Physician & Physician Assistant Citations

Physician Assistant

First Lieutenant Michelle P. Altherr distinguished herself by meritorious service as Physician Assistant, 436th Medical Operations Squadron, 436th Medical Group, 436th Airlift Wing, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. During this period, the outstanding professional skills, leadership, and ceaseless efforts of Lieutenant Altherr directly contributed to the effectiveness and success of the Wing's demanding global mobility mission. As a Clinical Disaster Team member, she developed triage and treatment protocols that were key to the wing's disaster preparations and contributed to the medical group achieving its 2016 Operational Readiness Inspection "Excellent" rating. In addition, Lieutenant Altherr managed 73 diabetic patients via regular follow-ups using enriched educational resources, resulting in improved patient compliance with preventation and treatment plans and saving more than twenty thousand dollars in referral costs. Further, she achieved and maintained an unprecedented one hundred percent on-time completion rate for disability evaluations. She singlehandedly wrote 135 medical evaluation boards and increased the medical group's compliance rate from 40 percent to 80 percent. The distinctive accomplishments of Lieutenant Altherr while serving her country reflect credit upon herself, the 436th Medical Operations Squadron and the United States Air Force.

Family Medicine Physician

Major R Jace Caulkins, distinguished himself in the performance of outstanding service to the United States Air Force as Family Medicine Physician, core faculty, 60th Healthcare Operations Squadron, 60th Medical Group, 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis Air Force Base, California. During this period, the outstanding professional skill, leadership, and ceaseless efforts of Major Caulkins resulted in significant contributions to the effectiveness and success of the Air Force Family Medicine Physician training pipeline. Major Caulkins instructed over 72 resident physicians in hospital medicine, obstetrical care, ambulatory clinic and procedures. Furthermore Major Caulkins deployed in support of Special Operations Task Force-North West Africa leading 15 special forces medics, developing a walking blood bank screening program, and coordinated seven lifesaving emergent medical evacuations. Moreover, he led the David Grant Medical Center Medical Acupuncture and Battlefield Acupuncture programs instructing over 100 medical providers in acupuncture. Finally, he served as a medical student clerkship coordinator, mentoring over 30 medical students and awarded the Uniformed Services University 2020 clerkship site of the year. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Major Caulkins reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

Emergency Medicine Physician

Major Kristen Bert Dowdy distinguished herself by outstanding service as a Critical Care Air Transport Team (CCATT) and Emergency Medicine physician from 21 July 2023 to 21 July 2026. During this period, Maj Dowdy served over 7,000 hours TDY in an on-call posture, ensuring access to life-saving medical care for 605,000 beneficiaries across 44 countries. Additionally, Major Dowdy served as medical education director from July 2025 to July 2026, writing, delivering and editing biweekly lessons for PACAF CCATT, as well as visiting reserve, Guard and deployed CENTCOM members, ensuring exposure to high yield Joint Trauma Committee objectives. Additionally, she was a valued physician at Tripler Army Medical Center, where she logged over 2,000 clinical hours, instructed resident physicians in 11 specialties, expertly managed two mass casualty events, and was recognized for saving the life of an 11-year-old with a rare, frequently fatal heart complication. Moreover, Major Dowdy served as the en route care subject matter expert for two multination interoperability exercises, working with medical teams from six nations to highlight any pertinent discrepancies in clinical practices and optimize our ability to care for injured service men and women. Further, Doctor Dowdy was the lead physician for a White House support medical mission comprised of 13 medical professionals, ensuring the safety of Vice President Vance and his family during a diplomatic visit to Agra, India. Finally, Major Dowdy provided leadership opportunities for her flight, training 12 Stop the Bleed instructors and certifying nearly 200 community members as a Stop the Bleed provider. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Major Kristen Dowdy while serving her country reflect great credit upon herself and the United States Air Force.

Staff Physician, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine

Major Kevin A. Loudermilk distinguished himself in the performance of outstanding service to the United States while assigned as Staff Physician, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, 86th Medical Squadron, 86th Medical Group, 86th Airlift Wing, Landstuhl, Germany. During this period, Major Loudermilk filled a Lieutenant Colonel billet for fourteen months as acting Officer in Charge, directing twenty-five staff and managing a 1.6 million dollar portfolio. His leadership during a critical national survey and care for 2,586 patients saved $752,000, propelling the clinic to the 2025 Air Force Clinic of the Year award. Furthermore, he pioneered a fast-track program for 204 abnormal pulmonary function tests and initiated an awake bronchoscopy service, reducing delays by thirty days and saving $550 per case. Additionally, he excelled as Intensive Care Unit Lead Physician during exercise Vigorous Warrior 2024, guiding eight medical professionals and treating 1,200 patients from thirty-five allied nations. Finally, he educated twenty-five critical care transport team members, enabling a major command award, and devoted 140 hours to mentoring five medical students. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Major Loudermilk reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

