Ugandan-Born US Air Force doctor selected for promotion to Colonel

A Ugandan-born medical doctor serving in the United States Air Force Reserve has been selected for promotion to the rank of Colonel. Lt Col Ivan Edwards becomes one of the few officers to reach the rank, a level attained by only about one to three per cent of officers in the US military.

Edwards, a flight surgeon, described the promotion as a long and demanding journey.

“Grateful. Humbled. Honored. The promotion list is out, and I have been selected for Colonel; it has been a very steep climb that demanded patience, dedication, resilience, and faith. But one well worth it," he said.

He thanked his family, commanders and mentors for their support. He also paid tribute to his parents, especially his late father, saying he carries his lessons with him.

Edwards was born in Uganda to a Ugandan and European family. He lived in Uganda until the late 1980s before moving to the United States in search of better opportunities. He has previously spoken about facing racial bias because of his mixed background.

He studied and trained in the United States. He graduated from Rivier University and later earned a medical degree from Midwestern University. He completed further training at Eastern Virginia Medical School and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He later received specialised training at the Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine to qualify as a flight surgeon.

He is a board-certified physiatrist with a focus on neuro-rehabilitation and pain management. He also promotes a holistic approach to health care.

Beyond medicine, Edwards writes poetry and opinion articles. His anthology Resonance of the Soul: Flowers and Harmonics won the Literary Titan Book Award in September 2025. In November 2025, the Uganda Poetry Society launched the Dr Ivan Edwards Poetry Award, starting at 1,000 US dollars and later increasing to 1,200 US dollars, with a youth category included.

Edwards has spoken at Ugandan diaspora events in Kampala. On December 30, 2017, he delivered a keynote address at a diaspora gathering and received the Ugandan Diaspora Award. Uganda’s then Vice President Edward Ssekandi presented the award in the presence of other dignitaries.