AUGUSTA — Maj. Gen. Douglas A. Farnham, adjutant general for the Maine National Guard, promoted Lt. Col. Joseph Lienert, Maine Air National Guard state air surgeon, to the rank of colonel during a ceremony at the Hall of Flags on Jan 12.
“This is an important day for the Maine Air National Guard,” Farnham said. “Col. Lienert has served with distinction as our state air surgeon and has my full trust and confidence in taking care of our most important asset, our people.”
The state air surgeon is the primary liaison between air national guard units, the adjutant general and the Air National Guard surgeon general on force health protection medical issues, medical aspects of homeland security and other medical matters.
Lienert is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, earning a commission as ensign in 1992, with a bachelors of science degree in systems engineering. He graduated from Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in 1998 with a doctorate of medicine. He joined the Maine Air National Guard in 2011. Lienert is a physician at the Veterans Administration Maine Healthcare at Togus.
Lienert is an Iraq war veteran and has served in numerous overseas deployments, providing care for soldiers, Marines, airmen and sailors. His most recent assignments include chief medical officer, flight surgeon and state air surgeon.
Lienert was surrounded by friends, family, military members as well as colleagues from the VA at the ceremony.
“To my wife Laura, I am standing here today because of all of the sacrifices you have made,” he said.
PHOTO: Joseph Lienert’s wife, Laura, pins the rank of colonel onto his uniform at his promotion ceremony at the Hall of Flags on Jan 12. Lienert is the Maine Air National Guard state air surgeon. (Submitted photo)
