Colonel MELISSA DOOLEY

Col. Melissa J. Dooley is the Commander, 60th Medical Group, 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis Air Force Base, California. As commander, she is responsible for establishing policies and maintaining standards of practice to govern all medical, dental and support programs for 276,000 Department of Defense and Veteran Affairs eligible beneficiaries. She oversees a budget of $165 million dollars, manages the largest Air Force medical facility at approximately 2.3 million square feet, which handles more than 411,000 patient encounters annually. Col. Dooley leads seven squadrons encompassing 2,500 staff and 450 medical providers. The 60th Medical Group provides and arranges comprehensive community and referral healthcare, as well as aeromedical staging, readiness, education, research and teleradiology services. The medical group also supports DoD/VA joint ventures.

Col Dooley enlisted in the Air Force in 1992 as a satellite communications maintainer. After serving four years on the enlisted force, she earned her degree from the University of Maryland College Park through a Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarship. Following the completion of ROTC, she attended the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences School of Medicine in 2005 where she commissioned into the medical corps. Upon commissioning, she trained in emergency medicine at San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Consortium.

Col. Dooley has deployed in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM and RESOLUTE SUPPORT, and SOCAFRICA.

 

EDUCATION 

1995 Associates of Arts, Electronic Principles, Community College of the Air Force

2001 Bachelor of Science, in Physiology/Neurobiology, University of Maryland, College Park, graduated Cum Laude

2005 Doctor of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md.

2008 Graduate, Residency in Emergency Medicine, San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, San Antonio, Texas

Squadron Officer School, (correspondence) Maxwell AFB, Ala.

2013 Air Command and Staff College, (correspondence) Maxwell AFB, Ala.

Air War College, (correspondence) Maxwell AFB, Ala.

Intermediate Executive Skills Course, San Antonio, Texas

Aerospace Medicine Primary Course, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio

MedXellence Course, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Germany

Joint Senior Medical Leader Course, Falls Church, Va.

Masters of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

Combined Senior Leadership Course, Leesburg, Va.

American Association for Physician Leadership, Certified Physician Executive, Tampa Fla.

2022 JMESI Military Health System Capstone Course, Falls Church, Va.

 

ASSIGNMENTS 

September 1992 - November 1992, Air Force Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, Texas

November 1992 - June 1993, Satellite Equipment Maintenance School, Keesler AFB, Miss.

June 1993 - September 1996, Satellite communication maintenance 789th Communications Squadron, Andrews AFB, Md.

September 1996 - May 1997, 119th Wing, North Dakota Air National Guard, Fargo, N.D.

May 1997 - May 1998, Fuels Accounting/Administration, 175th Logistics Sq, Maryland Air National Guard, Baltimore, Md.

August 2001 - July 2005, School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md.

July 2005 - August 2008, Residency in Emergency Medicine, San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, Lackland AFB, Texas

August 2008 - April 2011, Staff Emergency Medicine Physician, 96th Medical Operations Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla.

May 2011 - July 2013, Staff Emergency Medicine Physician, 81st Medical Operations Squadron Keesler AFB, Miss.

July 2013 - May 2016, Special Operations Surgical Team, 720th Operations Support Squadron, Birmingham, Ala.

May 2016 - June 2018, Commander 48th Surgical Operations Squadron, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom

July 2018 - May 2019, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

May 2019 - June 2020, Commander, 96th Medical Operations Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla.

July 20 - July 22, Commander, 35th Medical Group, Misawa Air Base, Japan

July 22 - Present, Commander, 60th Medical Group, Travis AFB, Calif.

 

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS 

Legion of Merit

Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters

Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters

Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters

Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters

 

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION 

Second Lieutenant May 24, 2001

Captain May 21, 2004

Major May 21, 2011

Lieutenant Colonel May 30, 2016

Colonel May 29, 2020

(Current as of July 2022)