Biography

Maj Patrick Thomas is the Branch Chief of Medical Security Cooperation at Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Florida. He leads Medical Security Cooperation planning, policy, and international engagement activities for Air Force Special Operations Command, coordinating global health engagement initiatives and partner nation capacity-building efforts in support of combatant command objectives and Department of the Air Force priorities.

Maj Thomas enlisted in the Air Force in December 2005 as a Pararescue Apprentice and completed the Pararescue training pipeline in 2008 as the top graduate of his class. He served with the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, deploying three times and participating in a humanitarian assistance mission before being selected to attend the Interservice Physician Assistant Program and commissioning in 2015. Following graduation, he served as a Family Medicine physician assistant with the 99th Medical Group at Nellis Air Force Base, where he maintained a clinical empanelment of more than 1,400 patients while serving as a clinical preceptor for physician assistant students and newly assigned providers.

During his assignment at Nellis, Maj Thomas was competitively selected to serve as a Surgical Resuscitation Team Leader supporting U.S. Special Operations Command, completing four combat deployments in austere operational environments. He later served as Medical Operations Flight Commander for the 17th Special Tactics Squadron, where he earned the designation as an Aeromedical Physician Assistant, leading medical readiness, force health protection, and operational medical support for one of the Air Force’s premier special operations units before assuming his current assignment at Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command.

EDUCATION
2006 Basic Military Training, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
2008 Pararescue Apprentice Course, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico
2009 Associate of Science with Honors, Emergency Medical Services, Eastern New Mexico University–Roswell
2010 Airman Leadership School, Hurlburt Field, Florida
2011 Associate of Applied Science, Personnel Recovery, Community College of the Air Force
2014 Bachelor of Science, University of Nebraska Medical Center
2015 Master of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Nebraska Medical Center
2016 Commissioned Officer Training, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2019 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2025 Air Command and Staff College, Distance Learning
2026 Doctor of Medical Science, Global Health and Emergency Management, University of Lynchburg, Virginia

ASSIGNMENTS
1. December 2005–December 2006, Student, Pararescue Pipeline, Lackland Air Force Base (AFB), TX
2. December 2006–July 2008, Student, Pararescue Pipeline, Kirtland AFB, TX
3. July 2008–March 2010, Special Tactics Pararescueman Team Member, 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
4. March 2010-April 2013, Special Tactics Pararescueman Element Leader, 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
5. April 2013-July 2014, Physician Assistant Student, Fort Sam Houston, TX
6. July 2014-Octobr 2015, Physician Assistant Student, Travis AFB, CA
7. October 2015-March 2021, Physician Assistant, 99th Medical Operations Squadron, Nellis AFB, NV
8. March 2021-June 2025, Medical Operations Flight Commander, 17th Special Tactics Squadron, Fort Benning, GA
9. June 2025-Present, Branch Chief, Medical Security Cooperation, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, FL

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Airman’s Medal
Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal with “C” device and two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal with two “C” devices and two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air and Space Recognition Ribbon

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2006 “1st Airman Award” Top Graduate Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, TX
2007 Honor Graduate, EMT-B and EMT-P, Kirtland AFB, NM
2008 Charles D. King Academics Award, Jason Cunningham Top Medicine Award, Duane Hackney Commandants Award for Excellence, Pararescue Apprentice Course, Kirtland AFB, NM
2010 Airman of the Quarter, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, FL
2010 Levitow Award, Airman Leadership School, Hurlburt Field, FL
2011 Air Force Sergeants Association Pitsenbarger Award for Heroism, Hurlburt Field, FL
2014 Honor Graduate, Interservice Physician Assistant Program Phase 1, Fort Sam Houston, TX
2015 Honor Graduate, Interservice Physician Assistant Program Phase 2, Travis AFB, CA
2016 Distinguished Graduate, Officer Training School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2016 USAA Leadership Award, Officer Training School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2019 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2021 Air Force Medical Services Biomedical Sciences Company Grade Officer of the Year, 17th Special Tactics Squadron, Fort Benning, GA
2022 Air Force Medical Services Biomedical Sciences Field Grade Officer of the Year, 724th Special Tactics Group, Pope AFB, NC
2024 FGO of the Year, 17th Special Tactics Squadron, Fort Benning, GA
2025 HQ AFSOC Special Staff FGO OTY, Air Force Special Operations Command, FL

OCCUPATIONAL BADGES
2006 Basic Parachutist
2006 Air Force Combat Diver
2007 Military Freefall
2008 Basic Enlisted Aircrew
2011 Senior Parachutist
2015 Basic Biomedical Scientist
2019 Combat Medic Badge
2022 Senior Biomedical Scientist

PUBLICATIONS
“Successful Placement of REBOA in a Rotary Wing Platform Within a Combat Theater: Novel Indication for Partial Aortic Occlusion,” Journal of Special Operations Medicine, Spring 2020

“Calcium in Trauma Resuscitation,” University of Lynchburg DMScDPAR, University of Lynchburg, Va., 2026

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
First Lieutenant October 9, 2015
Captain October 9, 2017
Major March 1, 2022

(Current as of July 2026)