Nadja West
| Nadja Y. West | |
|---|---|
 (pictured here as a Major General) | |
| Born | 1961 (age 54–55) |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America |
| Service/branch |
 United States Army |
| Years of service | 1982 - |
| Rank |
 Lieutenant General |
| Commands held |
McDonald Army Community Hospital Womack Army Medical Center Europe Regional Medical Command[1] |
| Awards |
Army Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (4) Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal (3) Army Commendation Medal Army Achievement Medal (3)[2] |
Nadja Y. West is a United States Army lieutenant general and the 44th U.S. Army Surgeon General and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Medical Command. West is the first black Army Surgeon General, and was the first black female active duty major general and the first black female major general in Army Medicine.[3][4] Lt. Gen. West is also the first Army black female lieutenant general.[5] She is the highest ranking female to have graduated from the United States Military Academy.
Early life and education
West is from the District of Columbia, and 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,[6] and a Doctorate of Medicine from George Washington University School of Medicine in 1988.[7]
West is married to Donald West, a retired Army colonel. They have two children; Sydney, 21, and Logan, 18.[6]
Career
West's historic promotion to be the first 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 give us inspiration. Hopefully, I can inspire someone to be able to say, 'I can do that.'"[4]
On December 11, 2015, the Senate confirmed the nomination of West to be promoted to lieutenant general[8] and she became the 44th Army Surgeon General. This made West the Army’s first black Surgeon General, as well as 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.[9][10] Lt. Gen. West was promoted on February 9, 2016, and formally assumed command of MEDCOM on February 10, 2016.[5][11]
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.[3] West obtained a Master of Science in National Security Strategy. Of her military medical career, West says, "If you want to feel inspired about what military medicine does, see how appreciative these men and women are for the care they’ve received. It’s right here. It’s the reason the military health system exists: to take care of brave men and women like them."[6]
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.
West is a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Awards and recognitions
 |
Army Distinguished Service Medal[2] |
 |
Defense Superior Service Medal |
  |
Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters[2] |
 |
Defense Meritorious Service Medal[2] |
 |
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters[2] |
 |
Army Commendation Medal[2] |
 |
Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters[2] |
 |
Joint Meritorious Unit Award |
 |
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation |
  |
National Defense Service Medal with one service star |
 |
Southwest Asia Service Medal with three service stars |
 |
Kosovo Campaign Medal with one service star |
 |
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal |
 |
Korea Defense Service Medal |
 |
Army Service Ribbon |
  |
Army Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze award numeral 4 |
 |
NATO Medal for Former Yugoslavia[12] |
 |
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) |
 |
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) |
External links
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Lt. Gen. Patricia Horoho |
Surgeon General of the United States Army December 11, 2015 - present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
References
- ↑ "Maj. Gen. Nadja Y. West Joint Chiefs of Staff Article View". www.jcs.mil. Joint Chiefs of Staff. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "General Officer Management Office". www.gomo.army.mil. GOMO. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
- 1 2 "Maj. Gen. Nadja West was the first African American female Major General of the Army's active component and Army Medicine's first African-American female two-star general.". www.army.mil. U.S. Army. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
- 1 2 JNSMA. "Army Medicine's First African American Female Two-Star General | JSNMA". www.JNSMA.org. JNSMA. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
- 1 2 Estrada, Sheryl. "First Black Woman Promoted to Three-Star Army General". DiversityInc.com. DiversityInc. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- 1 2 3 Hubing, Kristin. "Major Medical | Medicine + Health". Medicine + Health. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
- ↑ "Dr. Nadja West, MD - Bethesda, MD - Family Medicine & Dermatology | Healthgrades". Health Grades. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
- ↑ Tolleson, Maria. "Maj. Gen. Nadja West confirmed as 44th Army Surgeon General | The United States Army". www.army.mil. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
- ↑ "Lt. Gen. Nadja West Confirmed by Senate as First Black Army Surgeon General". GOOD BLACK NEWS.
- ↑ "Lt. Gen. Nadja West Confirmed by Senate as First Black Army Surgeon General". EURweb.
- ↑ U.S. Army Medical Command. "DVIDS - Video - U.S. Army Medical Command Assumption of Comand". DVIDS. Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- ↑ http://www.jcs.mil/Leadership/ArticleView/tabid/3893/Article/572002/maj-gen-nadja-y-west.aspx