Colonel (DR.) MELINDA EATON Colonel (Dr.) Melinda Eaton is the Deputy Director for the Human Effectiveness Directorate, 711th Human Performance Wing, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. She provides leadership to approximately 1,000 military, civilians, and contractors in 3 Divisions across 10 remote sites. She also serves as the Institutional Official for the Joint Air Force Research Laboratory vivarium at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Originally from Spanish Fork, Utah, Colonel Eaton was commissioned into the Air Force in 2001 after completion of her veterinary degree at Washington State University. Throughout her Air Force career, she has served as Chief of Public Health for Altus Air Force Base in Altus, Oklahoma; Public Health Consultant for the Air Force Institute for Operational Health at Brooks City-Base in San Antonio, Texas; Public Health Consultant at the United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine (USAFSAM), 711th Human Performance Wing in Dayton, Ohio; Public Health Flight Commander at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio; Chief of the Epidemiology Consult Division at USAFSAM; Deputy Project Manager at the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Agency; Program Manager for the Virtual Health Program Management Office and Deputy Program Manager for Pharmaceuticals, Devices, and Medical Support Systems Program Management Office at the Defense Health Agency. Prior to her current position, the Colonel was the Deputy Chief of the Capability Development Division at the Air Force Medical Readiness Agency in Falls Church, Virginia Additionally, Colonel Eaton has had the opportunity to serve four overseas deployments with the Department of Defense in various Public Health and research positions in United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Afghanistan, including providing epidemiological support to Pacific Command following the earthquake in Japan in 2011. EDUCATION 1998 Bachelor of Science, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 2001 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Wash. 2002 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence 2004 Master of Public Health, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md. 2007 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence 2010 Doctor of Philosophy in Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C. 2010 Air Command and Staff College, IDE-equivalency 2013 Air War College, by correspondence 2016 Master of Library and Information Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Fla. 2016 Air War College, SDE-equivalency 2022 Capstone Course for MHS Leaders, Joint Medical Executive Skills Institute, Falls Church, Va. ASSIGNMENTS June 2001 – August 2002, Chief, Public Health, 97th Medical Group, Altus Air Force Base, Okla. August 2002 – December 2002, Chief, Public Health, 380th Expeditionary Wing, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates December 2002 – June 2003, Chief, Public Health, 9th7 Medical Group, Altus AFB, Okla. June 2003 – June 2004, Student, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md. July 2004 – August 2004, Public Health Consultant, Air Force Institute for Operational Health, Brooks City- Base, Tex. August 2004 – December 2004, Deputy Commander, Preventive Medicine Team Air Force, Camp Buehring, Kuwait December 2004 – July 2007, Public Health Consultant, Air Force Institute for Operational Health, Brooks City- Base, Tex. August 2007 – August 2010, Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C. August 2010 – August 2011, Public Health Consultant, U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, Wright- Patterson AFB, Ohio August 2011 – February 2012, Site Lead/Senior Researcher, Joint Combat Casualty Research Team, Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan March 2012 – June 2013, Public Health Flight Commander and Health Promotion Flight Supervisor, 88th Medical Group, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio July 2013 – January 2014, Officer in Charge, Public Health, 386th Expeditionary Wing, Ali Al Salem AB, Kuwait January 2014 – October 2014, Branch Chief, Operations and Research Support Branch, U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio November 2014 – July 2015, Division Chief, Epidemiology Consult Services Division, U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio August 2015 – July 2016, AFIT Advanced Development Acquisition Fellowship, Tissue Injury and Regenerative Medicine Project Management Office, U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity, Fort Detrick, Md. August 2016 – January 2018, Deputy Project Manager, Tissue Injury and Regenerative Medicine Project Management Office, U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity, Fort Detrick, Md. January 2018 – July 2018, Interim Project Manager, Tissue Injury and Regenerative Medicine Project Management Office, U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity, Fort Detrick, Md. July 2018 – June 2019, Director for Strategic Acquisition Planning and Program Management, US Army Medical Materiel Development Activity, Fort Detrick, Md. August 2016 – June 2019, Advanced Development Chief, Air Force Medical Support Agency, Falls Church, Va. July 2018 – June 2019, Division Chief, Program Management Office, Air Force Medical Support Agency, Falls Church, Va. August 2018–June 2019, BioFabUSA Program Manager, U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity, Fort Detrick, Md. July 2019 – May 2021, Deputy Program Manager, Pharmaceuticals, Devices, and Medical Support Systems Program Management Office, Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, Va. September 2019 – May 2021, Program Manager, Virtual Health Program Management Office, Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, Va. June 2021 – August 2023, Deputy Chief, Capability Development, Air Force Medical Readiness Agency, Falls Church, Va. September 2023 – present, Deputy Director, Human Effectiveness Directorate, 711 Human Performance Wing, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal, 3 Oak Leaf Clusters Joint Service Commendation Medal Air and Space Commendation Medal, 2 Oak Leaf Clusters Army Commendation Medal, 1 Oak Leaf Cluster Joint Service Achievement Medal Air and Space Recognition Ribbon Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Small Bronze Star OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS 2024 Artificial Intelligence Foundations for DoD Credential, Defense Acquisition University 2023 Foundational Acquisition Intelligence Credential, Defense Acquisition University 2023 Contracting for Research and Development Credential, Defense Acquisition University 2023 Digital Engineering: DoD Consumer Credential, Defense Acquisition University 2023 Data Analytics for DoD Acquisition Managers Credential, Defense Acquisition University 2023 Technology Project Management Credential, Defense Acquisition University 2023 Acquisition Law and Policy Credential, Defense Acquisition University 2021 Requirements Management Level C, Defense Acquisition University 2021 Program Management Level III, Defense Acquisition University 2018 Program Management Level II, Defense Acquisition University 2017 Program Management Level I, Defense Acquisition University 2016 Certificate in Information Leadership and Management, Florida State University 2016 Project Management Professional Certification, Project Management Institute 2009 Certificate in Public Health Ethics, University of North Carolina 2008 Certificate in Veterinary Homeland Security, Purdue University 2008 Certified in Public Health, National Board of Public Health Examiners 2007 Certificate in Field Epidemiology, University of North Carolina 2006 Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION Captain May 21, 2001 Major June 1, 2007 Lieutenant Colonel October 1, 2013 Colonel December 1, 2021 (Current as of May 2024)