COLONEL TARA E. LOVELL
Colonel Tara E. Lovell is the Commander of the 1st Special Operations Medical Group, Hurlburt Field, Florida. She leads a team of over 400 personnel providing medical care and operational support to over 15,000 beneficiaries.
Colonel Lovell was born in Charleston, South Carolina. She enlisted in the United States Air Force as an Aerospace Medical Service Technician in 1997. Colonel Lovell received a direct commission into the Medical Service Corps and graduated from Commissioned Officer Training School in 2007. Throughout her career, she has held a variety of leadership positions serving at the squadron, group, headquarters, as well as a deployment in direct support Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. She received her board certification in Health Services Administration by the American College of Healthcare Executives. Colonel Lovell is married to Christopher J. Shaw and they have four children: Andrew, Payton, Ava and Owen.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor of Business Administration, Saint Leo University 2005 Master of Business Administration, Wayland Baptist University 2007 Health Services Administration Course, Sheppard AFB, Texas 2012 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2021 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2007 – May 2009, TRICARE Operations & Patient Administration Flight Commander, 341st Medical Group, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
2. May 2009 – June 2010, Resource Management Flight Commander, 341st Medical Group, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
3. June 2010 – Sept 2011, Resource Management Flight Commander/Operations Officer, 374th Medical Group, Yokota AB, Japan.
4. Sept 2011 – July 2013, Group Practice Manager, 374th Medical Group, Yokota AB, Japan (March 2012 September 2012, Deployed – Administrator, Medical Embedded Training Team, Forward Operating Base Lightening, Afghanistan)
5. July 2013 – July 2014, Fellow, Air Force Planning and Programming, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
6. July 2014 – June 2015, Senior Medical Programmer, Medical Plans and Programs Division, Headquarters Air Force Medical Support Agency, Falls Church, Va.
7. June 2015 – June 2017, Chief, Program Integration Branch, Headquarters Air Force Medical Support Agency, Falls Church, Va.
8. July 2017 – June 2019, Commander, 45th Medical Support Squadron & Administrator, 45th Medical Group, Patrick AFB, Fla.
9. June 2019 – June 2020, Commander, 45th Healthcare Operations Squadron & Deputy Group Commander, 45th Medical Group, Patrick AFB, Fla.
10. June 2020 – May 2021, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
11. July 2021 – July 2023, Deputy Chief & Senior Programming Lead, Programming Division, Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, Va.
12. May 2021 – present, Commander, 1st Special Operations Medical Group, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters Army Commendation Medal
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
Fellow, American College of Healthcare Executives
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
First Lieutenant December 31, 2006
Captain December 31, 2008
Major December 1, 2013
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2016
Colonel December 1, 2022
(Current as of June 2023)