The December 8th lunch speaker will be ...

Colonel John N. Quirk, USAF

Colonel John N. Quirk is the Commander of the 81st Medical Support Squadron's Pharmacy Flight within the 81 st Medical Group, Keesler AFB, Biloxi, MS.   As the Commander Col Quirk coordinates the operations/administration of the second busiest pharmacy overall in the United States Air Force.   He monitors a $37.1 million operating budget used to fill 820,000 outpatient prescriptions and 840,000 inpatient procedures annually.   Col Quirk is the Lead Agent Pharmacy representative for TRICARE Region IV which encompasses 13 military treatment facilities representing the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard and Navy.   Col Quirk is the Air Force's program coordinator for the Federal Pharmacy Forum Educational program that provides 246 Air Force Pharmacists with CME opportunities at four locations throughout the United States.   Col Quirk is a charter member of the Air Force Pharmacy Advisory Board which provides oversight for the Air Force's 15 million dollar High Dollar Drug Program.

The Colonel received a direct commission in 1977.   He has held various medical support positions at base level.

He is married to the former Shirley A. Thurmond of Dyersburg, TN.   They have three children by previous marriages; a son, Adam P.L. James, a daughter, Jamie Lynn (Quirk) Bowman, and a son, SrA Jonathan Herbert Quirk.

EDUCATION:

1967 Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin

1981 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama

1985 Master of Science Degree in Management, Troy State University Europe, Athens, Greece

1985 Air Command and Staff College,Seminar/Correspondence, Hellenikon Air Base, Greece

1987 Air War College, Correspondence, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado

ASSIGNMENTS:

1.   November 1977 - July 1982, Chief, Pharmacy Services, 381st Strategic Hospital (SAC),

      McConnell Air Force Base, Wichita, Kansas

2.   August 1982 - August 1985, Chief, Pharmacy Services, USAF Hospital Hellenikon (USAFE),

      Hellenikon Air Base, Athens, Greece

3.   August 1985 - September 1989, Chief, Pharmacy Services, USAF Clinic Peterson

      (AFSPACECOM) Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado

4.   September 1989 - August 1990, Chief, Pharmacy Services, 325th Tactical Hospital (TAC),

      Tyndall Air force Base, Panama City, Florida

5.   August 1990 - March 1991, Chief, Pharmacy Services, 325th Tactical Hospital Deployed

      (USCENTCOM), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

6.   March 1991 - September 1994, Chief, Pharmacy Services, Tyndall Hospital (ACC/AETC),

      Tyndall Air force Base, Panama City, Florida

7.   September 1994 - September 1995, Commander, 325th Medical Support Squadron (AETC),

      Tyndall Air Force Base, Panama City, Florida

8.   October 1995 - February 1997, Deputy Commander, 377th Medical Support Squadron

      (AFMC), Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico

9.   February 1997 – May 1998, Commander, 377th Medical Support Squadron (AFMC), Kirtland

      Air Force Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico

10. May 1998 – June 2001, Pharmacy Flight Commander, Senior BSC Liaison Officer, and Pharmacy Consultant to the AFMC Command Surgeon (AFMC), Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio

11.   June 2001 – present, Commander, Pharmacy Flight, 81 st Medical Support Squadron, 81 st Medical Group (AETC), Keesler AFB, Biloxi, MS

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters

Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device and four oak leaf clusters

National Defense Service Medal with a bronze star

Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze stars

Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)

Kuwait Liberation Medal (Government of Kuwait)

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:

Captain                  4 Nov 1977

Major                     1 May 1985

Lieutenant Colonel2 Aug 1991

Colonel                    1 Feb 1997

(Current as of October 2004)