Col Courtney D. Finkbeiner is the Commander, 6th Medical Group, MacDill Air Force Base (AFB), Florida. As the Commander, she is responsible for providing world-class healthcare, surgical, dental and specialty services to a rapid global air refueling wing, two Joint combatant command headquarters, 31 mission partners and representatives from 47 international coalition nations with an operations and maintenance budget exceeding 56.5 million dollars annually.
Col Finkbeiner oversees the Department of Defense's largest single-unit catchment area supporting more than 241,000 Active Duty and Reserve military personnel, military retirees and their families providing more than 145,000 clinic visits, 19,000 dental visits and 816,000 ancillary visits annually. She accomplishes this with an assigned staff of 650 military, civilian and contract personnel operating primarily at MacDill’s Ambulatory Clinic and the Sabal Park Clinic some 18 miles from MacDill. Additionally, the 6th Medical Group provides diagnostic imaging support to Air Force Bases in nine states respectively while providing surgical services at five civilian hospitals throughout the Greater Tampa Bay area. Furthermore, she oversees a 350,000 dollar Air Force Tier 1 Medical Simulation Center to meet training requirements of six medical units across the base, an Air Force’s Nurse Transition Training Program in partnership with Tampa’s only Level-1 Medical Trauma Center and the Air Force’s Saint Petersburg College Dental Hygiene Training Program.
Col Finkbeiner entered the Air Force in March 1991 as a Traffic Management Serviceman. After completing her degree at the University of Central Arkansas, she received her direct commission in the United States Air Force Nurse Corps as a Registered Nurse in 1997. She then went on to serve numerous positions in the fields of nursing and executive leadership.
As a Defense Institute for Medical Operations (DIMO) Instructor, she has led multi- national cadres in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ethiopia, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, Ghana and the Philippines teaching First Response for Disasters and Trauma Nursing. Prior to her current position, Col Finkbeiner returned from a 365 deployment as the Commander of the 386th Expeditionary Medical Group (EMDG) at Ali Al Salem Air Base and Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait. As the Commander, she led multiple Air Force and coalition medical teams delivering healthcare to over 4,000 joint and allied warfighters in support of Operations INHERENT RESOLVE and FREEDOM'S SENTINEL.
EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Science in Nursing, University of Central Arkansas, Conway 2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base (AFB), Ala.
2007 Master of Science in Nursing, East Carolina University, Greenville, N.C.
2011 Master of Military Operational Art & Science, Air Command & Staff College in-residence, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 2012 Air War College, by correspondence, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2014 Nuclear Weapons Certification, Basic Course, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2015 Nuclear Surety Inspectors Course, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2018 Master of Strategic Studies, Air War College in-residence, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
PUBLICATIONS
“Revitalizing the Squadron: Returning Fairness & Search for Truth in Addressing Sexual Assault in the Military”
Published by Air University, won AWC Senior Leader Innovation Award, Feb 22, 2018
“Commanders & Cyber Chat: Should More Guidance be Provided for Social Networking Sites?” Published by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Research & Technology, Apr 16, 2012
ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 1991–April 1997, Traffic Management Serviceman, 188th Fighter Wing, Fort Smith, Ark.
2. April 1997–December 2000, Nurse Manager Same-Day Surgery Unit; Chair, Breast Cancer Initiative, 2nd Medical Operations Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base (AFB), La.
3. December 2000–October 2002, Clinical Nurse, Family Practice Clinic; President, 36th Wing Company Grade Officers Council, 36th Medical Operations Squadron, Anderson AFB, Guam
4. October 2002–July 2005, Clinical Nurse, Family Practice Clinic; Chair, Nurse Practice Council, 10th Medical Operations Squadron, Peterson AFB, Colo.
5. July 2005–May 2008, Air Force Institute of Technology Scholarship, East Carolina University, Greenville, N.C.
6. May 2008–August 2010, Aerospace Medicine Flight Commander; Health Care Integrator; Deputy Chief Nurse, 66th Medical Group, Hanscom AFB, Maine.
7. August 2010–October 2011, Student Flight Commander, Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
8. October 2011–May 2012, Deputy Director, Defense Institute for Medical Operations, United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
9. May 2012–September 2013, Nurse Administrator, United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, Wright- Patterson AFB, Ohio.
10. September 2013–June 2015, Chief Nurse Executive, 377th Medical Group, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
11. June 2015–June 2017, Commander, 341st Medical Operations Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
12. June 2017–June 2018, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
13. June 2018–June 2019, Deputy Commander, 99th Medical Group, Nellis AFB, Nev.
14. June 2020-Present, Commander, 6th Medical Group, MacDill AFB, Tampa, Fla.
DEPLOYMENTS
March 2009-August 2009, Case Manager, Op CONTINUING PROMISE, U.S.N.S. COMFORT, Atlantic Ocean.
October 2012-May 2013, Medical Operations Flight Commander, Op NEW DAWN, 386th Expeditionary Medical Group, Ali Al Salem Air Base (AB), Kuwait.
June 2019-June 2020, Commander, 386th Expeditionary Medical Group, Ali Al Salem AB & Al Jaber AB, Kuwait.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters, “V” device
Air Force Good Conduct Medal with oak leaf cluster
Humanitarian Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border and two oak leaf clusters
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2011 Dean’s Research Award on Leadership, Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Outstanding Performer, Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Excellent Graduate, Air War College, by correspondence
2014 USAF Outstanding Excellence in Nursing Leadership Award, Air Force Medical Service
2018 Senior Leadership Innovation Award, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Staff Sergeant March 30, 1995
Second Lieutenant May 14, 1997
First Lieutenant May 14, 1998
Captain May 14, 2000
Major August 1, 2008
Lieutenant Colonel October 1, 2013
Colonel September 1, 2018
(Current as of August 2020)