Rhonda Cornum

Rhonda L. Cornum (born October 31, 1954) is a retired United States Army officer and the Director of Health Strategy for TechWerks. She is a surgeon, board-certified in urology, having earned a doctorate in biochemistry and nutrition from Cornell University. Cornum worked at Letterman Army Institute of Research at the Presidio of San Francisco and entered the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, in 1982. She retired in 2012 as a brigadier general, the Director of Comprehensive Soldier Fitness in the Army Staff G-3/5/7 division.

She commanded the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, was president of her class at the National War College, and then became the command surgeon for United States Army Forces Command. As a brigadier general, she was United States Army Assistant Surgeon General for Force Protection before working in the joint soldier fitness program. Cornum retired on January 31, 2012.

Early life and education

After her training in biochemistry, Cornum attended the Uniformed Services University, the national military medical school. During her studies, she met her future husband, Kory Cornum, who would have a parallel military career in the United States Air Force and also attain the rank of brigadier general.

Military career At the United States Army Aviation Center, Cornum both researched and worked as a flight surgeon at the United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence. Her interests were focused on the human factors of flight.

Gulf War As a flight surgeon with the 229th Attack Helicopter Regiment, then-Major Cornum was aboard a Black Hawk helicopter on a search and rescue mission, looking for a downed F-16 pilot, during the Gulf War. When the helicopter was shot down on February 27, 1991, she suffered two broken arms, a broken finger, a gunshot wound in the back, and other injuries.

Cornum was captured, made a prisoner of war (POW), and sexually assaulted by one of her Iraqi captors. She was first taken to Basra and then held prisoner for a week in Baghdad and released on March 5, 1991. Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Purple Heart, Air Medal, and Prisoner of War Medal. She is one of only seven women in history to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross.