Col Shaun Westphal is the Commander and the Medical Treatment Facility (MTF) Director of the 5th Medical Group, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota. He leads a team of 300 medics who maximize expeditionary readiness by providing high quality medical and dental support to the DoD’s only military installation housing two legs of the nuclear triad and the largest Personnel Reliability Assurance Program (PRAP) in the DoD, serving 3,300 PRAP personnel. Col Westphal oversees the provision of care to over 12,300 beneficiaries ensuring the delivery of the highest quality patient care, patient safety and customer service.
Col Westphal entered the Air Force as a Critical Care Nurse in September 2001 and had served from 1993-1999 in the United States Marine Corps as an enlisted Infantry Rifleman. Additionally, he has served in clinical positions in Critical Care, Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care Air Transport, Family Health, Flight Medicine, Aeromedical Evacuation, HQ/AMC SG Staff performing research and development for Global Patient Movement, as well as serving on the US Transportation Command, Command Surgeon staff as the Global Patient Movement Integration Cell, Division Chief and Aeromedical Evacuation Contingency Planner, Scott AFB, IL.
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Science in Nursing, University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, WI
2013 Master of Science in Health Sciences-Clinical Research, Trident University 2019 National Certification in Medical-Surgical Nursing
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY
2001-2005 Shift Charge Nurse Intensive Care Element, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
2005-2006 Clinical Nurse, Emergency/Trauma, Lackland AFB, TX
2006-2008 Nurse Manager, Critical Care Air Transport Team Pilot Unit, Lackland AFB, TX
2008-2011 OIC, AE Clinical Issues Research/Development, HQ Command Surgeon AMC, Scott AFB, IL
2011-2015 Flight Nurse/Chief of Operations Group AE Stan-Eval, 43 AES / 440 OG, Pope AAF, NC
2015-2018 Flight Commander, Primary Care and Aerospace & Operational Medicine Clinics, Altus AFB, OK
2018-2020 Commander, 17th OMRS, Chief Nurse 17th MDG, Goodfellow AFB, TX
2020-2022 Division Chief, USTRANSCOM/SG Global Patient Movement Integration Cell, Scott AFB, IL
2022-2023 Commander, 60th Inpatient Squadron, 60th Medical Group, Travis Air Force Base, CA
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters Army Commendation Medal
Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal
PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION/OTHER MILITARY COURSES
2008 Critical Care Air Transport (CCATT), San Antonio, Texas 2008 Squadron Officer School
2011 Flight Nursing, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio (Awarded Honor Graduate) 2015 Air Command and Staff College
2020 Air War College
2021 USTRANSCOM Strategic Aeromedical Evacuation (AE) Planner Fellowship
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:
2007 AF Nursing Representative for AFA Team of the Year 2009 ASMA E.A. Hoefly Award
2013 AFMS Clinical Excellence in Nursing-FGO Category 2015 FGO of the Year-Altus AFB, OK
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant September 4, 2001
First Lieutenant March 2, 2002
Captain March 2, 2004
Major December 1, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2018
Colonel June 1, 2022
(CURRENT AS OF AUGUST 2023)