Colonel Peter N. Kulis is the Service Commander and MTF Director, 81st Medical Group, Keesler Medical Center, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. Additionally, he is the DHA Coastal Mississippi Market Director and co-lead for the Biloxi DoD/VA joint venture center of excellence initiatives. As commander, he is responsible for the direct delivery care at Keesler Medical Center and its clinics while coordinating the health care for all Joint Service warfighters, military retirees and their family members along the gulf coast. He ensures all Keesler Medics are ready for combat missions and humanitarian medical responses. Col Kulis directs five graduate medical education programs, eight enlisted training programs, and a clinical research laboratory. He leads almost 1,700 healthcare professionals and manages a local budget of more than 100 million dollars. He also is the federal coordinator for the Gulf Coast National Disaster Medical System.
Colonel Kulis entered the Air Force in 1998 with a direct commission after serving as a Critical Care nurse in a Surgical-Trauma Intensive Care Unit at a Level 2 Trauma Center in Daytona Beach, Florida. He has held a variety of positions to include Group Command, Squadron Command, and Director of Nursing Services and Operations. Prior to assuming his position, Col Kulis was Commander of the 332D Expeditionary Medical Group, where he was responsible for the combined efforts of 45 joint medics supporting two medical units across three countries that provided health service support to 2,300 total force Airmen who conducted a wide array of combat Air Force capabilities including precision air strike, aerial refueling, ISR, space and combat search and rescue in direct support of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE.
Colonel Kulis has previous experience as a Flight Nurse and Critical Air Transport Nurse where he has over 200 hours in the C-17, C-9, C-130, C-141, and KC-135.
EDUCATION
1994 Bachelor of Science in Biology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
1997 Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL (non-residence)
2009 Nursing Service Management, Sheppard Air Force Base, TX
2010 Masters of Military Operational Art and Science, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL
2010 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL (non-residence)
2014 Masters of Science in Nursing, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
2016 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL (non-residence)
2016 Headquarters Air Force Senior Executive Fellow, DHHQ, Falls Church, VA
2021 Masters of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1998–July 2002, Charge Nurse, Surgical Intensive Care Unit, 89th Medical Group, Andrews AFB, MD
2. July 2002–July 2004, Flight Nurse, Clinical Mission Planner, 374th AES, Yokota Air Base, Japan
3. July 2004–February 2005, Clinical Nurse, Emergency Department, 59th Medical Wing, Lackland AFB, TX
4. February 2005–September 2008, Nurse Manager, Emergency Department, 59th Medical Wg, Lackland AFB, TX
5. September 2008–August 2012, Flight Commander, Emergency Department, 633rd Medical Group, AFB, VA
6. August 2012–September 2014, AFIT Student, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
7. September 2014–December 2015, Clinical Nurse Specialist Emergency SVS, 60th Medical Group,Travis AFB, CA
8. December 2015–July 2016, Director of Nursing Services and Operations, 60th Medical Group, Travis AFB, CA
9. July 2016-June 2017, Fellow, Senior Nurse Executive, HQ USAF, Falls Church, VA
10. June 2017-June 2019, Commander, 383d Training Squadron, JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, TX
11. June 2019-July 2020, Commander, 96th Inpatient Operations Squadron, Eglin AFB,FL
12. July 2020-June 2021, Student Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL
13. June 2021-June 2022, Commander, 332D Expeditionary Medical Group, Southwest Asia
14. July 2022-Present, Chief, Clinical Operations Division, Air Combat Command (ACC)/Command Nurse, ACC. Office of the Command Surgeon, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA
15. June 2023 – Present, Coastal MS Market Director, Service Commander/DHA MTF Director, 81st Medical Group, Keesler AFB, MS
DEPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE
Operation Iraqi Freedom, May 2005 - September 2005, Balad Air Base, Iraq
Operation Iraqi Freedom, January 2007 - May 2007, Balad Air Base, Iraq
Operation Inherent Resolve, June 2021 - June 2022, Southwest Asia
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
AF Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters
AF Recognition Ribbon
National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Ribbon
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
Board Certified, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, ANCC Board
Certified, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist, AACN
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2003 Chief of Staff of the Air Force Award
2011 Air Combat Command Field Grade Officer Clinical Excellence Nurse of the Year
2012 Health Innovation Program Winner, Military Health System Research Presentation
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant 23 December 1997
First Lieutenant 23 December 1999
Captain 23 December 2001
Major 1 September 2009
Lieutenant Colonel 1 October 2014
Colonel 1 May 2019
Updated June 2023