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MAJOR GENERAL (DR.) GERARD A. CARON

Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Gerard A. Caron is the Commander, 79th Medical Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md. He also serves as the Assistant Surgeon General for Dental Services, Office of the Surgeon General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. In this position, Caron provides policy and operational advice to the Air Force Surgeon General on matters involving the dental practice of 1,000 dentists and 2,500 technicians. In addition, Caron is the Command Surgeon, Headquarters Air Force District of Washington, Joint Base Andrews.

The 79th Medical Wing consists of 1,550 Air Force health care professionals operating in eight locations providing medical forces for expeditionary deployment, homeland defense operations, joint operations worldwide as well as Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and Fort Belvoir Community Hospital under the National Capital Region Medical Directorate, Defense Health Agency. The wing also serves as the air evacuation hub for the East Coast, receiving wounded, ill and injured warriors back to the continental United States.

After serving in the Commissioned Corps, United States Public Health Service, National Health Service Corps and four years in private practice, General Caron received a direct commission into the Air Force Dental Corps. He has commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels, including a deployed location in Southwest Asia, and held senior staff positions in the Office of the Air Force Surgeon General and at Headquarters Air Education and Training Command. His professional honors include Mastership in the Academy of General Dentistry, Fellowships in the American College of Dentists and International College of Dentists.

EDUCATION
1975 Bachelor of Arts degree, chemistry, St. Anselm College, Manchester, N.H.
1978 Doctor of Dental Medicine degree, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Mass.
1988 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
1989 Air Command and Staff College, outstanding graduate, by seminar
1992 Residency in comprehensive general dentistry, Keesler Medical Center, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.
1992 Air War College, outstanding graduate, by seminar
1996 Interagency Institute for Federal Health Care Executives, Washington, D.C.
1998 Dental Fellowship, Office of the Surgeon General, Bolling AFB, D.C.
2002 Military Healthcare System Executive Skills Capstone Course, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C.
2006 Joint Task Force Surgeons Course, Joint Forces Command, Norfolk, Va.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1986 – July 1989, general dental officer, Loring Air Force Base, Maine
2. July 1989 – May 1992, Chief, Dental Examination and Diagnosis, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England
3. June 1992 – July 1994, resident in comprehensive dentistry, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.
4. July 1994 – July 1996, Clinical Dentistry Flight Commander, Lajes Field, Azores
5. July 1996 – June 1998, Dental Services Fellow, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Bolling AFB, D.C.
6. July 1998 – June 2000, Dental Programs Manager, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Bolling AFB, D.C.
7. July 2000 – July 2001, Commander, 11th Dental Squadron, Bolling AFB, D.C.
8. July 2001 – June 2003, Commander, 59th Dental Squadron, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
9. July 2003 – January 2005, Commander, 17th Medical Group, Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas
10. February 2005 – January 2006, Deputy Assistant Surgeon General, Health Care Operations, and acting Dental Corps Chief, Office of the Surgeon General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Bolling AFB, D.C.
11. February 2006 – June 2006, Dental Corps Chief, Office of the Surgeon General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Bolling AFB, D.C.
12. July 2006 – July 2007, Chief of Dental Policy and Operations, Health Care Operations Directorate, Office of the Surgeon General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Bolling AFB, D.C.
13. August 2007 – May 2010, Deputy Command Surgeon, Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas (January 2009 – July 2009, Commander, 376th Expeditionary Medical Group, Manas Air Base, Kyrgyz Republic)
14. June 2010 – September 2010, special assistant to the Commander, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
15. September 2010 – present, Commander, 79th Medical Wing, and Assistant Surgeon General for Dental Services, Office of the Surgeon General, Joint Base Andrews, Md.

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal
Army Achievement Medal
United States Public Health Service Citation
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society, 1978
Master, Academy of General Dentistry, 1995
Alternate Delegate, American Dental Association House of Delegates, 1998-1999
Fellow, Academy of General Dentistry, 2001
Delegate, American Dental Association House of Delegates, 2005-2006
Fellow, International College of Dentists, 2006
Fellow, American College of Dentists, 2011

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
American Dental Association
Academy of General Dentistry
American Board of General Dentistry
American College of Dentists
International College of Dentists
Association of Military Surgeons of the United States
Air Force Association
Military Officers Association

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
Dental Licenses: Maine, New Hampshire
Federal Services Board of General Dentistry
American Board of General Dentistry

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Major July 21, 1986
Lieutenant Colonel April 8, 1992
Colonel April 8, 1998
Major General Nov. 3, 2010 
 
(Current as of October 2013)

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COMMANDERS

DATES SERVED

Lt Gen Barton K. Yount

23 Jan 42 - 26 Sep 45

Maj Gen James P. Hodges

27 Sep 45 - 12 Apr 46

Lt Gen John K. Cannon

13 Apr 46 - 13 Oct 48

Lt Gen Robert W. Harper

14 Oct 48 - 30 Jun 54

Maj Gen Glenn O. Barcus

1 Jul 54 - 25 Jul 54

Lt Gen Charles T. Myers

26 Jul 54 - 31 Jul 58

Lt Gen Frederic H. Smith, Jr.

1 Aug 58 - 31 Jul 59

Lt Gen James E. Briggs

1 Aug 59 - 31 Jul 63

Lt Gen Robert W. Burns

1 Aug 63 - 10 Aug 64

Lt Gen William W. Momyer

11 Aug 64 - 30 Jun 66

Lt Gen Sam Maddux, Jr.

1 Jul 66 - 31 Aug 70

Lt Gen George B. Simler

1 Sep 70 - 8 Sep 72

Lt Gen William V. McBride

9 Sep 72 - 31 Aug 74

Lt Gen George H. McKee

1 Sep 74 - 28 Aug 75

Gen John W. Roberts

29 Aug 75 - 31 Mar 79

Gen Bennie L. Davis

1 Apr 79 - 28 Jul 81

Gen Thomas M. Ryan, Jr.

29 Jul 81 - 22 Jun 83

Gen Andrew P. Iosue

23 Jun 83 - 27 Aug 86

Lt Gen John A. Shaud

28 Aug 86 - 5 Jun 88

Lt Gen Robert C. Oaks

6 Jun 88 - 24 Jun 90

Lt Gen Joseph W. Ashy

25 Jun 90 - 10 Dec 92

Gen Henry Viccellio, Jr.

11 Dec 92 - 19 Jun 95

Gen Billy J. Boles

20 Jun 95 - 16 Mar 97

Gen Lloyd W. "Fig" Newton

17 Mar 97 - 21 Jun 00

Gen Hal M. Hornburg

22 Jun 00 - 9 Nov 01

Lt Gen John D. Hopper Jr.

10 Nov 01 - 14 Dec 01

Gen Donald G. Cook

15 Dec 01 - 16 Jun 05

Gen William R. Looney III

17 Jun 05 - 2 Jul 08
Gen Stephen R. Lorenz
 		 3 Jul 08 - 17 Nov 10
 
Gen Edward A. Rice Jr.
 		 18 Nov 10 - 9 Oct 13
 
Gen Robin Rand
 		 10 Oct 13 - 21 July 15
 
Lt Gen Darryl Roberson
 		 21 July 15 - 17 Nov 2017 
 
Lt. Gen. Steven Kwast
 		 17 Nov 2017 - 26 July 2019 
 
Lt. Gen. Marshall B. "Brad" Webb 26 July 2019 - 20 May 2022
Lt. Gen. Brian S. Robinson 20 May 2022 - Present