Colonel Saunya N. Bright is the Commander of the 366th Medical Group located in Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho (home of the “Gunfighters”). As Chief Executive Officer for a multi-specialty outpatient clinic, Col Bright leads a staff of 265 personnel organized in two squadrons serving a patient population of 21,000. Additionally, she executes a $151 million dollar enterprise of operational budgets, facilities, wat reserve materiel, and contracts.
Colonel Bright received a direct commission as a second lieutenant and entered the United States Air Force in March 2001. She has been assigned to clinic, ambulatory surgery, hospital, and medical center locations in a variety of staff, graduate medical education, and leadership positions. Previous to this assignment, she served as the Chief, Air Force Medical Command Action Team, Defense Health Headquarters, Falls Church, Virginia, where she led the team responsible for historic establishment of the first Air Force Medical Command, the largest direct reporting unit to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, with command and control authority to organize, train, and equip for the future fight. Colonel Bright served as the Associate Director, Biomedical Sciences Corps. In this capacity, she assisted the oversight and management of 13 healthcare specialties consisting of 9,500 officers, enlisted and civilians delivering care in Air Force military treatment facilities worldwide.
Colonel Bright also served as an instructor evaluator as Director of Operations, Commissioned Officer Training, at the Air Force Officer Training School, Maxwell Air Force Base (AFB), Alabama, as well as Chief, Commander’s Action Group and Director of Staff for the 99th Air Base Wing installation commander where she was also the Director of the Crisis Action Team for two years at Nellis AFB, Nevada.
The Colonel is a registered dietitian who is dual board certified as a Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD) and a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE). She deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, commanders a healthcare operatives squadron served as Deputy Commander and Biomedical Sciences Corps (BSC) Executive of a medical group and has been assigned to four headquarters staff positions.
EDUCATION
1999 Bachelor of Science, Food and Nutritional Sciences/General Dietetics, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Ala.
2004 Master of Public Administration, Health Care Emphasis, Troy University - Atlantic Region, Troy, Ala
2006 Master of Science, Food Systems Management, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, Texas
2006 Master of Business Administration, Institutional Administration, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, Texas
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. In residence equivalence
2020 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. By correspondence
2021 Intermediate Executive Skills Course, San Antonio, Texas
2023 Joint Medical Senior Leadership Course, Falls Church, Va.
2023 Combined Senior Leadership Course, Falls Church, Va.
2024 Joint Medical Executive Skills Institute Capstone Course for Military Health System Leaders, Falls Church, Va.
2025 Doctoral Student, Organizational Leadership, Regent University, Virginia Beach, Va
ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 2001 – August 2004, Clinical Dietetics Chief, 1st Medical Support Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
2. August 2004 – August 2006, Air Force Institute of Technology Student, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, Texas
3. August 2006 – February 2009, Food Production Flight Commander, Dietetic Internship Director, Lackland AFB, Texas (October 2007 - January 2008, Nutritional Medicine Flight Commander, 332d Expeditionary Medical Squadron, Balad Air Base, Iraq)
4. February 2009 – September 2012, 23d Training Squadron Director of Operations, Officer Training School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
5. September 2012 – July 2015, Nutritional Medicine Flight Commander, 48th Medical Support Squadron, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom
6. July 2015 – August 2016, Nutritional Medicine Flight Commander, 99th Medical Support Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
7. August 2016 – August 2017, Commander’s Action Group Chief, 99th Air Base Wing, Nellis AFB, Nev.
8. August 2017 – August 2018, 99th Air Base Wing Director of Staff, Nellis AFB, Nev.
9. August 2018 – May 2020, Health Promotion, Air Force Medical Readiness Agency Deputy Chief, Falls Church, Va.
10. June 2020 – June 2022, 412th Healthcare Operations Squadron Commander, Edwards AFB, Ca.
11. June 2022 – August 2023, Force Development and Training Branch Chief, Air Force Medical Agency, Falls Church, Va.
12. August 2023 – August 2024, Air Force Medical Agency Bravo Division Chief, Falls Church, Va.
13. August 2024 – August 2025, Air Force Medical Command Action Team Chief, Falls Church, Va.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2004 Air Combat Command, Company Grade Officer Dietitian of the Year
2006 Distinguished Graduate, Texas Woman’s University Outstanding Graduate Student of the Year
2007 United States Military Dietetic Internship Outstanding Educator of the Year
2008 Air Education and Training Command, Company Grade Dietitian of the Year
2009 Air Force Officer Training School Educator of the Year
2011 Air Force Officer Training School Field Grade Officer of the Year
2014 48th Medical Group, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom, Field Grade Officer of the Year
2016 Air Force Dietetic Association Field Grade Officer of the Year
2019 Air Force Medical Support Agency Innovative Team of the Year Award
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Board Certified Performance Dietitian, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Commission of Dietetic Registration
Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives
Tuskegee University Food & Nutrition Sciences Advisory Board Member
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Life Member, Military Officer Association of America
(Current as of Aug 2025)