ACHE Update | 10:50–11:20 AM
Colonel Amanda Phlegar is the commander of the Air Force’s sole Special Warfare Human Performance Support Group, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. She oversees operational medicine and human performance squadrons that support the production of Special Warfare Airmen. The Group collaborates with four Major Commands and operates across six geographically separated locations. Supporting seven special warfare training pipelines, the Group prioritizes student safety through medical monitoring, proactive injury prevention, high-risk event coverage, point-of-injury treatment, and sports medicine consultation. The Group also champions integrative performance optimization via operational psychology interventions, spiritual care, strength and conditioning programs, physical and occupational therapy services, performance nutrition strategies, and lifecycle management technologies. The Group supports a tactical sports and orthopedic manual physical therapy fellowship at the United States Air Force Academy, a performance nutrition fellowship at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, and an in-house research team that analyzes student data to inform objective decision-making.
After commissioning through the Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarship program, Col Phlegar has held a variety of healthcare administration positions at Medical Groups as well as MAJCOM, Field Operating Agency, Defense Health Agency, and HAF organizations. She has performed staff officer, group administrator, squadron commander, and deployed medical planner roles. Col Phlegar is board certified as a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and was elected to serve on their governing body as the Air Force Regent, representing over 655 members of the professional society.