Carmona, Richard H.

Carmona, Richard H., born in 1950, American physician, law enforcement officer, and United States surgeon general from 2002 to 2006. Trained as a trauma surgeon, Carmona was chosen by President George W. Bush to fill the surgeon general post in 2002 largely because of his extensive experience in military and police operations, emergency preparedness, and search and rescue operations. In nominating him, President Bush noted that these qualities made Carmona ideally suited to act as the government’s chief spokesperson on public-health issues in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks on the United States by terrorists in 2001.

Born in the Harlem section of New York City, Carmona dropped out of high school at age 17. He enlisted in the Army in 1967, becoming a medic and weapons specialist with the Special Forces while serving in Vietnam. He was awarded two Purple Hearts during his tour of duty.

Carmona left the Army in 1970. He earned an associate of arts degree at the Bronx Community College of the City University of New York in 1973. He subsequently enrolled at the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF), and in 1977 he became the first person in his family to graduate from college. He attended medical school at UCSF, graduating as valedictorian of his class in 1979. He continued at UCSF and completed a surgical residency there and additional specialty training in trauma medicine.

In 1985 Carmona moved to Tucson, Arizona, where he joined the faculty of the University of Arizona School of Medicine as clinical professor in public health, surgery, and family and community medicine. As a professor, Carmona trained future doctors in clinical surgery and public-health issues. That same year he established the city’s first trauma-care program at the Tucson Medical Center. In 1986 Carmona joined the Pima County Sheriff’s Department SWAT team, serving as a deputy sheriff.

From 1994 to 1999 Carmona served as chief executive officer of the Pima County Health Care System and medical director of Kino Community Hospital. He was instrumental in creating Arizona’s first Disaster Medical Assistance Team, a group of health professionals trained to respond to bioterrorism events and other statewide medical emergencies. In 1998 Carmona earned a master’s degree in Health Policy and Administration from the Arizona College of Public Health.

Carmona was sworn in as surgeon general on August 6, 2002. As surgeon general, Carmona worked extensively with communities to help them prepare for large-scale emergencies, such as chemical and biological warfare. He also aimed to educate Americans about ways to prevent illness, help minority populations gain better access to health care, and promote cultural sensitivity in health education.

In 2007, after his four-year term as surgeon general had ended, Carmona testified before a Congressional panel that the Bush administration had put politics before science. He claimed the administration had censored his speeches and ordered him not to speak or write on certain topics, including stem-cell research, emergency contraception, sex education other than the administration’s abstinence-only policy, and prison health issues.