Major General Carla G. Hawley-Bowland is the first female Medical Corps General in the history of the United States Army. In addition to this assignment, MG Hawley-Bowland assumed the responsibilities as chief of the U.S. Army Medical Corps in August 2006. She took command of the U.S. Army's North Atlantic Regional Medical Command (NARMC) and Walter Reed Army Medical Center in December 2007. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., NARMC is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Medical Command, headquartered at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. NARMC is responsible for the operation of medical treatment facilities in the northeastern U.S. Prior to this assignment, MG Hawley-Bowland commanded the Pacific Regional Medical Command and Tripler Army Medical Center, headquartered in Honolulu.

Born in Casper, Wyo., MG Hawley-Bowland received her bachelor of science degree from Colorado State University. She received her doctor of medicine in 1978 from Creighton University School of Medicine under the U.S. Air Force Health Professions Scholarship Program. After completing a general surgery internship at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, she transferred to the Army, serving as a general medical officer at Fort Meade, Md. She then completed residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at Walter Reed and was assigned as a staff obstetrician/gynecologist at Darnall Army Community Hospital at Fort Hood, Texas.

Other assignments include: staff obstetrician/gynecologist; chief of obstetrics/gynecology for Ambulatory Care Services; chief of the gynecological service; assistant chief of the department of obstetrics/gynecology; program director for the obstetrics/gynecology residency; and chief of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso, Texas. In 1996, she became deputy commander for clinical services at Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg, N.C. In 1998, she took command of General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. Two years later, in July 2000, she assumed command of William Beaumont Army Medical Center. In July 2002, she transferred to San Antonio, becoming chief consultant; chief of the clinical services division, and deputy chief of Health Policy and Services at U.S. Army Medical Command. In July 2004, she took command of the Europe Regional Medical Command and also served as the command surgeon for U.S. Army Europe & 7th Army in Heidelberg, Germany.

Certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, she is a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and has served as the Army Section Vice-Chair, the Army Section Chair, and currently chairs the Armed Forces District of ACOG. She is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a member of the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics, the American Medical Association, and the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States. A graduate of the U.S. Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Officers Basic and Advance Courses, she completed Phase I of the Combined Arms and Services Staff College and was a Commandant's List graduate of Command and General Staff College. She graduated from the Army War College in 2001 and received a master's degree in strategic studies. She served as consultant to The Surgeon General for Women's Health Issues from 1990 to 1996 and was the OB/GYN consultant to The Surgeon General from 1996 to 1999. She was the Department of Defense representative on the Women's Health Initiative Advisory Board, and has served on the Joint Programmatic Review Panel for the Defense Women's Health Research Program.

MG Hawley-Bowland's awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit (3OLC), Meritorious Service Medal (5OLC), Army Commendation Medal (1OLC), Army Achievement Medal (2OLC), Humanitarian Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with bronze device, The Surgeon General's Physician Recognition Award, and The Surgeon General's Award for Military Academic Excellence (the Lewis Aspey Mologne Award). Her civilian awards include the Outstanding Teaching Faculty Award from the Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the Edward A. Zimmerman Award for contributions to the Armed Forces District and the Army in Obstetrics and Gynecology.