Colonel Mark L. Higdon

COL Mark L. Higdon is the Commander, U.S. Army Medical Department Activity, Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
COL Mark L. Higdon began his military career following graduation from Berry College in Rome, Georgia in June 1989. He was awarded a Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) scholarship during college and graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate. Afterward, he joined the regular Army as a Second Lieutenant in Aviation branch completing the Officer Basic Course (Commandant’s List) and flight school at Fort Rucker, Alabama in 1990. He was then assigned to the 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas and deployed as an Aviation platoon leader during Operation Desert Storm/Shield. Following deployment, he was awarded a Health Professions Scholarship (HPSP) and attended medical school at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine where he graduated with highest honors. He completed his Family Medicine Residency training at Martin Army Community Hospital, Fort Benning Georgia from 1996-1999 and a teaching fellowship in 2002 at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He most recently deployed during Operation Iraq Freedom 5-7 with the 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas as a Brigade Surgeon.

His previous duty assignments include: Deputy Commander for Clinical Services (DCCS) at Martin Army Community Hospital, Program Director of the Family Medicine Residency on Fort Benning, Georgia; Family Medicine Clinic OIC, Residency Team Leader, Staff Family Physician (Winder Clinic) and Chief Resident (all at Martin Army); Staff Family Physician, Hohenfels, Germany; Brigade Surgeon, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; Assistant S-3, Scout Platoon Leader and General Support Platoon Leader for the 1st Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas.

COL Higdon’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (1 OLC), The Air Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (2 OLC), Army Achievement Medal (2 OLC), National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star, Southwest Asia Service Medal with 3 Bronze Campaign Stars, Saudi Arabia/Liberation of Kuwait Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with 2 Bronze Campaign Stars, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Meritorious Unit Award, Army Superior Unit Award, the Expert Field Medical Badge, Army Aviator Badge, Air Assault Badge, Airborne Badge. He was the 2006 recipient of The Surgeon General’s Physician Recognition Award and is a member of the Order of Military Medical Merit.

COL Higdon is a board-certified Family Physician and a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. He has published or presented numerous medical and military articles. He is an assistant professor of Family Medicine at the Uniformed Services Health Sciences University in Bethesda, Maryland, Mercer Medical School in Macon, Georgia, and the Georgia campus for the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.