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The Surgeon General holds the rank of Vice Admiral (VADM) and heads the 6,000-member Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service, a troop of emergency health professionals who are on call 24 hours a day, and can be dispatched by the Surgeon General in the event of a public health emergency. In 1999, then Surgeon General, VADM David Satcher established the Surgeon General's Honor Corps, an elite organization of officers who have demonstrated exceptional commitment and dedication to, and pride in, the Commissioned Corps.
The Surgeon General also has many informal duties, such as educating the American public about health issues, and advocating healthy lifestyle choices.
The office also periodically issues health warnings. Perhaps the best known example of this is the "Surgeon General's Warning" labels that can be found on all packages of American cigarettes.
Past American Surgeons General have often been characterized by their outspoken personalities and often controversial proposals on how to reform the US health system. Because the office is not a particularly powerful one, and has little direct impact on policy-making, Surgeons General are often vocal advocates of unconventional, unusual, or even unpopular health policies. General C. Everett Koop and Joycelyn Elders were two former Surgeons General who were well-known for their controversial ideas, especially on sex education.
The Office of the Surgeon General was an independent government agency until 1953 at which point it was integrated into the United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare, and later into the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
The U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force also have officers overseeing medical matters in their respective services who hold the title Surgeon General.
| Name | Term of Office | Appointed by |
|---|---|---|
| John Maynard Woodworth | March 29March 29 is the 88th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (89th in Leap years). There are 277 days remaining. Events 1461 Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King Edward IV of England. 1638 Swedish colo, 1871Events January January 18 The member-states of the North German Confederation unite into a single nation-state known as the German Empire. The King of Prussia is declared the first German Emperor as Wilhelm I of Germany. January 28 France surrenders to en– March 14March 14 is the 73rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (74th in Leap years). There are 292 days remaining. Events 1489 The Queen of Cyprus, Catherine Cornaro, sells her kingdom to Venice. 1492 Queen Isabella of Castille ordered her 150 000 Jewish, 1879Events January January 11 Anglo-Zulu War begins January 22 Zulu troops massacre British troops at the Battle of Isandlwana. At Rorke's Drift, outnumbered British soldiers drive the attackers away after hours of fighting. February February 12 At New York C | Ulysses S. GrantUlysses S. Grant Order 18th President Term of Office March 4, 1869 March 4, 1877 Followed Andrew Johnson Succeeded by Rutherford B. Hayes Date of Birth April 27, 1822 Place of Birth Point Pleasant, Ohio Date of Death July 23, 1885 Place of Death Mount McG |
| John B. HamiltonHamilton (1847-1898) was the U. Surgeon General from 1879 to 1891. Hamilton was born on December 1, 1847 at Otter Creek, Jersey County, Illinois. He was educated at the Hamilton School, operated by his family, and apprenticed at age 16 to physician Joseph | April 3April 3 is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 272 days remaining. Events 1559 The Treaty of the Peace of Cateau-Cambresis is signed. 1860 The first successful Pony Express run from Saint Joseph, Missouri to Sacra, 1879Events January January 11 Anglo-Zulu War begins January 22 Zulu troops massacre British troops at the Battle of Isandlwana. At Rorke's Drift, outnumbered British soldiers drive the attackers away after hours of fighting. February February 12 At New York C– June 1June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. Events 193 Roman Emperor Marcus Didius is assassinated in his palace. 1485 Matthias of Hungary took Vienna in his conquest of Austria (from Frede, 1891 | Rutherford B. Hayes |
| Walter Wyman | June 1, 1891– November 21, 1911 | Benjamin Harrison |
| Rupert Blue | January 13, 1912– March 3, 1920 | William Taft |
| Hugh S. Cumming | March 3, 1920– January 31, 1936 | Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge |
| Thomas Parran | April 6, 1936– April 6, 1948 | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
| Leonard A. Scheele | April 6, 1948– August 8, 1956 | Harry S. Truman |
| LeRoy Edgar Burney | August 1, 1956– January 29, 1961 | Dwight Eisenhower |
| Luther Leonidas Terry | March 2, 1961– October 1 1965 | John F. Kennedy |
| William H. Stewart | October 1, 1965– August 1, 1969 | Lyndon Johnson |
| Jesse Leonard Steinfeld | December 18, 1969– June 30, 1973 | Richard Nixon |
| Paul Ehrlich, Jr (acting) | July 1, 1973– July 13, 1977 | Richard Nixon |
| Julius B. Richmond | July 13, 1977– May 14, 1981 | Jimmy Carter |
| Edward Brandt, Jr. (acting) | May 14, 1981– January 21, 1982 | Jimmy Carter |
| C. Everett Koop | January 21, 1982– October 1, 1989 | Ronald Reagan |
| James O. Mason (acting) | October 1, 1989– March 9, 1990 | George H. W. Bush |
| Antonia Coello Novello | March 9, 1990– June 30, 1993 | George H. W. Bush |
| Robert A. Whitney (acting) | July 1, 1993– September 8, 1993 | Bill Clinton |
| Joycelyn Elders | September 8, 1993– December 31, 1994 | Bill Clinton |
| Audrey F. Manley (acting) | January 1, 1995– July 1, 1997 | Bill Clinton |
| David Satcher | February 13, 1998– August 5, 2002 | Bill Clinton |
| Richard Carmona | August 5, 2002– | George W. Bush |