Chief Master Sergeant Thomas J. Wigington is the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Joint Staff Surgeon. He provides clinical operational leadership of joint medical operations between the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Combatant Commands, Services, Interagency, and international partners to seamlessly shape and synchronize the global health service continuum. As a Senior Enlisted Medical Advisor, he provides strategic perspective on joint service enlisted operational and expeditionary skills capability, requirements, utilization, and training to the Chairman, SEAC, the Joint Staff, Services, and Combatant Commanders.
Chief Wigington entered the Air Force in July 1997. His breadth of experience includes various duties in the Public Health career field, in addition to serving as the Air Force Lead Enlisted Public Health Consultant, Wing Staff Agency, Group Superintendent, Squadron Superintendent, Inspector General Superintendent, and Public Health Career Field Manager. He also served in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, INHERENT RESOLVE, FREEDOM’S SENTINEL and most recently DELIBERATE RESOLVE as Air Force Forward Surgeon General Superintendent and Theater Public Health Manager, Combined Air and Space Operations Center, Air Force Central Command.
EDUCATION
1997 Public Health Apprentice Course, Brooks AFB, Texas
2002 Airman Leadership School, Robins Air Force Base, Ga
2010 Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, Tyndall AFB, Fla
2012 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education, by correspondence
2014 Associate of Applied Science in Public Health Technology, Community College of the Air Force
2014 Senior Non-commissioned Officer Academy Course 14, by correspondence
2016 DoD Mission Assurance Assessment Program Course – Emergency Management, JB San Antonio, Texas
2017 Intermediate Executive Skills Course – Air Force Medical Service, San Antonio, Texas
2018 Inspector General Training Course, Kirtland AFB, NM
2018 Inspector General Complaints Resolution Certification, Air Force District of Washington, JB Andrews, Md
2020 Bachelor of Arts in Homeland Security, Magna Cum Laude, American Military University, W. Va
2020 Joint Medical Executive Capstone, Defense Health Headquarters, Falls Church, Va
2020 Combined Senior Leadership Course, Falls Church, Va
2021 Diversity, Inclusion and Equity in the Workplace Certification, University of South Florida
2021 Inclusive and Ethical Leadership Certification, University of South Florida
2022 Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell-Gunter Annex, Montgomery, Al
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1997 - August 1997, Student, Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, Texas
2. August 1997 - December 1997, Student, Public Health Technical Training School, Brooks AFB, Texas
3. December 1997 - January 2001, Public Health Technician, 325th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla
4. January 2001 - January 2002, Public Health Journeyman, 51st Aerospace Medicine Squadron, Osan AB, ROK
5. January 2002 - July 2003, NCOIC, Deployment Medicine, 78th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, Robins AFB, Ga (July 2003 - November 2003, NCOIC, Aerospace Medicine Element, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)
6. July 2003 - July 2004, NCOIC, Medical Readiness, 78th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, Robins AFB, Ga
7. July 2004 - July 2009, NCOIC, Occupational Health, 78th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, Robins AFB, Ga (January 2007 - June 2007, NCOIC, Occupational Health, Bagram AB Afghanistan)
8. July 2009 - July 2010, Public Health Flight Chief, 51st Aerospace Medicine Squadron, Osan AB, ROK
9. July 2010 - August 2011, NCOIC, Force Health Management, 78th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, Robins AFB, Ga
10. August 2011 - October 2012, NCOIC, Preventive Health Assessment Cell, Ramstein AB, Germany
11. October 2012 - June 2015, Public Health Flight Chief, JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ
12. June 2015 - October 2015, Superintendent, 87th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ
13. October 2015 - August 2017, Superintendent, Epidemiology Consult Service Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
14. August 2017 - August 2018, Superintendent, 355th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz
15. August 2018 - May 2020, Superintendent, 355th Wing Inspector General and Wing Staff Agency, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz (March 2019 – October 2019, Superintendent, AFCENT Air Force Forward Surgeon General/AFCENT Theater Public Health Manager, Al Udeid AB Qatar)
16. June 2020 – August 2021, Chief, Medical Enlisted Force, Air Force District of Washington Command Surgeon, JB Andrews, Md
17. August 2021 – January 2024, Public Health Career Field Manager, Air Force Medical Readiness Agency, Falls Church, Va
18. January 2024 – Present, Senior Enlisted Advisor, Office of the Joint Staff Surgeon, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Army Achievement Medal
Meritorious Unit Award with one oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one service star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal with two service stars
Air and Space Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
National Alliance Treaty Organization Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2007 Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year, 78th Medical Group
2007 Cleveland L. Parker Public Health NCO of the Year, Air Force Material Command
2015 Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award, 87th Medical Group
2015 American Red Cross Military Award
2015 Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year, 87th Aerospace Medicine Squadron
2016 Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award, Air Force Research Laboratory (NAF-level)
2016 USAF Biomedical Sciences Corps Large Team Award
2017 Appointed Associate 4E0X1 Career Field Manager
2017 Air Force Medical Service Senior Non-Commissioned Leadership Award, 711th Human Performance Wing
2018 Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award, 355th Medical Group
EFFECTIVE DATE OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant 1 June 2020
(Current as of Jan 2024)