Deputy Director/Chief of Staff, Defense Health Network Central
Ms. Mei-Ling C. Taylor serves as the first civilian Deputy Director/Chief of Staff for Defense Health Agency's largest network, Defense Health Network Central. Ms. Taylor assists the DHN Central Director with leading the joint, integrated medical system of 39 military medical hospitals and clinics. DHN Central provides high quality, safe, and reliable health care to more than 11.9 million beneficiaries world-wide.
A graduate of Troy State University, Ms. Taylor received a direct accession commission into the Medical Service Corps in 2006, then transitioned her commission into the Air Force Reserve through the Palace Chase Program. Ms. Taylor has 29 years of combined uniform service within the Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. Ms. Taylor also has more than 20 years of Federal Civil Service, three years with the State of Virginia, and four years as a Defense Contractor supporting the Department of the Navy. Notably, Ms. Taylor authored the seventh chapter of the Delivery Management Plan for the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, CVN-77, USS George H.W. Bush.
Prior to her current assignment with DHN Central, Ms. Taylor was the Director of Staff of Air Force Medical Agency, Defense Health Headquarters, Falls Church, Virginia. In this role, Ms. Taylor oversaw the agency's operations to include the direction and oversight of the Executive Services Branch. In her Air Force Reserve capacity, Ms. Taylor currently serves as the Commander, 514th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. She is responsible for all medical and dental operational activities and requirements for more than 1,200 personnel supporting current and future refueling, airlift, and aeromedical evacuation. Previously, Ms. Taylor was the Commander of the 931st Aerospace Medicine Squadron at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas.
Ms. Taylor earned an associate degree in human resources management at Community College of the Air Force, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. She also earned a Bachelor of Science in business management at Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia, and a Master of Public Administration at Troy State University in Montgomery, Alabama. Ms. Taylor has completed Officer Training School at Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, the Health Service Administrators program at Wichita Falls, Texas, Squadron Officer School at Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, Master of Military Operational Art and Science at Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Air Force Reserve Command, Squadron Commanders Course at Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Senior Leader Workshop at Leesburg, Virginia, Combined Senior Leader Course at Defense Health Headquarters, Falls Church, Virginia, and Interagency Institute for Federal Executives course in Washington D.C.
Ms. Taylor’s military assignments include: Force Provider and Orders Writer, U.S. Joint Forces Command, J33 Force Provider Branch at Norfolk Virginia, Doctrine Library System Administrator and Doctrine Information Manager, Navy Warfare Development Command at Norfolk, Virginia, Deputy Commander, 117th Medical Group at Birmingham, Alabama, Director, Recruiting, Assessment, Selection and Manning, Naval Special Warfare Group TEN at Joint Base Little Creek Amphibious Base, Fort Story, Virginia, and Director of Staff, Air Force Medical Readiness Agency, DHHQ, Falls Church, Virginia.
Ms. Taylor is a member of the Federal Health Care Executives Institute Alumni Association, Alpha Mu Gamma Honor Society for Foreign Language Studies, and Alpha Pi Alpha National Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration.