Bio Title

MAJOR GENERAL IRENE TROWELL-HARRIS

Retired effective 29 Sep 01


Photograph Major General Irene Trowell-Harris is assigned as the Air National Guard (ANG) assistant to the director, Air National Guard, for human resources readiness, Washington, D.C. She is responsible for assisting and advising the director on all human resource issues. In this capacity, she serves as the chair of the Human Relations Quality Board, and advisor to the ANG Committee of Advisors. The input has major impact on force preparedness and meeting the defense challenges of tomorrow.

General Trowell-Harris was commissioned in the New York Air National Guard in April 1963 where she held the positions of chief nurse, nurse administrator, flight nurse instructor and flight nurse examiner. She was appointed commander of the 105th USAF Clinic, Newburgh, N.Y., in March 1986, becoming the first nurse in Air National Guard history to command a medical clinic. She subsequently served on active duty as ANG advisor to the chief, Air Force Nurse Corps, and as ANG assistant to the director, medical readiness and nursing services, Office of the Surgeon General, Headquarters United States Air Force, Washington, D.C. In August 1998, General Trowell-Harris became the first female in history to have a Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. Chapter named in her honor, the Major General Trowell-Harris Chapter, Newburgh, New York.



 

EDUCATION:

1959 Columbia Hospital School of Nursing
1968 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
1971 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1971 Bachelor of arts in health education, Cum Laude, Jersey City State, N.J.
1973 Master's of public health, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.
1981 National Security Management Course, distinguished graduate, by seminar
1983 Doctorate of health education, distinguished alumni, Columbia University, New York, N.Y.
1990 Air War College, by correspondence

 

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. April 1963 - March 1964, clinical nurse, 102nd Aeromedical Evacuation Flight, Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, N.Y.
2. March 1964 - August 1968, flight nurse, 102nd Aeromedical Evacuation Flight, Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, N.Y.
3. August 1968 - July 1970, flight nurse instructor, 102nd Aeromedical Evacuation Flight, Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, N.Y.
4. July 1970 - August 1973, flight nurse examiner, 102nd Aeromedical Evacuation Flight, Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, N.Y.
5. August 1973 - July 1978, clinical nurse, 137th Aeromedical Evacuation Flight, Westchester County Airport, White Plains, N.Y.
6. July 1978 - April 1985, clinical nurse, 105th Tactical Air Command Hospital, Westchester County Airport, White Plains, N.Y.
7. April 1985 - March 1986, nurse administrator, 105th Tactical Air Command Hospital, Westchester County Airport, White Plains, N.Y.
8. March 1986 - July 1987, commander, 105th Tactical Air Command Hospital, Westchester County Airport, White Plains, N.Y.
9. July 1987- February 1993, ANG nurse advisor to the chief, HQ USAF/SGN, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C.
10. February 1993 - September 1998, Air National Guard assistant to the director, medical readiness, doctrine and planning and nursing services, office of the surgeon general, HQ USAF, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C.
11. September 1998 - present, Air National Guard assistant to director, Air National Guard, for human resources readiness, Washington, D.C.

FLIGHT INFORMATION:

Rating: None
Senior Flight Nurse Badge
Chief Nurse Badge

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with one oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with service star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with seven oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with hourglass
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon

CIVILIAN OCCUPATION:

Serving as Director, Patient Care Inspections and Evaluation Division, Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Washington D.C.

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:

Assistant Professor (Adjunct) Uniformed Services University of Health Services; Honorary Degree, Doctor of Humane Letters, Medical University of South Carolina. Member of: American Nurses Association, New York State Nurses Association, National League for Nursing; National Guard Association of the United States, Militia Association of New York, Reserve Officers Association, Aerospace Medical Association, Equality Management Subcommittee, Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (Represents ANG), Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society, and the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, Sigma Theta Tau.

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:

First Lieutenant April 6, 1963
Captain December 12, 1964
Major September 2, 1973
Lieutenant Colonel September 2, 1980
Colonel June 16, 1988
Brigadier General October 25, 1993
Major General September 1, 1998

 

 

(Current as of January 1999)

 

The date of publication indicated on this biography reflects the most recent update. It does not necessarily reflect the date of printing.

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