LTC Maria G. Duggan served as the Force Health Protection Chief for the 168th Multifunctional Medical Batallion and the Wood Health Clinic Senior Physician at Camp Walker, Republic of Korea. Currently she is the only Physician Assistant in Korea able to see children 2 years and up.
LTC Maria Duggan’s military career began when she enlisted in the United States Army in November 1993 at El Paso, Texas. She attended Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Sam Houston. She graduated as a Combat Medic. She achieved the rank of Sergeant First before she was commissioned in 2004 as a Second Lieutenant through the Interservice Physician Assistant Program. She earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Nebraska. LTC Duggan’s assignments included 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery (Germany); 61st Area Support Medical Company Fort Hood, Texas; 102nd Military Intelligence Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Essayons, Republic of Korea; Instructor at AMEDD Center and School, Fort Sam Houston, Texas; as a Second Lieutenant served as the Battalion Physician Assistant for 864th Engineer Combat Battalion, Fort Lewis, Washington; served as the Brigade Physician Assistant for HHB 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade at Fort Bliss, Texas; served as the Battalion Physician Assistant for HHB 2-43 Air Defense Artillery Battalion, Fort Bliss, Texas; served as the Brigade Surgeon for 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, Fort Bliss Texas; served as the Senior Physician Assistant for 121st Base Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade/4th Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas; served as the Phase II Clinical Coordinator for the Physician Assistant Program, and Internal Medicine Provider at William Beaumont Army Medical Center, Fort Bliss, Texas; served as the Director of Health Services and Command Surgeon for the U.S. Army FORCES Central Command at Doha, Qatar; served as the Soldier Family Medical Clinic Physician Assistant at William Army Medical Center, Fort Bliss, Texas; served as the first Physician Assistant for 5th Armored Brigade at Fort Bliss Texas; currently serving as the 168th Multifunctional Medical Battalion Force Health Protection Chief and Wood Clinic Senior Physician Assistant Korea.
LTC Duggan’s deployments included Southwest Asia Dhahran/Riyadh (6 month deployment); Operation IFOR/SFOR Croatia, Slovonski Broad, Tuzla Main, Bosnia (6 month deployment); OEF-Task Force Pacemaker Afghanistan (12 month deployment); OIF/OEF Kuwait/Qatar/Bahrain/Afghanistan (15 month deployment); OIF/OEF Qatar/Bahrain/Kuwait (12 month deployment); Kuwait/Qatar/Bahrain (14 month); and Operation Iraq Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom Qatar/Bahrain (12 month deployment).
LTC Duggan received the prestigious Audie Murphy Medallion in 1997, the Santa Barbara Medallion in 2010, the Saint George Noble Patron of Armor Medallion in 2020, and the Order of Military Medical Merit Medallion in 2022. In addition, LTC Duggan earned the Basic Non-Commissioned Office Course Class 2-99 Iron NCO Female Trophy, and the Primary Leadership Course Leadership Award.
LTC Duggan provides positive impacts for more than 7,400 US Service Members and their dependents by supervising more than 13,500 Clinical Services, over 188 children visits and conducted the Influenza Vaccination Rodeos at the installation immunizing over 1684 vaccines. She also served as the lead Observer Controller / Trainer for three major collective exercises. She enabled and promoted joint interoperability between ROK, US Army, US Navy, and USMC forces in the largest intra-theater evacuation exercise and undoubtedly created lasting impacts on the ROK/US relationship.
LTC Duggan also served as the medical support for the Eight Army fiscal year 23 Expert Field Medical Badge in support of 140 candidates.
Acknowledgments: This biography was written by LTC Duggan. It was submitted to the Society in September 2023. Photographs are courtesy of LTC Duggan.
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Disclaimer: The author’s views do not reflect the official policy of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.
