Col. Brian H. Neese is currently serving as the Command Surgeon, U.S. Southern Command, Doral. Florida. As medical advisor to the Combatant Commander, he is responsible for all aspects of joint health service support in the area of responsibility, consisting of 31 countries in Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. His duties include the development and implementation of medical plans, programs and policies in support of command operations. He directs contingency and peacetime medical operations, including exercises, deployments, logistics, preventive medicine, force health protection and global health engagement activities to meet command strategic objectives.
Prior to his current duties, Col. Neese served as the Component Command Surgeon, 12th Air Force / Air Forces Southern. His tenure at AFSOUTH was marked by a dramatic in Global Health Engagement activities in the region. His team designed, planned, and implemented joint, Total Force medical training exercises which delivered direct patient care to vulnerable populations throughout Central America and the Caribbean.
Col. Neese has served multiple tours of duty in clinics and hospitals across the Military Health System. As Deputy Director for both the 81st Medical Group, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, as well as the Defense Health Agency’s Coastal Mississippi Market, he oversaw medical care for 48,000 federal beneficiaries at Keesler Medical Center and the Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Unit in Gulfport, Mississippi. Furthermore, Col. Neese has commanded medical units at the Squadron and Group level, including a one year deployment as the Commander, 380th Expeditionary Medical Group, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates.
Col. Neese received his Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Louisiana State University, Medical Degree from Ben Gurion University, Israel, Master of Public Health from Harvard University, and his Master of Science in National Security from The Eisenhower School, National Defense University. He is a board-certified Family Physician, having trained at the University of Virginia Family Medicine Program in Charlottesville, Virginia, as well as a Flight Surgeon with 187 combat flying hours.
EDUCATION
1997 Universidad de Belgrano, Buenos Aires, Argentina (semester abroad)
1999 Bachelor of Arts, Spanish, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, La.
2004 Master of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Mass.
2005 Doctor of Medicine, Medical School for International Health, Beer Sheva, Israel
2008 Family Medicine Residency Program, Charlottesville, Va.
2008 Board Certified Diplomate, Family Medicine
2009 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
2012 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2015 Air War College, by correspondence
2016 Joint Senior Medical Leaders Course
2017 Intermediate Executive Skills Course
2018 Aresty Scholar, Physician Leadership Academy, Wharton Exec Education, University of Pennsylvania, Penn.
2020 Master of Science in National Security, Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy
ASSIGNMENTS
1. 2008 - 2011 Flight Commander & Staff Physician, Kelly Clinic, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
2. 2011 - 2015 Chief, International Health Division, 12th AF / AFSOUTH, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
3. 2015 - 2017 Commander, 628th Medical Operations Squadron, Joint Base-Charleston, S.C.
4. 2017 - 2018 Chief, International Health Advisor, Secretary of the Air Force / International Affairs, Pentagon
5. 2018 - 2019 Command Surgeon, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
6. 2019 - 2020 Student, Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Washington, D.C.
7. 2020 - 2021 Deputy Director, 81st Med Group / Coastal Mississippi Market, Keesler AFB, Miss.
8. 2021 - 2022 Commander, 380th Expeditionary Medical Group, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates
9. 2022 - July 2024 Command Surgeon, 12th AF / Air Forces Southern, DM AFB, Ariz.
10. August 2024 - present Command Surgeon, HQ USSOUTHCOM, Doral, Fla.
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Captain June 2009
Major June 2010
Lieutenant Colonel May 2015
Colonel May 2021
(Current as of February 2026)