Bruce Lindsley Gillingham[1] (born April 16, 1959)[2][3] is a retired United States Navy rear admiral and orthopedic surgeon[4] who last served as the 39th surgeon general of the United States Navy from 2019 to 2023.[5][6] As surgeon general, Gillingham was dual-hatted as the 43rd chief of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery and was responsible to the United States Secretary of the Navy, Chief of Naval Operations and director of the Defense Health Agency for all health and medical matters pertaining to the Navy and Marine Corps.

Bruce L. Gillingham
Born (1959-04-16) April 16, 1959 (age 65)
Los Angeles County, California
AllegianceUnited States
Service / branchUnited States Navy
Years of service1982–2023
RankRear admiral
Commands
Battles / warsIraq War
AwardsLegion of Merit (5)
Alma mater

Early life and education

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Gillingham was born in Los Angeles County, California[2] and raised in San Diego, graduating from Helix High School in La Mesa in 1977.[7] He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Anthropology (with high honors) from the University of California, San Diego which he attended from 1977 to 1981 and his medical doctorate from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences which he attended from 1982 to 1986. He is an inductee in the medical honor society of Alpha Omega Alpha.[1][8][9]

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Gillingham and Team Navy Jacksonville members with the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Gary Roughead at the Ride 2 Recovery Florida Challenge on December 17, 2009.

Gillingham was commissioned into the United States Navy as an ensign in 1982. Early in his career, Gillingham completed a surgical internship and an orthopedic residency at Naval Medical Center San Diego. He was promoted to lieutenant commander in 1990. He also completed subspecialty training as a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada in 1995, qualifying as an undersea and diving medical officer.[8][10]

Gillingham's operational tours include a period aboard the hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) as staff orthopedic surgeon and as director of surgical services. He deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II as battalion chief of forward professional service for the 1st Force Service Support Group and officer in charge of the Surgical Shock Trauma Platoon, achieving a 98% combat casualty survival rate while providing Echelon II surgical care during Operation Phantom Fury.[8][11]

 
Gillingham speaks at a briefing about the Navy’s response to COVID-19, at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., April 1, 2020.

His shore assignments include director of Pediatric Orthopedic and Scoliosis Surgery; Associate Orthopedic Residency Program director; and director of Surgical Services. While assigned to Naval Medical Center San Diego, Gillingham played a principal role in establishing the Comprehensive Combat and Complex Casualty Care Center (C5).[11]

Gillingham was commander of Naval Hospital Jacksonville from 2008 to July 2010, United States Pacific Fleet surgeon from 2010 to 2012, and United States Fleet Forces Command fleet surgeon from 2012 to 2013. Promoted to rear admiral (lower half) in July 2013,[12] his first flag assignment was as commander of Navy Medicine West (now Navy Medical Forces Pacific)[13] from 2013 to 2016 and simultaneously dual-hatted as commander of Navy Medical Center San Diego from December 4, 2013, to October 10, 2014.[14][15][16]

He was promoted to rear admiral in 2016 and assigned as the first chief quality officer and deputy chief of medical operations of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery until 2018. Prior to his present assignment, Gillingham succeeded Tina A. Davidson as director of medical resources, plans, and policy, N0931, of the United States Navy from 2018 to 2019.[17][18]

Gillingham was confirmed as surgeon general of the Navy on October 31, 2019, and succeeded C. Forrest Faison III on November 1. His retirement ceremony was held on March 27, 2023.[19][6]

Awards and decorations

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Submarine Warfare Medical Officer Insignia
Legion of Merit with four award stars
Meritorious Service Medal Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with award star Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Commendation Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Navy Unit Commendation with bronze service star
Fleet Marine Force Ribbon National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star Iraq Campaign Medal
with FMF Combat Operation Insignia and bronze service star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Humanitarian Service Medal Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze service star Special Operations Service Ribbon Navy Expert Rifleman Medal
Navy Diving Medical Officer Insignia
Navy Command Ashore Insignia

References

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  1. ^ a b Commencement Exercises. Bethesda, Maryland: The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine. May 17, 1986. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Birth Index, 1905-1995. Sacramento, California: State of California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics.
  3. ^ Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy on Active Duty. Bureau of Naval Personnel. October 1, 1990. p. 278. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
  4. ^ "Dr. Bruce L. Gillingham, MD". www.health.usnews.com.
  5. ^ "United States Navy Flag Officers (June 2021 Roster)" (PDF). June 1, 2021. p. 67.
  6. ^ a b Gulick, Ed (March 27, 2023). "Rear Adm. Bruce Gillingham, Retires as Navy's 39th Surgeon General". U.S. Navy. Bethesda, Maryland. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  7. ^ "Helix High School Class of 1977 40th Reunion".
  8. ^ a b c "Rear Adm. Bruce L. Gillingham". Military Health System.
  9. ^ "Bruce Gillingham - Linkedin".
  10. ^ "PN1425 — Navy, 101st Congress (1989-1990)". U.S. Congress. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
  11. ^ a b "Rear Admiral Bruce Gillingham". U.S. Navy. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  12. ^ "PN696 — Capt. Bruce L. Gillingham — Navy, 113th Congress (2013-2014)". U.S. Congress. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
  13. ^ U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery Public Affairs (March 4, 2020). "Navy Medicine unveils logos to support new command structure".
  14. ^ Kovach, Gretel C. (December 4, 2013). "San Diegan leads Navy medical center". baltimoresun.com.
  15. ^ "Naval Medical Center San Diego Change of Command Ceremony". Military Press. October 10, 2014.
  16. ^ Gibbons, Timothy J. "Jacksonville Navy hospital leader credited with improving facility moves on". The Florida Times-Union.
  17. ^ "Flag Officer Assignments". U.S. Department of Defense. April 12, 2016.
  18. ^ "Flag Officer Assignments". U.S. Department of Defense. March 28, 2018.
  19. ^ "Briefing: A Review of the Department of Defense Health Program". United States Senate Committee on Appropriations. Dirksen Senate Office Building. March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2023.

  This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Navy.

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Military offices
Preceded by Commander of Naval Hospital Jacksonville
2008–2010
Succeeded by
Preceded by Fleet Surgeon of the United States Pacific Fleet
2010–2012
Succeeded by
Preceded by Fleet Surgeon of the United States Fleet Forces Command
2012–2013
Succeeded by
???
Preceded by Commander of Naval Medical Center San Diego
2013–2014
Succeeded by
Commander of Navy Medicine West
2013–2016
Succeeded by
New office Chief Quality Officer and Deputy Chief of Medical Operations of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery
2016–2018
Succeeded by
Preceded by Director of Medical Resources, Plans, and Policy of the United States Navy
2018–2019
Succeeded by
Preceded by Surgeon General of the United States Navy
2019–2023
Vacant