Pedro N. Rivera
Pedro N. Rivera | |
---|---|
Awards | Legion of Merit Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters |
Pedro Nestor Rivera Lugo (September 1946 – 23 May 2023) was a United States Air Force officer who in 1994 became the first Hispanic to be named medical commander in the Air Force. He was responsible for the provision of health care to more than 50,000 patients.[1]
Early years
Rivera was born in
Military career
In August 1974, Rivera joined the United States Air Force at the rank of
In September 1977, he was named chief of pediatric services of Malcolm Grow Medical Center and in March 1980, was named chairman of the Department of Pediatrics. On June 15 of that same year, he was promoted to
In May 1986, Rivera was reassigned to Headquarters Tactical Air Command at
From September 1991 to June 1993, Rivera served as command surgeon at Headquarters Pacific Air Forces in Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii; then from June 1993 to August 1994, as commander of the Malcolm Grow Medical Center at Andrews Air Force Base.
On August 1, 1994, Rivera was promoted to the rank of
Rivera was the director of five graduate medical education programs and extensive clinical research program by one of three Air Force clinical research laboratories. He led more than 2,000 health care professionals and managed a local budget of $179 million and a regional managed care contract of $3.8 billion. Rivera retired from the Air Force on October 1, 1997.[2]
Later years
Rivera was a licensed physician in the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. After his retirement from the USAF he became the President for Government Services of PKC Corporation, a medical software corporation in Arlington Virginia. His final position prior to retirement was as medical director for Health Net Corporation where he was responsible for healthcare for military personnel and their immediate family members in a 23 states region in the Northeast of the United States. He was retired in Gloucester, Virginia.
Military decorations and awards
Among Brigadier General Rivera's military decorations are the following:
Legion of Merit | |
oak leaf clusters
| |
Distinguished Flying Cross | |
Combat Readiness Medal | |
National Defense Service Medal with one service star | |
Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon | |
Air Force Longevity Service Award
| |
Air Force Training Ribbon
|
Badges:
See also
- List of Puerto Ricans
- List of Puerto Rican military personnel
- University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez people
References
- ^ Ildelfonso Lopez, Tras las Huellas de Nuestro Paso, Pg. 40, Publisher: AEELA, 1998, Retrieved June 25, 2007.
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20040208050154/http://www.af.mil/bios/bio.asp?bioID=6919 Air Force Link