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Surgeon General of the United States Army

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Not to be confused with Surgeon General of the United States. "OTSG" redirects here. It is not to be confused with Once-through steam generator

The Surgeon General of the United States Army is the senior-most officer of the U.S. Army Medical Department (AMEDD). By policy, the Surgeon General (TSG) serves as Commanding General, U.S. Army Medical Command (MEDCOM) as well as head of the AMEDD. The surgeon general's office and staff are known as the Office of the Surgeon General (OTSG) and are located in Falls Church, Virginia.

Surgeon General of the
United States Army
Army Staff Identification Badge
Flag of the Surgeon General of the Army, depicting the caduceus
since January 25, 2024
AbbreviationTSG
Reports to
SeatThe Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia, United States
AppointerThe President
with United States Senate's
advice and consent
Term length4 years
Constituting instrument10 U.S.C. § 3036
FormationMarch 13, 1813; 211 years ago (1813-03-13)
First holderBenjamin Church, Jr.
DeputyDeputy Surgeon General of the Army
WebsiteArmy.mil/ArmyMedicine

Since 1959, TSG has been appointed in the grade of lieutenant general. By law, TSG may be appointed from any of the six officer branches of the AMEDD. However, prior to the 43rd Surgeon General, Lt. Gen. Patricia Horoho — an Army Nurse Corps officer — all appointed and confirmed surgeons general have been Medical Corps officers — military physicians. The incumbent Surgeon General is Lieutenant General Mary K. Izaguirre.

Duties

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As a commanding general, TSG provides advice and assistance to the Chief of Staff, Army (CSA) and to the Secretary of the Army (SECARMY) on all health care matters pertaining to the U.S. Army and its military health care system. The incumbent is responsible for development, policy direction, organization and overall management of an integrated Army-wide health service system and is the medical materiel developer for the Army. These duties include formulating policy regulations on health service support, health hazard assessment and the establishment of health standards. TSG is assisted by the Deputy Surgeon General.

History

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Congress established the Medical Service of the Continental Army on July 27, 1775, and placed a "Chief physician & director general" of the Continental Army as its head. The first five surgeons general of the U.S. Army served under this title. An Act of Congress of May 28, 1789, established a "Physician general" of the U.S. Army. Only two physicians, doctors Richard Allison and James Craik, served under this nomenclature. A Congressional Act of March 3, 1813, cited the "Physician & surgeon general" of the U.S. Army. That nomenclature remained in place until the Medical Department was established by the Reorganization Act of April 14, 1818. Additionally, physicians assigned to the U.S. Army were not accorded military rank until 1847.

