Col. Betty Ann Venth serves as the Commander of the 359th Medical Wing at Medical Readiness Command-Alpha, San Antonio, Texas. Within The AFMEDCOM command structure, she leads 18 Medical Groups providing strategic planning, budgeting, programming, human resource management, deployment medicine, and medical readiness oversight to organize, train and equip approximately 6,000 medical professionals. Col. Venth is responsible for generating a medically ready force for Air Education and Training Command and Air Force Global Strike Command, as well as ensuring the medical force is ready to deliver healthcare services support anywhere globally for humanitarian or combatant operations.
Prior to this assignment, Col. Venth served as the Deputy Command Surgeon for Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. Her background includes numerous leadership roles at the flight, squadron, group, Major Command and Headquarters levels. Additionally, her clinical experience spans from large hospitals to limited scope military treatment facilities to formal education platforms for specific AFSCs, Unit Training Codes, and professional specialties to prison healthcare services.
Col. Venth was raised in East Meredith, New York, and received her direct commissioning to the U.S. Air Force after working one year as a civilian inpatient medical-surgical nurse in Cooperstown, New York. Her active duty career began in November 1996.
EDUCATION
1995 Bachelors of Science, Nursing, State University of New York, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2004 Masters of Nursing, University of Phoenix, Ariz.
2009 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Legal Nurse Consultant Certification, Kaplan University, Fla.
2015 Squadron Commander’s Course, Ramstein AFB, Germany
2015 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2018 Joint Senior Medical Leaders Course, Falls Church, Va.
2019 Group Commander’s Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2019 Senior Officer Legal Orientation Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2021 LEADS Capstone Course, Defense Health Agency, Washington, D.C. (virtual)
2022 Interagency Institute for Federal Healthcare Executives, University of Washington, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. December 1996 - February 2000, Surgical Services Clinical Nurse, 59th Medical Operations Squadron, Lackland AFB, Texas
2. February 2000 - August 2003, Clinical Nurse (Internal Medicine, Family Health, & Pediatrics), 436th Medical Operations Squadron, Dover AFB, Del.
3. August 2003 - August 2006, Family Practice Element Chief, 75th Medical Operations Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
4. August 2006 - February 2007, Deputy Element Chief, 673rd Multi-Service Unit, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
5. February 2007 - August 2010, Course Supervisor-Nurse Transition Program, 673rd Medical Operations Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
6. January 2009 - July 2009, Chief Nurse, Task Force Wolverine, Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan
7. August 2010 - October 2012, Director, Education & Training, 56th Medical Group, Luke AFB, Ariz.
8. May 2012 - June 2015, Flight Commander, Family Health, 56th Medical Operations Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
9. June 2015 - June 2017, Commander, 423rd Medical Squadron, RAF Alconbury, England
10. June 2017 - June 2018, Executive Fellow, AF Director of Nursing Services, Defense Health Headquarters, Falls Church, Va.
11. July 2018 - July 2019, Chair, En Route Care Training Department, United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, 711th Human Performance Wing, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio
12. July 2019 - July 2021, Commander, 14th Medical Group, Columbus AFB, Miss.
13. July 2021 - July 2024, Deputy Command Surgeon, Air Education & Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph AFB, Texas
14. July 2024 – present, Commander, 350 Medical Wing, Medical Readiness Command Alpha, Air Force Medical Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Port San Antonio, Texas
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Air and Space Recognition Ribbon
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2011 AFMS Outstanding Achievement in Nursing Force Development Award
2013 Nurse.com National Nursing Excellence GEM (Giving Excellence Meaning) Award: Patient and Staff Management
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
2006 - present, Board Certified, Ambulatory Care Nursing, American Nurses Credentialing Center
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant November 10, 1996
First Lieutenant April 20, 1998
Captain April 20, 2002
Major July 1, 2008
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2015
Colonel May 1, 2019
(Current as of January 2025)