National Guard
Brigadier General (GU) MICHAEL W. CRUZ
  
The Adjutant General, Guam
Barrigada, GU
Since: March 2023
 Official Photo
SOURCE OF COMMISSIONED SERVICE  Direct

EDUCATIONAL DEGREES
Loma Linda University - MD - Medicine

MILITARY SCHOOLS ATTENDED
AMEDD Officer Basic Course

FOREIGN LANGUAGE(S)  Tagalog

PROMOTIONS DATE OF APPOINTMENT
CPT 30 Sep 87
MAJ 14 Jul 92
LTC 24 Jun 98
COL 26 Mar 03

FROM TO ASSIGNMENT
Mar 23 Present The Adjutant General, Guam, Barrigada, Guam
Oct 16 Mar 23 Assistant Adjutant General, Joint Force Headquarters, Barrigada, Guam
Mar 15 Oct 19 Senior Army Surgeon, Joint Force Headquarters, Barrigada, Guam
Mar 12 Mar 15 Chief Surgeon, Joint Force Headquarters, Barrigada, Guam
May 10 Mar 12 Assistant Adjutant General, Joint Force Headquarters, Barrigada, Guam
Jan 10 May 10 State Surgeon, Joint Force Headquarters, Barrigada, Guam
Oct 09 Jan 10 Battalion Field Surgeon, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, TF Mountain Warrior, OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, Forward Operating Base Mehtar Lam, Afghanistan
Jan 09 Sep 09 State Surgeon, Guam Army National Guard Medical Detachment, Barrigada, Guam
Mar 05 Dec 08 Medical Commander, Guam Army National Guard Medical Detachment, Barrigada, Guam
May 03 Feb 05 Commander, State Medical Command, Barrigada, Guam
Jun 98 Apr 03 Executive Officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, Guam Territorial Command, Fort Juan Muna, Guam
Sep 96 May 98 Battalion Filed Surgeon, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion 294th Infantry (Light), Fort Juan Muna, Guam
Apr 91 Sep 96 General Surgeon, 359th Command Support Hospital, 63rd Army Reserve Command, Garden Grove, California
Feb 91 Mar 91 Staff General Surgeon, US Army Medical Department Activity, US Army Health Services Command, Fort Huachuca, Arizona
Oct 89 Jan 91 Staff Physician, 458th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, 63rd Army Reserve Command, Garden Grove, California
Sep 87 Sep 89 General Surgeon, 323rd General Hospital, 123rd Army Reserve Command, Southfield, MI

SUMMARY OF OPERATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS DATE GRADE
Battalion Field Surgeon, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, TF Mountain Warrior, OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, Forward Operating Base Mehtar Lam, Afghanistan Oct 09 - Jan 10 Colonel

US DECORATIONS AND BADGES
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Army Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Army Meritorious Unit Commendation
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 2 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster)
National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Star)
Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with 1 Bronze Star)
Iraq Campaign Medal (with 1 Bronze Star)
Global War on Terrorism-Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal (
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Gold Hourglass, Mobilization Device, Numeral 2)
Army Service Ribbon
Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon
North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal
Combat Medical Badge

CIVILIAN OCCUPATION
Director, Department of Military Affairs. Practicing general surgeon and the only provider in Guam who performs surgical procedures for breast oncologic patients. Co-founder/President of the Ayuda Foundation, a federally recognized non-profit medical mission organization that brought millions of dollars of healthcare supplies and medical teams to Micronesia and Asia. Elected as Senator to the 28th Guam Legislature in 2004 serving as the Chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee and Lieutenant Governor of Guam from January 2007-January 2011.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
Fellow, American College of Surgeons
Member, American College of Healthcare Executives
Member, American College of Breast Surgeons
Former member of the Guam Board of Medical Examiners
Former member of the Board of Directors, Mountain Pacific Quality Health
Diplomate National Board of Medical Examiners
1992-2002, Certified by the American Board of Surgery
1995-Present, Co-Founder & President of the Ayuda Foundation, A Non-Profit Medical Missions Foundation
2003-Present, Certification in Surgery by the National Board of Physicians & Surgeons

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2011, American College of Surgeons, Surgical Volunteerism Awardee
2011, Walla Walla University, Alumnus of the Year
2009, C-Change: Collaborating to Conquer Cancer Award, presented by Former President George H. Bush
2004, National Governor’s Association Award for Distinguished Service to State Government

 

 

As of: 20 Jul 23

 

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