Surgeons General of the U.S. Army and their precursors

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Incumbents from July 27, 1775 — including periods of vacancy
No. Image Name Dates of Tenure Military Rank
1   Benjamin Church, Jr. July 27, 1775–October 16, 1775 None
2   John Morgan October 16, 1775–January 1777 None
3   William Shippen, Jr. April 11, 1777–January 17, 1781 None
4   John Cochran January 17, 1781–1783 None
    1783–1792  
5 Richard Allison 1792–1796 None
    1796–August 1, 1798  
6   James Craik August 1, 1798–June 15, 1800 None
    June 15, 1800–June 11, 1813  
7   James Tilton June 11, 1813–June 15, 1815 None
    June 15, 1815–April 18, 1818  
8   Joseph Lovell April 18, 1818–October 17, 1836 None
9   Thomas Lawson October 17, 1836–May 15, 1861   Brevet Brigadier General
10   Clement Finley May 15, 1861–April 28, 1862   Brigadier General
11   William A. Hammond April 28, 1862–August 18, 1864   Brigadier General
12   Joseph Barnes August 18, 1864–June 30, 1882   Brigadier General
    June 30, 1882–July 3, 1882  
13   Charles H. Crane July 3, 1882–October 10, 1883   Brigadier General
14   Robert Murray October 10, 1883–August 6, 1886   Brigadier General
    August 6, 1886–November 18, 1886  
15   John Moore November 18, 1886–16 August 1890   Brigadier General
16   Jedediah Hyde Baxter August 16, 1890–December 4, 1890   Brigadier General
    December 4, 1890–December 23, 1890  
17   Charles Sutherland December 23, 1890–May 30, 1893   Brigadier General
18   George Miller Sternberg May 30, 1893– June 8, 1902   Brigadier General
19   William H. Forwood June 8, 1902– September 7, 1902   Brigadier General
20   Robert Maitland O'Reilly September 7, 1902–January 14, 1909   Brigadier General
21   George H. Torney January 14, 1909–December 27, 1913   Brigadier General
22   William C. Gorgas January 1914–1918   Major General
23   Merritte W. Ireland October 4, 1918–May 31, 1931   Major General
24   Robert U. Patterson 1931–1935   Major General
25   Charles R. Reynolds 1935–1939   Major General
26   James C. Magee June 1, 1939–May 31, 1943   Major General
27   Norman T. Kirk 1943–1947   Major General
28   Raymond W. Bliss 1947–1951   Major General
29 George E. Armstrong 1951–1955   Major General
30   Silas B. Hays 1955–June 1959   Major General
31   Leonard D. Heaton June 1959–1969   Lieutenant General
32   Hal B. Jennings October 10, 1969–October 1, 1973   Lieutenant General
33   Richard R. Taylor October 1, 1973–October 1, 1977   Lieutenant General
34   Charles C. Pixley October 1, 1977– September 20, 1981   Lieutenant General
35   Bernhard T. Mittemeyer October 1, 1981–February 1, 1985   Lieutenant General
36   Quinn H. Becker February 1, 1985–May 31, 1988[1]   Lieutenant General
37   Frank F. Ledford Jr. June 1, 1988–June 30, 1992[1]   Lieutenant General
38   Alcide M. Lanoue September 8, 1992–September 30, 1996[1]   Lieutenant General
39   Ronald R. Blanck October 1, 1996– September 22, 2000[1]   Lieutenant General
40   James Peake September 22, 2000 – July 8, 2004   Lieutenant General
    July 8, 2004 – September 30, 2004  
41   Kevin C. Kiley September 30, 2004–March 12, 2007   Lieutenant General (retired as   Major General)
    March 12, 2007–December 11, 2007  
42   Eric Schoomaker December 11, 2007–December 5, 2011   Lieutenant General
43   Patricia Horoho December 5, 2011–December 3, 2015   Lieutenant General
    December 3, 2015–December 11, 2015  
44   Nadja West December 11, 2015–July 19, 2019   Lieutenant General
    July 19, 2019–October 17, 2019  
45   R. Scott Dingle October 17, 2019–January 25, 2024   Lieutenant General
46   Mary K. Izaguirre January 25, 2024–present   Lieutenant General

Agencies, centers, offices, and programs within the OTSG

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See also

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Library and Museum of the OTSG, Washington, D.C.; Hand-colored photo, 1887.

Further reading

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  • Heitman, Francis B. (1903). Historical register and dictionary of the United States Army: from its organization, September 29, 1789, to March 2, 1903. Vol. 1. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/mdp.39015008097027. LCCN 03023852. OCLC 558132723.
  • Heitman, Francis B. (1903). Historical register and dictionary of the United States Army: from its organization, September 29, 1789, to March 2, 1903. Vol. 2. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/mdp.39015008097035. OCLC 1062849539.

References and notes

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  1. ^ a b c d Steahly, Lance P.; Cannon, David W. Sr (2018). The Evolution of Forward Surgery in the US Army: From the Revolutionary War to the Combat Operations of the 21st Century. Government Printing Office. ISBN 9780160947841. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  • Heitman, Francis B. (1903), Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army, from Its Organization, September 29, 1789, to March 2, 1903; Washington, DC: Government Printing Office; 2 vol. (Vol. 1, pp 41–42 details the Medical Department.)
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