BRIGADIER GENERAL CASSANDRA D. HOWARD
Brig. Gen. Cassandra D. Howard serves as the Assistant for Mobilization and Reserve Affairs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, Defense Health Agency Headquarters, in Falls Church, Virginia. She advises both the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Readiness Policy and Oversight and the Director, Defense Health Agency on Joint Reserve Component matters ensuring mission ready personnel. In this capacity, she also provides oversight for the development of policies, plans, and programs within the Department of Defense, Military Health System ensuring Total Force medical readiness for Reserve Component military service members. Key areas of focus include force health protection, national disaster support, deployment medicine, international health, and medical research and development. She is a critical liaison enabling synchronization between Joint medical leaders of both Active and Reserve components across the Department of Defense. General Howard is a member of the Tennessee Air National Guard.
General Howard received a direct commission as a Health Services Administrator in the 128th Medical Squadron, Wisconsin Air National Guard (ANG) in June 1996. She began her military career in September 1987 as an enlisted, Aerospace Medicine Technician, 128th Medical Squadron. In 1989, she transferred to the 113th Medical Squadron, D.C. ANG while completing her undergraduate studies. She returned to the 128th Medical Squadron in 1994 while earning a Doctor of Medicine Degree, Medical College of Wisconsin and was later commissioned. She was re-commissioned into the Medical Corps in 1998, began residency training at the University of Tennessee, and subsequently joined the 164th Medical Group, Tennessee ANG. Key leadership roles included Chief of Aerospace Medicine and later Commander of the 164th Medical Group for over nine years. She earned a Master of Business Administration, University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 2018. Prior to her current assignment, General Howard served as the Tennessee State Air Surgeon, Joint Forces Headquarters Nashville, Tenn.
EDUCATION
1993 Bachelor of Science, Medical Technology, Howard University, Washington, D.C.
1998 Doctor of Medicine, Research, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
1999 Internship in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis
2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2002 Residency in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis
2003 Aerospace Medicine Primary Course, USAF School of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks AFB, San Antonio, Texas
2008 Intermediate Development Course, Training and Education Center, Knoxville, Tenn.
2009 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2014 Physician Leadership Academy, Methodist Healthcare, American College of Physician Executives, University of Tennessee, Memphis
2016 Interagency Institute for Federal Health Leaders Course, Federal Health Care Executives Institute, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md.
2018 Master of Business Administration, Haslam School of Business, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
2019 Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification, Mid-South Quality Productivity Center – LSS Institute, Memphis, Tenn.
2021 National Security Studies Management Course (NSSMC), Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y
2021 Senior Leader Orientation Course (SLOC), Arlington, VA
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1996 - June 1997, Administrative Officer, 128th Medical Squadron, Milwaukee, Wis.
2. June 1997 - June 1998, Health Services Administrator, 128th Medical Squadron, Milwaukee, Wis.
3. June 1998 - June 1999, General Practice Physician, 128th Medical Squadron, Milwaukee, Wis.
4. June 1999 - October 2000, Internal Medicine Physician, 128th Medical Squadron, Milwaukee, Wis.
5. October 2000 - October 2001, General Medical Officer, 164th Medical Squadron, Memphis, Tenn.
6. October 2001 - October 2002, Internal Medicine Physician, 164th Medical Squadron, Memphis, Tenn.
7. October 2002 - October 2003, Aerospace Medicine Physician, 164th Medical Squadron, Memphis, Tenn.
8. October 2003 - August 2004, Internal Medicine Physician, Flight Surgeon, 164th Medical Squadron, Memphis, Tenn.
9. August 2004 - August 2005, Internal Medicine Physician, Flight Surgeon, 155th Airlift Squadron, Memphis, Tenn.
10. August 2005 - August 2006, Chief, Aerospace Medicine, 155th Airlift Squadron, Memphis, Tenn.
11. August 2006 - May 2007, Flight Surgeon, 164th Medical Group, Memphis, Tenn.
12. June 2007 - February 2016, Commander, 164th Medical Group, Memphis, Tenn.
13. February 2016 - May 2019, State Air Surgeon Tennessee Air National Guard, Joint Force Headquarters Tennessee, Nashville, Tenn.
14. May 2019 - Present, Assistant for Mobilization and Reserve Affairs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Health Affairs, Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, Va.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Flight Surgeon
Flight hours: 282
Aircraft flown: C-141, C-5B, KC-135, C5A, C17A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon with four oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with "M" device
Air Force Training Ribbon with one oak leaf cluster
Tennessee National Guard Service Ribbon
Tennessee National Guard Volunteer Ribbon
CIVILIAN OCCUPATION
A Traditional Guardsman, General Howard has broad command and leadership experience. Dr. Howard is the Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for a 319-licensed bed, full service tertiary, acute care hospital with a total net revenue of $389M. Accountable for the delivery of highly reliable, quality medical care, she leads a primary medical staff of over 1,400 with 1,996 associates serving a local population of 184,000. As the CMO, her focused scope of responsibility includes Quality and Performance Improvement, Risk and Patient Safety, Case Management and Social Work, and Pharmacy.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & AFFLIATIONS
Association of Military Surgeons of the United States
National Guard Association of the US/National Guard Association of Tennessee
Enlisted Association of the National Guard of Tennessee
Federal Health Care Executive Institute Alumni
Alliance of Air National Guard Flight Surgeons
American College of Healthcare Executives
Tennessee Medical Association/Memphis Medical Society
American Medical Association
American College of Physicians/American Society of Internal Medicine
American Heart Association Mid-South Board of Directors
Memphis Rotary Club
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2020 Stars and Stripes National Guard Bureau Award for Excellence in Science, Black Engineer of the Year (BEYA) STEM Conference
2020 Girl’s Inc. of Memphis – Strong, Smart, and Bold Women of the Year
2020 American Heart Association Mid-South Go Red for Women Campaign Chairwoman
2019 Greater Memphis Chamber & Mid-South Quality Performance Center Quality Cup Award
2003 Medal of Valor, Joint Forces Headquarters, Tennessee Air National Guard
1997 Walter Zeit Award for Leadership and Service, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
PUBLICATIONS
1998 - Research Honors Thesis, Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor Prevention Among Inner City African American Children
2006 - Changing Patterns of Acute Hematogenous Osteomyelitis and Septic Arthritis: Emergence of Community- associated Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 8, 1996
Captain Aug. 6, 1998
Major May 16, 2002
Lieutenant Colonel June 13, 2006
Colonel Feb. 2, 2010
Brigadier General May 14, 2019
(Current as of December 2021)
