Senate confirms Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Roudebush to be AF surgeon general

Maj. Gen. (Dr.) James G. Roudebush

WASHINGTON -- The Senate has confirmed President Bush's nomination of Maj. Gen. (Dr.) James G. Roudebush to be the 19th surgeon general of the United States Air Force.

Roudebush will also be promoted to lieutenant general and replace Lt. Gen. (Dr.) George Peach Taylor Jr., who is retiring in October.

"I'm honored to have the privilege to serve with such great medical and medical support people," Roudebush said. "This is a tremendous opportunity and I am looking forward to it."

Roudebush, a native of Gering, Neb., has been in his current position since July 2001. He entered the Air Force in 1975 after receiving a bachelor of medicine degree from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, and a doctor of medicine degree from the University of Nebraska College of Medicine.

He completed residency training in family practice at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Medical Center, Ohio, in 1978, and aerospace medicine at Brooks Air Force Base, Texas, in 1984.

The general commanded a wing clinic and wing hospital before becoming Deputy Commander of the Air Force Materiel Command Human Systems Center. He was then selected as Command Surgeon for U.S. Central Command, and subsequently, Pacific Air Forces. Prior to assuming his current position, he served as Command Surgeon for U.S. Transportation Command and headquarters Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base, Ill.

Roudebush is a chief flight surgeon who has totaled more than 1,100 hours in 14 different types of aircraft. His decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster and Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster.

Taylor, who has been the AF Surgeon General since October 2002, said he plans to remain in the Washington, D.C, area, and pursue work in health policy and organizational transformation.