The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal to Lieutenant General Edgar R. Anderson, Jr., United States Air Force, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States. General Anderson distinguished himself as Surgeon General of the Air Force, Headquarters United States Air Force, Bolling Air Force Base, District of Columbia, from 26 September 1994 to 31 December 1996. In this prestigious assignment, General Anderson made a significant contribution to the national security and defense by establishing programs which ensure that the United States has a fighting force that is healthy and prepared both physically and mentally to fulfill their mission to provide Global Reach and Global Power. As leader of this international health care system, his far-reaching programs affect 87 fixed facilities, five billion dollars in assets, a 4.7 billion dollar annual budget and 50,000 people delivering the finest wartime and peacetime care to over 2.6 million beneficiaries of all services. Under his visionary leadership and direction, initiatives such as “Building Healthy Communities,” “Re-engineering Medical Readiness,” “Implementation of TRICARE,” “Right-sizing the Air Force Medical Service,” and “Revising the Objective Medical Group” were established and blossomed to put the delivery of health care on the right track for the 21st century. His efforts, each a monumental accomplishment in its own right, have become models for the Department of Defense. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of General Anderson culminate a long and distinguished career in the service of his country and reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

(Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: Lieutenant General Edgar R. Anderson, Jr., United States Air Force, was awarded the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States as Command Surgeon, Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska; and subsequently as Commander, Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, from 1986 to 1994. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of General Anderson and his dedicated contributions in the service of his country reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.