Col. Eric L. Phillips is the Commander, 73rd Medical Wing at Air Force Medical Command, Defense Health Headquarters, Falls Church, Virginia.
At Full Operational Capability, Col. Phillips will command 15 medical groups in Air Force Special Operations Command, Air Force Materiel Command, U.S. Space Force, and the U.S. Air Force Academy. The 73rd Medical Wing will comprise more than 4,200 medical personnel, execute a budget of $560 million, and deliver healthcare to more than 203,000 enrolled beneficiaries. Ultimately, the 73rd Medical Wing will ensure that its medical groups and supported organizations can organize, train and equip their respective personnel to fulfill present and future combatant command requirements, as well as ensure the health, safety and welfare of the respective commands.
Col. Phillips enlisted into the Army’s Infantry in 1992, where he served in the Air Assault Combat Infantry, as part of the 101st Airborne Division, Ft Campbell, Ky. He went on to serve in the Army National Guard, continuing in the Infantry as well as Intelligence, while attending the University of Southern Mississippi. In 2000, Col. Phillips was selected for commissioning into the U.S. Air Force and completed Commissioned Officer Training at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. He is an in-residence graduate of both Air Command and Staff College and the Air War College, and prior to his current assignment, Col. Phillips served on the Air Staff and in six Major Commands as Medical Group Commander, Deputy Group Commander, Squadron Commander, Flight Commander, Branch Chief, Division Chief, and Wing Executive Officer.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Science, Nutrition Science, University of Southern Mississippi
2005 Squadron Officer School (in-residence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Master of Science, Health Promotion / Nutrition Science, Mississippi State University
2010 Master of Science, Human Systems Integration, Naval Postgraduate School
2014 Air Command & Staff College (in-residence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2014 Master of Military Operational Art & Science, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2020 Air War College (in-residence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2020 Master of Strategic Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1992 - December 1992, Infantryman, Basic Training, Fort Benning, Ga.
2. December 1992 - January 1995, M60 Gunner, 1/502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
3. January 1995 - June 1998, Security Sergeant, 114 ASG-Army National Guard, Hattiesburg, Miss.
4. June 1998 - August 2000, Intel Sergeant, 114 ASG-Army National Guard, Hattiesburg, Miss.
5. August 2000 - September 2000, Commissioned Officer Training, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
6. October 2000 - August 2003, Flight Commander / Chief Clinical Dietitian, NMF, 375 MDSS, Scott AFB, Ill.
7. August 2003 - July 2005, Flight Commander, Health Promotion, 325 ADS, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
8. July 2005 - June 2008, Operations OIC, Aerospace Physiology Flight, 14 MDOS, Columbus AFB, Miss.
9. June 2008 - June 2010, AFIT Master’s Student, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
10. June 2010 - January 2012, Chief, ISR Branch, 711 HPW/HP, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
11. January 2012 - July 2012, Chief, Operations Division, 711 HPW/HP, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
12. July 2012 - July 2013, Wing Executive Officer, 711 HPW/CCE, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
13. July 2013 - June 2014, Air Command & Staff College Student, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
14. June 2014 - July 2015, Chief, Rated Management Branch, AF/A3O, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
15. July 2015 - July 2016, Chief, Aerospace Physiology Branch, AFMSA/SG3PT, Falls Church, Va.
16. July 2016 - June 2018, Commander, 42d Aerospace Medicine Squadron; Deputy Commander, 42d Medical Group (July 2017-Junr 2018), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
17. June 2018 - July 2019, AU Fellow, CSAF Leader Development Course for Sq/CC, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
18. July 2019 - June 2020, Air War College Student, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
19. June 2020 - October 2020, Commander, 673d Medical Operations Squadron, Joint-Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
20. October 2020 - June 2021, Commander, 673d Healthcare Operations Squadron, Joint-Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
21. June 2021 - June 2023, MTF Director/Commander, 366th Medical Group, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
22. June 2023 - July 2024, Deputy Director, Defense Health Network - Europe, Sembach, Germany
23. July 2024 - June 2026, MTF Director/Commander, 99th Medical Group, Nellis AFB, Nev.
24. June 2026 - present, Commander, 73rd Medical Wing, Falls Church, Va.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Legion of Merit Medal with two oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf cluster
Army Commendation Medal
Army Achievement Medal
Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal
Air Assault Badge
Squadron Officer School “Top-Third Graduate”
Air War College (In-Residence Research Paper) “Human Capital Innovation Award”
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant August 9, 2000
First Lieutenant August 9, 2002
Captain August 9, 2004
Major April 1, 2010
Lieutenant Colonel January 1, 2015
Colonel January 1, 2021
(Current as of June 2026)