Thomas Cullison

Senior Associate (Non-resident), Global Health Policy Center
Thomas Cullison

Dr. Thomas Cullison is a senior associate with the Global Health Policy Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. During his 38-year naval career, culminating as deputy surgeon general of the Navy, he was active in disaster management, international health engagement, graduate medical education, and health policy. He has contributed to numerous CSIS Global Health Policy Center programs and remained active in Department of Defense contributions to health security. His Navy career began as a surface warfare and saturation diving officer. Dr. Cullison received his doctor of medicine degree in 1979 from the Indiana University School of Medicine; completed orthopedic surgery residency at Naval Medical Center, San Diego; and served in a variety of clinical assignments involving direct patient care, graduate medical education, and operational deployments. His Navy Medicine leadership career began in San Diego as surgeon general specialty leader for orthopedic surgery and director of surgical services. He later served as deputy commander, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth; commanding officer, Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune; fleet surgeon, U.S. Pacific Fleet; command surgeon U.S. Pacific Command; medical officer of the Marine Corps; commander, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth; and commander, Naval Medicine East. He held academic appointments at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons, and the American Orthopaedic Association.

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Audio Briefs

The Time Is Now for the DOD to Expedite Action on Biosurveillance

An audio version of “The Time Is Now for the DOD to Expedite Action on Biosurveillance,” a new commentary by CSIS’s Thomas Cullison and J. Stephen Morrison. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Thomas Cullison and J. Stephen Morrison — August 16, 2024

Audio Briefs

The Time Is Now for the DOD to Expedite Action on Biosurveillance

After years of struggling to unify its biosurveillance capabilities, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has an opportunity to establish a faster and more comprehensive approach to monitoring biothreats, to better protect U.S. national security and American lives.

Commentary by Thomas Cullison and J. Stephen Morrison — August 15, 2024

Audio Briefs

Celebrating the Army’s Lab Partnership with Kenya While Guaranteeing Its Future

An audio version of “Celebrating the Army’s Lab Partnership with Kenya While Guaranteeing Its Future,” a new commentary by CSIS’s J Stephen Morrison and Thomas Cullison. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by J. Stephen Morrison and Thomas Cullison — May 20, 2024

Audio Briefs

Battling Biological Threats: Complacency, Progress, or Both?

The elevation of health security within recent national security policies and bipartisan legislative action proves that it remains possible to bridge divides and make measurable progress to prepare the United States for inevitable future biological threats. 

Commentary by Thomas Cullison and J. Stephen Morrison — January 20, 2023

Bring DOD Fully into the Mix of Pandemic Preparedness and Response

The Department of Defense must be at the table from the beginning in discussions of all types of biological threats to ensure that its significant capabilities are well integrated into U.S. health security strategy and quickly deployable in an emergency pandemic response.

Commentary by Thomas Cullison and J. Stephen Morrison — June 30, 2022

The Department of Defense Contributions to Pandemic Response

Over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, DOD capabilities have again proven to be vital national assets to be reinforced, funded, protected, and deployed, as needed, in advancing a U.S. global health security strategy.

Report by Thomas Cullison and J. Stephen Morrison — May 6, 2022