Physician Assistant

Lieutenant Colonel Ronald M. Ostwald distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as Physician Assistant, 167th Medical Group, 167th Airlift Wing, Martinsburg, West Virginia. In this key capacity, Colonel Ostwald demonstrated the professional skill, leadership, and ceaseless efforts that were instrumental to the effectiveness and success of the West Virginia Air National Guard. His proclivity for teaching medical procedures and techniques to allied health personnel made him a highly valued medical resource who was sought out by his colleagues and members of the 167th Air Wing as a knowledable medical provider and mentor. Additionally, he oversaw the 167th Air Wing's Suicide Prevention Program and developed a Wing-based Suicide awareness program that increased awareness and helped identify and mitigate risk factors for suicide. Further, he particpated in a variety of Critical Incident Stress Management teams at both the 167th Air Wing and in the local community and is a sought after mentor by other providers for his expertise in psychological trauma. Finally, Colonel Ostwald volunteered to be the Officer in Charge of the 976A Homeland Defense Decontamination package for the 167th Airlift Wing, supporting readiness and the safety of 167th Airlift Wing personnel. The distinctive accomplishments of Lieutenant Colonel Ostwald reflect credit upon himself, the 167th Medical Group and the United States Air Force.

Physician Assistant

Lieutenant Colonel Raymond L. Mosley distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as Physician Assistant, 94th Aeromedical Staging Squadron (ASTS), 94th Air Wing, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia. During this period, Colonel Mosley's leadership, committment to duty, and expertise in many areas resulted in major contributions to the effectiveness and success of the 94th Aeromedical Staging Squadron and the 94th Air Wing. His meticulous attention to detail in medical narratives and medical chart documentation improved the overall quality of medical care for the 94th Air Wing and he was recognized as an Outstanding Performer during an Air Force Health Service Inspection. He continues to be one of the most productive health care providers, reducing wait times and ensuring the Airmen of the 94th Air Wing are fit and ready to fight. In addition, as Disaster Preparedness Officer, he improved unit situational awareness by providing an annual unit briefing on the Medical Effects of Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Warfare, increasing member confidence and readiness. Further, Colonel Mosley served as Unit Public Affairs Representative and improved the knowledge and awareness of the 94th Air Wing mission by publishing timely articles on health and wellness for the Wing "Minuteman" newspaper. The distinctive accomplishments of Colonel Mosley reflect credit upon himself, the 94th Aeromedical Staging Squadron, and the United States Air Force.

Physician Assistant

Major James R Davis distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as Physician Assistant, Family Practice Clinic, 10th Medical Operations Squadron (10 MDOS), 10th Medical Group, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado. During this period, as the senior Family Practice Clinic Physician Assistant, Major Davis cared for an enrolled population of over fifteen hundred military and civilian patients. Additionally, as the In-Place Patient Decontamination (IPPDC) Team chief, he served as the 10th Medical Group HAZMAT training officer, instructing the newly established TRIAGE team in HAZMAT operations and proper use of personal protective equipment, ensuring mission readiness. Further, while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Major Davis was the senior medic for four Afghan provinces, mentoring his ANA Hospital Commander counterpart while treating over 350 U.S., NATO, civilian and local national personnel. Finally, as 10th Medical Group Post-Deployment Health Reassessment (PDHRA) champion, Major Davis improved United States Air Force Academy's ranking from 8th to first among all MAJCOMS. The distinctive accomplishments of Major Davis reflect credit upon himself, the 10th Medical Operations Squadron and the United States Air Force.

Physician Assistant

Captain Luke J. Cornell distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as Physician Assistant, Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command (CFSOCC), Qatar Air Base and Pakistan. During this period, the professional skill, leadership, and ceaseless efforts of Captain Cornell contributed to the effectiveness and success of joint service operations. In this important assignment, he distinguished himself in the performance of his duties as the lead medical authority for Pakistan. In addition, while assigned to Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command, his actions supported medical logistics and training requirments for over eight thousand Special Operations Force (SOF) members across 20 countries, enabling over two thousand combat missions. He oversaw training, logistics, medical care, and public health for all SOF members assigned to Pakistan, ensuring uninterrupted operations in the theater. The distinctive accomplishments of Captain Cornell while serving his country reflect credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.