New Military Health Institute, director announced

Retired Maj. Gen. Byron C. Hepburn, M.D.

Retired Maj. Gen. Byron C. Hepburn, M.D., was named director of the Health Science Center’s new Military Health Institute.

Announced in September, the institute will improve the health of military service members, veterans and their families through collaborative education, research and clinical care.

Dr. Hepburn, whose military career spans 38 years, is a former commander of the 59th Medical Wing, Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland and director of the San Antonio Military Health System.

Prior to his selection as commander of the 59th Medical Wing, where he led the Air Force’s largest medical wing, he served as deputy surgeon general of the U.S. Air Force. In that role, he directed all operations of the Air Force Medical Service, a $5.1 billion, 43,000-person integrated health care delivery system serving 2.4 million beneficiaries at 75 military treatment facilities worldwide.

He is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and one of only a few U.S. Air Force pilot-physicians. He completed a residency in family practice and holds an appointment as professor in the Long School of Medicine’s Department of Family & Community Medicine. He also holds the titles of assistant dean for military health in the Long School of Medicine and associate vice president for the Health Science Center.