Col (Dr.) Gregory K. Richert is s the Commander, 374th Medical Group, Yokota Air Base, Japan and the Command Surgeon for 5th Air Force and U.S. Forces Japan. He is responsible for the health and wellness of 11,500 personnel at Yokota Air Base, the U.S. Embassy Japan and 38 geographically separated units across the Pacific. The 374th Medical Group is a 19-clinic/15-bed hospital comprised of five squadrons and 465 personnel. As the 5th Air Force/U.S. Forces Japan Command Surgeon, Col Richert serves as the air component surgeon and is responsible for medical policy for U.S. Forces within Japan.
Col Richert was a USAF Health Professional Scholarship recipient and initially was assigned to Moody AFB with the 71 Rescue Squadron (RQS) and the 38th RQS. He had numerous deployments during this time and was medical director of Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) North in 2005 and 2006. Col Richert was next assigned to Hickam AFB and was the Chief of Aerospace Medicine (SGP) at the 13th AF, Hickam AFB. While there, he was appointed to lead the medical mission for the USAF in Antarctica, deploying to Antarctica 8 times over four years. Additionally, he was also Deputy of Medical Operations for the 13th AF and was the USAF representative to the National Science Foundation on high-risk rescue and austere medicine. He separated from Active Duty in 2011 and completed an Emergency Medicine residency at State University New York-Buffalo. He joined the Air National Guard in Niagara Falls and served there until returning to active duty in 2016. In 2014, he was an attending physician at Fort Leonard Wood Emergency room with the US Army as a physician contractor where he also educated Physician Assistant students. While stationed at Ramstein Air Base, he was a flight commander, interim AMDS commander, director of the Medical Special Operations Clinic (MSOC) and the SGP for the 86th MDG.
Colonel Richert has 15 contingency deployments to include Operations INHERENT RESOLVE and ENDURING FREEDOM, and multiple humanitarian relief tasking’s. He planned and executed numerous humanitarian missions while in PACAF, working with multiple countries teaching disaster planning and relief operations. Additionally, he was a founding planner of the Pacific Angel missions leading and executing multiple missions related to them. He has given numerous lectures on austere medicine, tactical combat medicine, high-risk patient transport, and traumatic brain injuries. Furthermore, he is a former ATLS instructor and is board certified in Emergency Medicine.
EDUCATION
1998 Bachelor of Arts in Medical Chemistry, St Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minn.
2003 Doctor of Medicine, A.T. Still University, Kirksville, Mo.
2004 Internship traditional rotating, St Johns Westshore Hospital, Westlake, Ohio
2007 Contingency Warfare Planners Course
2014 Emergency Medicine Residency, SUNY Buffalo, Buffalo, N.Y.
2018 Air War College, by correspondence
2023 Certified Physician Executive, American Association of Physician Leadership
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2004–January 2007, Flight Surgeon/Head of Education and Training 38th Rescue Squadron (Pararescue), Moody Air Force Base (AFB), (Director of CSAR North Dec 2004-April 2005, May2005-July 2005, April 2006-July 2006, OEF, Afghanistan)
2. January 2007–August 2009, Chief of Aerospace Medicine (SGP), Medical Director/Lead Flight Surgeon Operation Deep Freeze, 13th Air Force, Hickam AFB
3. August 2009–June 2011, Deputy Director of Medical Operations, Medical Director/Lead Flight Surgeon Operation Deep Freeze, 13th AF, Hickam AFB
4. June 2011-June 2014, Emergency Medicine Resident, State University New York, Buffalo, N.Y.
5. July 2011-July 2016, Flight Surgeon/SGP, 107th Medical Group, Niagara Falls Air National Guard Base, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
6. August 2016–January 2018, Flight Commander, 86th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, Ramstein Air Base (AB), Germany
7. January 2018–July 2019, Chief of Aerospace Medicine, 86th Medical Group, Ramstein AB, Germany
8. July 2019–July 2021, Commander, 6th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, MacDill AFB, Fl
9. Aug 2021-June 2023, Deputy Commander, 51st Medical Group, Osan AB, ROK
10. June 2023-Present, Commander, 374th Medical Group and U.S. Forces Japan/5th Air Force Command Surgeon, Yokota AB, Japan
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Chief Flight Surgeon
Flight Hours: 556; Combat Hours: 162
Aircraft Flown: C-130J, KC-135R, C-130H, C-17A, LC-130H, C-40B, HC-130P, and HH-60G
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Purple Heart
Meritorious Service Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with Valor device
Combat Readiness Medal
Antarctica Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal with one star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal with one star
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
PACAF Command Flight Surgeon of the year 2008
Association of Military Surgeons Donald Hagen Young Physician Award 2009
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Member, Aerospace Medical Association
Member, Society of USAF Flight Surgeons
Member, American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)
Member, American Association for Physician Leadership
Diplomate, American Board of Emergency Medicine (2016)
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant September 4, 1998
Captain May 30, 2003
Major May 30, 2009
Lieutenant Colonel April 28, 2014
Colonel April 28, 2020
(Current as of July 2023)