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    HomeAbout UsBiographiesDisplay      This is the official portrait of Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Sharon R. Bannister.EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
                
                Captain                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          May 24, 1992Major                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            May 24, 1998Lieutenant Colonel                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               May 30, 2003Colonel                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          May 27, 2007Brigadier General                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                July 03, 2018Major General                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    June 04, 2021Engage OnFacebook PostsYour browser is incompatible with this widget.
                        
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        This is the official portrait of Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Sharon R. Bannister.Major General DR. SHARON R. BANNISTERMaj. Gen. (Dr.) Sharon R. Bannister is the Director, Medical Operations, Office of the Surgeon General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Falls Church, Virginia. As Director of Medical Operations, she is responsible for developing and executing policy, plans and programs for the conduct of comprehensive combat and peacetime operational health care for the Air Force Medical Service in support of 43,000 personnel and 76 installations with a budget of more than $6.2 billion. She oversees aerospace, clinical, dental, information technology, and medical support policy, and integrates operations with Total Force Guard and Reserve Advisors in support of needs for both the United States Air Force and the United States Space Force. In addition, she directs the Air Force Surgeon General’s Military Health System Transition Cell in coordination with the Defense Health Agency.
Prior to this assignment, Maj. Gen. Bannister served as the Command Surgeon, Headquarters Air Combat Command at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. She was responsible to the ACC Commander for the healthcare of 81,000 active duty and civilian personnel located at 11 bases and more than 300 operating locations worldwide. As the Air Force's medical global force provider, she was charged to support Combatant Command requirements and served as the Air Force Surgeon General’s Readiness Goal Champion. Additionally, she served as the Assistant Surgeon General for Dental Services, providing policy and operational advice to the Air Force Surgeon General on matters involving the dental practice of 1,000 dentists and 2,500 technicians.**EDUCATION**
1988 Bachelor of Arts, Chemistry, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio
1992 Doctor of Dental Surgery, Case Western Reserve School of Dentistry, Cleveland
1993 Advanced Education in General Dentistry Residency, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
1994 Top Drill Air National Guard Operational Dental Upgrade Training, Klamath Falls, Ore.
1995 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
1996 Company Grade Officer Professional Development Program, Langley AFB, Va.
1999 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2002 Periodontal Residency/Masters of Science, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio
2002 Diplomate, American Board of Periodontics
2004 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2009 Industrial College of the Armed Forces/Master of Science in National Resource, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2012 Fellow, International College of Dentists
2015 Medical Strategic Leadership Program, Fort Sam Houston, Texas
2016 Fellow, American College of Dentists
2019 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.**ASSIGNMENTS**
1. July 1992–August 1992, Military Indoctrinated Medical Service Officer, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
2. August 1992–August 1993, Advanced Education in General Dentistry Resident, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio
3. August 1993–May 1995, General Dental Officer, McChord AFB, Wash.
4. May 1995–May 1996, General Dental Officer, Moody AFB, Ga.
5. May 1996–May 1998, General Dental Officer, Langley AFB, Va. (May 1997–October 1997, Acting Deputy Hospital Commander, General Dental Officer, 4409th Air Base Wing, Southwest Asia)
6. May 1998–May 1999, General Dental Officer, Lajes Field, Azores
7. June 1999–June 2002, Periodontal Resident, Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB, Texas
8. July 2002–June 2004, Chief of Periodontics/Deputy Commander Aeromedical Dental Squadron, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. June 2004–June 2005, Director of Post-Graduate Education/Periodontics Flight, Deputy Commander Education Flight; Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB, Texas
10. June 2005–June 2007, Director of Education and Training/Periodontics Flight, Deputy Commander Education Flight; Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB, Texas
11. July 2007–July 2008, Commander, 6th Dental Squadron, MacDill AFB, Fla.
12. August 2008–June 2009, Student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Washington, D.C.
13. July 2009–April 2012, Commander, 436th Medical Group, Dover AFB, Del. (November 2010–May 2011, Commander, 376th Expeditionary Medical Group, Southwest Asia)
14. April 2012–June 2013, Director, Dental Programs and Resources, Air Force Surgeon General, Defense Health Headquarters, Falls Church, Va.
15. June 2013–July 2014, Special Assistant to the Surgeon General for Military Health System Governance, AF/SG, Defense Health Headquarters, Falls Church, Va.
16. July 2014–July 2015, Deputy Command Surgeon, Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
17. July 2015–June 2017, Commander, 79th Medical Wing, JB Andrews, Md.
18. June 2017–May 2018, Program Officer of the Military Health System Program Management Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, Defense Health Headquarters, Falls Church, Va.
19. June 2018–July 2019, Deputy Assistant Director, Education and Training/J-7, Defense Health Agency and Assistant Surgeon General for Dental Services, AF/SG, Falls Church, Va.
20. July 2019–June 2021, Command Surgeon, Air Combat Command and Assistant Surgeon General for Dental Services, AF/SG, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
21. June 2021–present, Director, Medical Operations, Office of the Surgeon General, Falls Church, Va.**MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS**
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Short
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Gold Star lapel button
(Current as of March 2022)
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