A native of Levelland Texas, Doctor Jackson completed his undergraduate training at Texas A&M University, where he majored in Marine Biology. He then attended medical school at the University of Texas Medical Branch, graduating in 1995.
He began his active duty naval service in 1995 at the Portsmouth Naval Medical Center in Virginia. After completing his first year of residency training and finishing number one in his class, he went on to become the Honor Graduate of the Navy’s Undersea Medical Officer Program in Groton, Connecticut. Uniquely qualified in hyperbaric and submarine medicine, his subsequent operational naval assignments have included serving as the Diving Medical Officer with Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Special Operations, Naval Special Warfare, and Navy Salvage Diving teams, stationed in Portsmouth VA, Groton CT, Panama City FL, Norfolk VA, and Sigonella, Italy.
In 2001, Doctor Jackson returned to the Naval Medical Center at Portsmouth to complete his residency in Emergency Medicine, finishing at the top of his class and receiving the Honor Graduate designation. Upon completing his residency in 2004, he was assigned as clinical faculty in the Emergency Medicine Residency Program. In 2005 he joined the 2nd Marines, Combat Logistics Regiment 25, in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. From there he deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as the Emergency Medicine Physician in charge of Resuscitative Medicine for a forward deployed Surgical Shock Trauma Platoon in Taqaddum, Iraq.
In 2006, while still in Iraq, Doctor Jackson was selected to serve as a White House Physician in the George W. Bush Administration. Since arriving at the White House, he has directed the Executive Health Care for the President’s Cabinet and Senior Staff, served as Physician Supervisor for the Camp David Presidential Retreat, held the position of Physician to the White House, and led the White House Medical Unit as its Director. He has served as White House physician during the past three administrations and was the appointed Physician to the President for both President Barack Obama and President Donald J. Trump. In March of 2018 he was nominated by the President of the United States to be the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. In January of 2019 President Trump appointed Doctor Jackson as Assistant to the President and to the newly established role of Chief Medical Advisor to the White House and the Executive Office of the President.
His awards include, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four awards), the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal (three awards), as well as other individual, unit and campaign awards. He is also designated as a diving and undersea medical officer, naval parachutist, Fleet Marine Force warfare qualified officer, and submarine warfare qualified medical officer.
Doctor Jackson is a board certified diplomate of the American Board of Emergency Medicine and is designated as a Fellow of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine. He is a Clinical Associate Professor in the School of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciencess, an Adjunct Faculty member in the Harvard School of Medicine Associated Disaster Medicine Fellowship at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and a Fellow in the Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Doctor Jackson also holds a Presidential Appointment to the United States Naval Academy Board of Visitors.
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