Colonel Miniotis retires after 30 years of service Published May 23, 2012 By Steve Pivnick 81st Medical Group Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- The 81st Medical Group honored Col. (Dr.) Nicholas Miniotis for completing 30 years of Air Force service during a formal retirement ceremony May 10 at the Keesler Marina indoor pavilion. Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Kory Cornum, 81st MDG commander, officiated. Miniotis has commanded the 81st Dental Squadron since August 2010. As commander, he was responsible for providing dental care to almost 47,000 active-duty military, family members and eligible beneficiaries in the Keesler area and surrounding communities. He was also responsible for a one-year advanced training program for general dentistry residents, a general practice residency, an advanced specialty training in endodontics and a a one-year Advanced Clinical Practice Program in dental implantology. The 81st DS is the second largest Air Force dental service squadron with 24 dental officers, 13 residents, 78 enlisted members and 16 civilians including four contract dentists. The colonel graduated with a bachelor of science degree in biology from Pennsylvania State University in 1976 and received his doctor of dental surgery degree from Temple University, Philadelphia, Penn., in 1982. Miniotis entered the Air Force in 1982, completing a dental residency at Chanute Air Force Base, Ill. He has previously served as a staff general dentist, assistant base dental surgeon, chief of professional services, training officer for the Advanced Education in General Dentistry two-year program, director of two AEGD one-year programs and deputy squadron commander. He currently serves as a board member for the American Board of General Dentistry and has been a site visitor for the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation. This was the colonel's second tour at Keesler. He previously served here from June 1999-August 2004. Prior to his final assignment, Miniotis commanded the 3rd DS at Joint Base Elmendorf, Alaska, where he also served on the 3rd MDG staff and commanded the Expeditionary Medical Support+10 field hospital. Commenting on his three decades of service, the colonel said, "For someone who had never traveled from the East Coast before entering the Air Force, I have now lived and traveled around the world. Throughout my career it has been an honor to be a member of the USAF Dental Service and be part of a team that provides care to the men and women of the armed forces." He and his wife Karen will relocate to the New Orleans area where the colonel will be an assistant professor at the Louisiana State University School of Dentistry. They have three children: Elizabeth, 32; John, 27; and Kirsten, 25 . They live in Chicago, Seattle and Pittsburgh, respectively.