Philip Volpe
(D.O. '83)

Retired
U.S. Army

Major General Philip Volpe retired from the United States Army after 30 years of distinguished service on 1 June 2013. His final two duty assignments were as the Commanding General of the Army’s Western Regional Medical Command responsible for, and overseeing, two medical centers, eight community hospitals, and several stand-alone outpatient centers covering greater than twelve installations … followed by being assigned as the Commanding General at the Army Medical Department Center and School in San Antonio, Texas where he led and managed education, training and doctrine development for Army Medicine.

Upon transition from the Army, MG (Dr.) Volpe took on several healthcare consulting roles with industry to include United Health and Deloitte Consulting, where he served as a military medicine Subject Matter Expert and Advisor for several years. Besides teaching at several medical schools and preparing future military physicians for service, he currently serves as Assistant Professor in Primary Care at the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. In addition, he serves as an Independent Healthcare and Leadership Consultant; serves as a Board Member on the Senior Advisory Board for the Special Operations Medical Association (SOMA); the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States / The Society of Federal Health Professionals (AMSUS); and serves as a Special Government Employee in Army Medicine focusing on Leader Development, Mentoring & Coaching, Strategic Planning Consultation, Teaching … and as a Senior Leader Advisor and Coach.

Dr Volpe was commissioned as a Captain in the Medical Corps in 1983, entering the Army via the Health Professions Scholarship Program. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pre-Professional Studies from the University of Notre Dame and a Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Volpe is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. He was selected as the Uniformed Services Family Physician of the Year in 1996 and served as the President, Uniformed Services Academy of Family Physicians from 2003 to 2004.

His military education includes the Combined Arms and Services Staff School; the Command and General Staff Officer’s Course; and the U.S. Army War College … where he was awarded a Distinguished Writing Award for publishing a Personal Experience Monograph on his experiences as the Task Force Ranger Surgeon in Somalia in 1993. As the Command Surgeon, the Medical Commander, and Senior Physician for Task Force Ranger, MG Volpe led the medical planning and the medical operations on the ground during the raid and subsequent mass casualty situation at the 3-4 October “Battle of Mogadishu” … resulting in a response which greatly decreased morbidity and mortality during one of the largest combat mass casualty situations in an extreme austere environment.

His military assignments (in chronological order) include Clinic Commander & Officer-In-Charge, Medical Dispensary, Multinational Force and Observers, Sinai, Egypt; Faculty, Family Practice Residency Program, Womack Army Medical Center, Ft Bragg, NC; Division Surgeon, 82D Airborne Division; Command Surgeon, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and Commander, Joint Medical Augmentation Unit (JMAU), Ft. Bragg, NC; Hospital Commander, 28th Combat Support Hospital, Fort Bragg, NC; Department Chief (Teaching Chief), Department of Family Practice & Emergency Medical Services, Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, HI; Brigade Commander, 62nd Medical Brigade, Ft Lewis, WA; Commander, 18th Medical Command / 121st General Hospital (Seoul Community Hospital); Command Surgeon, United States Forces Korea / Eight US Army; and Deputy Command Surgeon, United Nations Command / Combined Forces Command, Republic of Korea from 2002 to 2004; the Assistant Surgeon General for Force Projection (ASG-FP), Office of the Surgeon General, Department of the Army, the Pentagon, Washington, DC.

After being promoted to BG, MG Volpe served as the Commanding General, 44th Medical Command (Airborne), the Command Surgeon for XVIIIth Airborne Corps and the Director of Health Services at Fort Bragg, North Carolina from 2005-2007. He then served as the Deputy Commander, Joint Task Force - National Capital Region Medical at Bethesda Naval Base, Maryland from 2008-2010. While serving at the Joint Task Force, MG Volpe was promoted to Major General. He then served as the Commanding General of Western Regional Medical Command and Senior Market Executive for TRICARE Puget Sound at JBLM from 2010-2012, and finally culminating his diverse career as the Commanding General of the AMEDD Center and School in San Antonio, Texas from 2012-2013. Several of MG Volpe’s assignments included Joint, Interagency, Combined and/or International duties and responsibilities.

In addition to his assignments, MG Volpe also served on the Joint Healthcare Vision 2010 Project from 1996-1998; the Combat Trauma Care Futures Committee from 1998-2001; served as the Military and Operational Medicine Consultant to the Surgeon General from 1998-2003; served as a Military Delegate to the American Academy of Family Physicians from 2002-2005; served as an Advisory Board Member for the Citizen-Soldier Support Program from 2006-2009; and served as the Co-Chair of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Prevention of Suicide by Members of the Armed Forces from 2009-2011.

During MG Volpe’s military career, he participated in a variety of deployments to include: Operation JUST CAUSE in Panama (2nd Ranger BN / USSOCOM); Operation HURRICANE ANDREW RELIEF in South Florida (Command Surgeon, 82nd ABN DIV); Operation RESTORE HOPE in Somalia (Command Surgeon, Task Force Ranger); Operation UPHOLD DEMOCRACY in Haiti (JSOTF Surgeon); Operation CLEAN SWEEP (Hurricane Fran Relief) in North Carolina (Hospital CDR); and numerous classified special operations missions.

In addition, MG Volpe served as the Co-Chair of the Department of Defense “Task Force on the Prevention of Suicide by Members of the Armed Forces” … comprised of both military, industry and national experts … and lead the effort to produce and publish a compendium of recommendations for utilization throughout the DoD.

His awards and decorations include the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with "V" Device for valor, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Arrowhead and 2 Bronze Stars, the Global War On Terrorism Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal with 2 Service Stars, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, and the Korean Order of National Security Merit Medal (the Samil Medal). He has also been awarded the Expert Field Medical Badge, the Combat Medical Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Combat Parachutist's Badge, the Air Assault Badge, and the Army Staff Badge. MG Volpe possesses the Surgeon General's “A” Proficiency Designator in the field of Family Medicine. He is a recipient of the Corby Award from the University of Notre Dame for distinguished military service and a recipient of a Public Service Award from New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. MG Volpe is a proud member of the AMEDD Regiment and the Order of Military Medical Merit.