September 8, 2026Awards and Recognitions

LTG (Ret.) Nadja West, MD, Recognized on Forbes Veteran 250

By: Thayer Leadership

We proudly congratulate Thayer Leadership faculty member Lieutenant General (Ret.) Nadja West, MD, on being named to the inaugural Forbes Veteran 250 list, a prestigious recognition honoring America’s most successful living veterans and their extraordinary contributions following military service.

Created as part of the United States’ 250th Celebration, the Forbes Veteran 250 highlights veterans whose post-military achievements have made a lasting impact on business, government, philanthropy, healthcare, entrepreneurship, and culture. It celebrates the spirit of reinvention and recognizes leaders who have continued serving others through influential civilian careers after wearing the uniform of the United States Armed Forces.

LTG (Ret.) West’s inclusion on the list reflects a lifetime of groundbreaking leadership and service, having achieved numerous historic milestones:

  • As the 44th Surgeon General of the U.S. Army and former Commanding General of the U.S. Army Medical Command, she led one of the world’s largest healthcare systems, overseeing the readiness, delivery, and transformation of care for millions of beneficiaries worldwide
  • First African American Army Surgeon General
  • First African American woman to attain the rank of Lieutenant General in the U.S. Army
  • Highest-ranking woman graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point

Today, she continues to shape the next generation of leaders as a faculty member at Thayer Leadership and by serving on multiple corporate and nonprofit boards, including Johnson & Johnson, Nucor, Tempus Labs, Tenet Healthcare, the Bob Woodruff Foundation, and Americares.

We are honored to have LTG (Ret.) Nadja West, MD, among our world-class faculty. Her recognition by Forbes further highlights the powerful impact veteran leaders continue to make long after their military service ends. She also has a guest room at The Historic Thayer Hotel dedicated in her honor.

Congratulations, LTG West, on this extraordinary and well-deserved honor!