General nadja west biography

Surgeon General of the US Army

Nadja Yudith West (née Grammer; March 20, 1961) is a retired United States Armylieutenant general and the 44th Surgeon General of the United States Army and former Commanding General of the United States Army Medical Command. West, a physician, was the first black Army Surgeon General, and was the first black female active-dutymajor general and the first black female major general in Army Medicine. West is also the first Army black female lieutenant general. She is the highest ranking woman to have graduated from the United States Military Academy.

Early life and education

West was an orphan but was adopted at two years old into a family in the District of Columbia with eleven other adopted children total. Her adoptive parents were Mabel (née Treadwell) and Oscar Grammer. Her father was a career soldier and her mother was a journalist and founder of the "Brown Baby Plan", arranging adoptions of mixed German and African American children following the US military presence in Germany during and after the Second World War. She graduated high school at the Academy of the Holy Names in Silver Spring, Maryland. In 1982, West obtained a Bachelor's degree in Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point, and a Doctorate of Medicine from George Washington University School of Medicine in 1988.

Career

West's historic promotion to be the second black female major general took place on April 19, 2013. Of her promotion, West said, "I never really thought about that part. My parents taught me to work hard and be the best I can be and things will work out. I’m just really honored. If anything at all, I hope I can be an inspiration to any one or any group that has not seen themselves in certain positions. We all want to see people who look like us doing certain things to

Surgeon General of the U.S. Army and Commanding General, U.S. Army Medical Command

LTG Nadja Y. West is the 44th Surgeon General of the United States Army and Commanding General, US Army Medical Command.

LTG West is a graduate of the United States Military Academy with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering. She earned a Doctorate of Medicine Degree from George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, DC.

She completed her internship and residency in Family Medicine at Martin Army Hospital, Fort Benning, GA. During this assignment, she deployed to Operation Desert Shield with the 197th Infantry BDE, 24th ID, and was attached to the 2/69th Armor BN during Desert Storm. She then served at Blanchfield Army Hospital, Fort Campbell, KY as a staff family physician and then Officer in Charge of the Aviation Medicine Clinic. She also participated in a medical mission with the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne).

LTG West completed a second residency in dermatology at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center and University of Colorado Medical Center in Denver, CO. She then served as Chief, Dermatology Service at Heidelberg Army Hospital, Germany. LTG West then served as Division Surgeon of the 1st AD, Bad Kreuznach, Germany; deploying to the former Yugoslavian  Republic of Macedonia and Kosovo as Deputy Task Force Surgeon.

LTG West served as Chief, Department of Medicine and Dermatology Service at 121st General Hospital in Seoul, Republic of Korea. LTG West then commanded McDonald Army Community Hospital, Fort Eustis, VA. After command she served as Deputy Commander for Integration at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD. She then served as J-3, Director of Operations, Joint Task Force National Capital Regional Medical. Next, she commanded Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg and went on to serve as Commanding General, Europe Regional Medical Command.

LTG West served as Deputy Chief of Staff, G1/4/6, Office of the Surge

Biography

Retired Lieutenant General Nadja West is the 44th Army Surgeon General and the former commanding general of U.S. Army Medical Command (USAMEDCOM). In 2015, West became the first African American woman three-star general in the Army’s history, and is currently the highest-ranking woman to ever graduate from West Point. 

A graduate of the George Washington School of Medicine, West completed residencies in family medicine and dermatology, and has held various clinical, operational and leadership positions throughout her 30+ year career as a soldier.

In her last Army assignment, West managed an $11 billion budget and led an organization consisting of more than 130,000 healthcare professionals comprised of active, guard and reserve soldiers, civilians, contractors and volunteers. She was responsible for medical centers, community hospitals and clinics; dental, veterinary and public health facilities; research, education and training platforms; and deployed medical formations around th

Nadja Yudith West grew up in a family with two other adopted sibling. In 1982, she graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point with a Bachelors in Engineering and later in 1988, she received her Doctorate of Medicine from George Washington University School of Medicine.

In 2013, West became the second black female major general. On December 11, 2015, West was promoted to lieutenant general by the Senate and she became the 44th Army Surgeon General. This made West the Army’s first black Surgeon General, the Army’s first black woman to hold the rank of lieutenant general and the Army’s highest ranking woman who graduated from the United States Military Academy. Her next promotion was only a few months later on February 9, 2016 when she was promoted and formally assumed command of MEDCOM on February 10, 2016.

West completed her Family Medicine internship and residency at Martin Army Hospital. She deployed during Operation Desert Storm and Operation Desert Shield while assigned there. West finished her residency in dermatology at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center and University of Colorado Medical Center. She was Chief, Dermatology Service at Heidelberg Army Hospital in Germany. West obtained a Master of Science in National Security Strategy.

West’s previous command positions include Commanding General, Europe Regional Medical Command; Commander, Womack Army Medical Center; and Division Surgeon, 1st Armored Division, Army Europe and Seventh Army, Germany. West was Joint Staff Surgeon, Joint Staff, Washington.

Her awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, NATO Medal, Combat Medical Badge, Flight Surgeon Badge, Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, and Gold German Armed For