Quick Facts
Biography
Donald Caldwell Arthur, Jr. is a retired U.S. Navy medical corps vice admiral (VADM). He entered the Navy in 1974, qualified as both a Naval Flight Surgeon and a Submarine Medical Officer, and eventually served as the 35th Surgeon General of the United States Navy (2004–2007).
Accomplishments and decorations
Arthur's work on the Defense Health Board Task Force on Mental Health reflected his advocacy for PTSD in service members and combat veterans. He addressed the stigma of mental health in the military and made efforts to alleviate it. Arthur was an advocate for service members who incurred and suffered with Traumatic Brain Injury. Arthur was also an advocate for gay service members in the military.
Credentials investigation
In 2005, author and activist B.G. Burkett urged then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen to investigate Arthur, claiming that some of his education credentials were inappropriate, because they had been obtained from unaccredited institutions, and that they had influenced his promotions within the Navy. In turn, Arthur claimed that he had been misinformed about the institution's accreditation, and that an internal investigation by the Navy had cleared him of any wrongdoing. Despite this, Arthur was quoted to have said the following about the inicident at the time, "I could say I was naive, but I was 40 years old. And I didn't understand completely what was going on."
Awards and decorations
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| Navy Flight Surgeon Badge | ||
| Navy Distinguished Service Medal with one gold award star | ||
| Legion of Merit with three gold award stars | Meritorious Service Medal with two award stars | Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two award stars |
| Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal | Combat Action Ribbon | Navy Unit Commendation |
| Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation with two bronze 3/16 service stars | Battle "E" | Fleet Marine Force Ribbon |
| Navy Expeditionary Medal | National Defense Service Medal with two service stars | Southwest Asia Service Medal w/ FMF Combat Operation Insignia and two service stars |
| Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal | Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with two service stars | Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon with service star |
| Special Operations Service Ribbon | Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) |
| Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) | Navy Rifle Marksmanship Medal | Navy Pistol Marksmanship Medal |
| Submarine Medical Badge | ||
Present activities
Arthur joined the TriWest Health care Alliances Executive Advisory Board in 2008.