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Col. Dr. John Powers is the director of medical education for the Office of the United States Army Surgeon General.

Col. Dr. Powers was commissioned as a Captain after earning his doctor of medicine degree in 1977 from New York Medical College in Valhalla, New York. He is a graduate of the Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Officer Advanced Course, and the Command and General Staff College.

Col. Dr. Powers performed his internship and residency in family practice at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington.  He has served as a staff family physician at Reynolds Army Community Hospital at Fort Sill, Oklahoma;  residency faculty physician, acting department chief, assistant chief and residency director at Eisenhower Army Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia; faculty development fellow and residency faculty physician at Madigan; residency faculty physician, assistant chief and residency director at Womack Army Community Hospital at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; and chief of the department of family practice and community medicine at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. He also served as the senior medical/primary care staff officer for the DA Staff, as well as the family practice consultant to the United States Army Surgeon General.

Prior to assuming his current position as director of medical education, Col. Dr. Powers was assigned as the program director for quality and graduate medical education in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) for the Clinical and Program Policy Division.  In addition to that position, he has also served as acting principal director and deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Clinical and Program Policy Division.

He earned a bachelor of arts degree in mathematics from Hamilton College in Clinton, New York.  He also earned a master of science degree in social sciences from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington.  He is board-certified in family practice and geriatrics.

His decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (2 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Meritorious Service Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, and the Humanitarian Service Medal.