Recorded talks from the Uniformed Services University include a former Army chief of staff and five USU graduates free on YouTube.
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| Dr. Leon Moores, a retired Army colonel and 1990 graduate of the F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, speaks to a uniformed audience during the President’s Strategic Leadership Speaker Series. (Photo by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Caleb Pavao) |
October 9, 2026 by USU News
Seven senior leaders. Four uniformed services. One central question: What does it take to lead in military medicine?
The President’s Strategic Leadership Speaker Series at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) brings senior leaders to campus to share the experiences, decisions and career paths that shaped their leadership.
The series reflects USU President Dr. Jonathan Woodson’s commitment to giving students direct access to leaders whose careers offer lessons in leadership and service. Coordinated by the University’s General Ronald H. Griffith Institute for Military Medical Professionalism on Woodson’s behalf, the series supports the institute’s work in ethics, leadership and the profession of arms. Lectures are held approximately three times a year.
The speakers bring experience from across the Army, Navy, Air Force and Public Health Service. Five are USU graduates: retired Air Force Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Paul Friedrichs (F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, 1990), former Joint Staff Surgeon and inaugural director of the White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy; retired Navy Rear Adm. (Dr.) Bruce Gillingham (School of Medicine, 1986), former Navy surgeon general; Dr. Leon Moores (School of Medicine, 1990), a retired Army colonel, former infantry officer, and Pediatric Neurosurgery System Medical Director for Inova Health System; retired Navy Capt. (Dr.) Stephen Ferrara (School of Medicine, 1995), who served as principal deputy and acting assistant secretary of war for health affairs; and retired Public Health Service Rear Adm. Susan Orsega (Graduate School of Nursing, 2001), former director of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and current deputy assistant secretary of war for health services policy and oversight.
Retired Army Gen. James McConville, the 40th chief of staff of the Army, and retired Army Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Nadja West, the 44th Army surgeon general and former commander of U.S. Army Medical Command, also shared their expertise with USU students. Friedrichs opened the series, which has continued to bring senior leaders to campus.
Together, the talks offer students more than a look at distinguished careers. They provide an opportunity to hear how experienced leaders navigated responsibility, made consequential decisions and developed their approach to leading in military medicine.
What the Speakers Told Students
McConville: Competence, commitment, character, courage and care
McConville organized his talk around five leadership traits: competence, commitment, character, courage and care. He told students that patients and families entrust medical professionals with what matters most to them, creating an obligation to know their jobs and perform them well. On care, he emphasized the importance of investing in the people who make a mission possible.
“Care about your people, and when you do, it’s amazing what they will do for you,” McConville said.
West: Know your people, at every level
West defined leadership using the Army’s description: influencing people by providing purpose, direction and motivation to accomplish the mission and improve the organization. She said knowing the people who work for you remains essential, even when a leader commands an organization as large as U.S. Army Medical Command.
At that scale, West relied on the leaders one echelon below her—the next level of command—to carry that priority throughout the organization.
“I couldn’t know them all, but I did make sure that the leaders at the next echelon below realized that that was a priority for them as well, to know their people,” West said.
Friedrichs: Find mentors early
Friedrichs spoke to USU’s next generation of military medical and nursing professionals about the changing demands of military medicine and the importance of sustaining the people who deliver care. He encouraged students to seek mentors early in their careers and credited a USU faculty surgeon who guided him over many years.
“Find your mentors. Find those people who are willing to invest time in you as you go through your career,” Friedrichs said.
Gillingham, Moores, Ferrara and Orsega: Leadership in practice
The other talks explore leadership from distinct perspectives. Gillingham applies high-reliability principles—safety practices used in fields where errors can have serious consequences—to bedside care and senior leadership. Moores argues that leadership is a core skill for every medical professional, including at the point of care. Ferrara addresses the challenges military medical professionals face in volatile and complex global environments. Orsega draws on her experience across public health, clinical practice and military operational roles to discuss leadership in complex health systems.
Where to Watch
All seven talks are available in the Griffith Institute playlist on USU’s YouTube channel. The talks run from about 50 minutes to just over an hour.