Col. John R. Smith is the commander and director, 325th Medical Group, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. He leads a team of 277 personnel providing both outpatient primary care and specialty care services in support of 25,000 eligible beneficiaries. Col. Smith also oversees the execution of a $15.3 million operating budget, ensuring the medical readiness of all military personnel within the 325th Fighter Wing, as well as its 20 mission partners.
Col. Smith commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps, graduating from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2006. He earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin in 2010 and later completed a residency training program in Emergency Medicine at Michigan State University in 2013. Col. Smith is board certified in Emergency Medicine. His previous assignments include Staff Emergency Physician, Squadron Medical Element, Flight Commander, Squadron Commander and various staff positions. Col. Smith served two administrations as White House Physician and Chief of Clinical Services of the White House Medical Unit. He deployed in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and INHERANT RESOLVE. Prior to his current position, Col. Smith was the Chief of Aerospace Medicine, Office of the Surgeon General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Falls Church, Virginia.
EDUCATION
2006 Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York.
2010 Doctor of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
2013 Emergency Medicine Residency, Michigan State University, Kalamazoo, Michigan.
2014 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, by correspondence.
2015 Aerospace Medicine Primary Course, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
2016 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama by correspondence.
2020 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama by correspondence.
2021 Master of Business Administration, Washington State University, Washington.
2023 Masters of Science, Strategic Studies, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2013 – August 2015, Staff Emergency Physician, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.
2. September 2015 – May 2018, Squadron Medical Element, 27th Fighter Squadron, JBLE, Virginia.
3. June 2016 – May 2018, Flight Commander, Flight and Operational Medicine Clinic, JBLE, Virginia.
4. June 2018 – June 2021, White House Physician, White House Medical Unit, Washington, DC.
5. Jan 2020 – June 2021, Chief of Clinical Services, White House Medical Unit, Washington, DC.
6. June 2021 – June 2023, Commander, 87th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey.
7. May 2022 – June 2023, Deputy Commander, 87th Medical Group, JB McGuire-Dix- Lakehurst, New Jersey.
8. July 2023 – May 2024, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
9. June 2024 – Dec 2024, Chief of Medical Standards Policy, Air Force Medical Agency, Defense Health Headquarters, Falls Church, Virginia.
10. Dec 2024 – July 2025, Chief, Operations Directorate, Medical Readiness Command Bravo, Defense Health Headquarters, Falls Church, Virginia.
11. July 2025 – June 2026, Chief of Aerospace Medicine, Office of the Surgeon General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Falls Church, Virginia.
12. July 2026 – Present, Commander/Director, 325th Medical Group, Tyndall AFB, Florida.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2018 – June 2021, White House Physician, White House Medical Unit, Washington, DC., as a major and lieutenant colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Flight Surgeon
Flight hours: Over 700, including 339 combat hours
Aircraft flown: C-12, C-17, VC-25, C-32, C-37, C-40, CH-47, MC-130, E-3, E-8, E-9, F-15, F-16, KC-10, KC-135, T-38
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Presidential Service Badge
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Certified Physician Executive
Fellow, American College of Healthcare Executives
Aerospace Medical Association, Member
American Association for Physician Leadership, Member
Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, Member
Society of United States Air Force Flight Surgeons
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 19, 2006
Captain May 21, 2010
Major May 22, 2016
Lieutenant Colonel May 31, 2020
Colonel July 1, 2025
(Current as of July 2026)