surgeon General, Maj. Gen. Swanson advises the Secretary of the Air Force, the Air Force Chief of Staff, the Space Force Chief of Space Operations and the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs focusing on designing, developing and delivering a ready medical force and medically ready Airmen and Guardians. As Chief of the Air Force Medical Corps, she creates and evaluates policy and programs for more than 3,800 doctors of medicine, supporting 76 military treatment facilities, headquarters and major command organizations.
Maj. Gen. Swanson entered the Air Force in 1994 as part of the Health Promotions Scholarship Program, receiving a Doctor of Medicine degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin. Prior to her current position, she was the Command Surgeon for United States European Command. She is Board Certified in Family Practice, Aerospace Medicine, Public Health and General Preventive Medicine and a Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association.
EDUCATION
1994 Bachelor of Medical Science, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wis.
1997 Doctor of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wis.
2000 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2000 Residency Training in Family Practice, Eglin AFB, Fla.
2000 Aerospace Medicine Primary Course, Brooks AFB, Texas
2004 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2005 Master of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas
2006 Aerospace Medicine Residency, Brooks City-Base, Texas
2007 Residency in General Preventive Medicine, Brooks City-Base, Texas
2008 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2013 Master of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2015 Interagency Institute for Federal Health Care Executives, Washington, D.C.
2016 Joint Medical Executive Skills Institute Capstone Course, Washington, D.C.
2021 Leading Strategically Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1997 - June 2000, Resident in Family Practice, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
2. July 2000 - May 2003, Flight Surgeon, 16th Operational Support Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
3. May 2003 - June 2004, Chief of Flight Medicine, 16th Medical Group, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
4. July 2004 - June 2005, Student, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas
5. June 2005 - June 2006, Resident in Aerospace Medicine, U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks City-Base, Texas
6. July 2006 - June 2007, Resident in General Preventive Medicine, U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks City-Base, Texas
7. July 2007 - July 2009, MDOS Squadron Commander, Deputy MDG Commander, and SGP (Chief of Aerospace Medicine), F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
8. July 2009 - Aug 2010, Chief of Aeromedical Services and PRP for AFSPC, Colorado Springs, Colo.
9. Aug 2010 - July 2012, AMDS Squadron Commander and SGP, Holloman AFB, N.M.
10. July 2012 - May 2013, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
11. July 2013 - July 2014, Deputy Commander, 51st Medical Group, Osan Air Base, South Korea (March - May 2014, Commander, 8th Medical Group, Kunsan AB, South Korea)
12. July 2014 - Mar 2015, Deputy Commander, 51st Medical Group, and Deputy Surgeon, 7th Air Force, Osan AB, South Korea
13. Mar 2015 - May 2015, Commander, 51st Medical Group, and Command Surgeon, 7th Air Force, Osan AB, South Korea
14. July 2015 - June 2017, Commander, 35th Medical Group, Misawa AB, Japan
15. June 2017 - June 2019, Commander, 10th Medical Group, Command Surgeon, and Senior Market Manager, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
16. June 2019 - April 2021, Command Surgeon, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
17. May 2021 - June 2023, Command Surgeon, United States European Command, U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, Germany
18. July 2023 - May 2026, Command Surgeon, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill. and Chief, Medical Corps, USAF
19. June 2026 - present, Deputy Surgeon General and deputy Commander, Air Force Medical Command, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, U.S. Space Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Chief flight surgeon
Hours: More than 545 hours including 55 combat hours
Aircraft flown: AC130H/U, C12, C130E/H, C141, C21, C5, HH60, KC135, MC130E/H, MH47, T1, UH1H/N, UH60, UH72
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Joint Service Commendation with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Gallant Unit Citation
Meritorious Unit Award
AF Outstanding Unit Awards with Valor Device with four oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant January 22,1994
Captain May 14, 1997
Major May 14, 2003
Lieutenant Colonel May 31, 2007
Colonel May 31, 2011
Brigadier General December 05, 2023
Major General May 12, 2026
(Current as of July 2026)