Colonel John P. McFarlane

Col McFarlane commands the 18th Medical Group, Kadena Air Base, Japan. The 18th Medical Group is a team of 558 healthcare professionals who ensure the medical readiness of the Air Force’s largest combat Wing by providing safe, quality medical care to over 14,000 beneficiaries, directly promoting the mutual interests of the United States and Japan. The 18th Medical Group is the largest outpatient clinic in Pacific Air Forces with 77 providers supporting over 215,000 annual visits. The group delivers support throughout the Pacific theater via several unique capabilities and missions including: the Air Force’s second largest neonatal intensive care unit, the only aeromedical staging flight in the Western Pacific, three Critical Care Air Transport Teams, the Theater Preventive Medicine Flight, and the Theater Lead Agent for Medical Material – Pacific.
Prior to this assignment, he served as the Air Force Medical Service’s Deputy Division Chief of Financial Resources, Falls Church, Virginia. In this capacity, he was responsible for execution of the Air Force Medical Service's $6.3 billion annual budget, oversaw Financial Improvement and Audit Readiness efforts, and prepared the Air Force Medical Service for a congressionally mandated, full financial statement audit. Additionally, Col McFarlane provided fiscal policy and guidance to 74 Air Force Medical Treatment Facilities, 12 Major Commands, and the Air Force Medical Readiness Agency on worldwide execution of the Defense Health Program appropriation.
Col McFarlane was commissioned into the Unites States Air Force in 2001 as a Direct Accession, Medical Service Corps Officer. Col McFarlane has held a variety of leadership assignments at the Defense Health Agency, Air Force Medical Headquarters, Group, and Squadron levels in both the deployed and garrison environments. Col McFarlane is a board certified Fellow with the American College of Healthcare Executives.

 

EDUCATION
1998 Bachelor of Science, Healthcare Administration, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Ore.
1998 Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Ore.
2007 Master of Healthcare Administration, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2011 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2018 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2020 Combined Senior Leadership Course, Defense Health Headquarters, Falls Church, Va.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 2001–December 2002, Group Executive and Protocol Officer, 99th Medical Group, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2. December 2003–August 2004, TRICARE Flight Commander, 99th Medical Group, Nellis AFB, Nev.
3. September 2004–July 2005, Medical Readiness Officer, 99th Medical Group, Nellis AFB, Nev.
4. August 2005–July 2007, Student, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
5. July 2007–July 2010, Administrator, 422nd Air Base Group, Royal Air Force Croughton, England
6. August 2010–July 2012, TRICARE Operations and Patient Administration Flight Commander, 59th Medical
Wing, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas
7. August 2012–July 2013, Branch Chief, Health Benefits Overseas, Air Force Medical Operations Agency, JBSAKelly,
Texas
8. August 2013–June 2016, Administrator, 61st Medical Squadron, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. (6 months as
Commander)
9. July 2016–April 2018, Commander, 628th Medical Support Squadron, Charleston AFB, SC
10. April 2018–October 2018, Commander, 455 Expeditionary Medical Operations Squadron, Bagram Airfield,
Afghanistan
11. November 2018–May 2021, Branch Chief, Resource Operations, Air Force Medical Readiness Agency, JBSAKelly,
Texas
12. December 2018–May 2021, Division Chief, Financial Cost Accounting, Defense Health Agency, JBSA-Kelly,
Texas
13. May 2021–June 2022, Deputy Chief, Financial Resources Division, Office of the Air Force Surgeon General,
Falls Church, Va.
14. June 2022–Present, Commander, 18th Medical Group, Kadena AB, Japan

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster
Meritorious Unit Award
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with seven Oak Leaf Clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
NATO Non-Article 5 Medal

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Fellow, American College of Healthcare Executives since 2011

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant September 4, 2001
First Lieutenant June 9, 2002
Captain June 9, 2004
Major August 1, 2009
Lieutenant Colonel July 1, 2014
Colonel January 1, 2021

(Current as of March 2023)