Mark E. Green

Mark E. Green (born November 8, 1964) is an American physician and politician from the state of Tennessee currently serving in the Tennessee Senate as a member of the Republican Party. Prior to running for office, Green founded and served as the CEO of Align MD, a healthcare emergency medicine staffing company. Before serving as CEO of Align MD, Dr. Green was a member of the US Army. He served as an emergency medicine physician in Operation Red Dawn, which saw the capture of Saddam Hussein.

On April 7, 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Green to be United States Secretary of the Army. Green withdrew his nomination on May 5, 2017.

Military career
Green graduated from U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1986 where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Quantitative Business Management. From 1987 through 1990, Green served as an infantry officer in the United States Army. His first duty assignment following graduation from the US Army Ranger School was with the 194th Armored Brigade (United States) at Fort Knox. There he served as a rifle platoon leader, scout platoon leader and battalion adjutant for an Infantry Battalion. Following the Infantry Officer's Advance Course, then Captain Green served with the 82nd Airborne Division as an airborne battalion supply officer and a rifle company commander.

Following a traumatic event where his father's life was saved by a team of surgeons and critical care doctors, Green requested the US Army send him to medical school. He attended Boonshoft School of Medicine at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. He did his residency in emergency medicine at Fort Hood Texas. After his residency Dr. Green was selected to serve as the Flight surgeon for the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.

As a special operations flight surgeon, Green served a tour of duty in the Afghanistan War and two tours of duty in the Iraq War. He was the special operations flight surgeon during Operation Red Dawn, the military operation that captured Saddam Hussein. Green interrogated Hussein for six hours. Following his military service, he authored a book, titled A Night With Saddam, detailing the capture of Hussein, his interview with the dictator and his service with the Army’s elite aviation unit. Green left the military in 2006.

For his service, Green was awarded the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Achievment Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal with the V Device for valor under heavy enemy fire while rescuing British Special Operations forces wounded near Fallujah, and the Combat Medical Badge among numerous other awards. He also earned the Air Assault Badge and the Flight Surgeon Badge during his military service.

Civilian career
Green founded and served as chief executive officer of Align MD, a hospital emergency department management staffing company. Align MD provides leadership and staffing to emergency departments and hospitalist services in 50 hospitals across 10 states. Green also founded Two Rivers Medical Foundation, which provides healthcare to underserved populations throughout the world via medical mission trips, and operates a free medical clinic in his hometown, and in Memphis, Tennessee.

Green served on the boards of several for profit companies including, American Physician Partners, Align MD, and Rural Physician Partners. His board leadership in non-profits includes Bunker Labs, an effort to assist veterans leaving the military become entrepreneurs, and two veteran nonprofits focused on treating PTSD, Soldiers, and Families Embraced, and Reboot for Combat Recovery. Green is also a board member of the Middle Tennessee Boy Scouts of America. He has served on the advisory board of the political organization Latino’s for Tennessee since 2015.

In 2015, Green was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humanities by Williamson College in Franklin, Tennessee.

Political career as a Tennessee State Senator
He was first elected to the Tennessee Senate in 2012, defeating Democratic incumbent Tim Barnes. He was said to challenge Lamar Alexander in the 2014 U.S. Senate election, but declined to do so. On January 4, 2017, Green officially filed paperwork to run for Governor as a Republican candidate for the 2018 Tennessee gubernatorial election.

Green is most noteworthy for his legislation ending the Hall Income Tax in Tennessee, only the second time in US history a state has repealed an income tax. His legislation protecting women allowing the DNA profile of a rapist to be charged as a John Doe, ending the statute of limitations clock was widely praised. Sen. Green has received awards recognizing his many laws protecting veterans and small businesses. He has led the charge in Tennessee for automated technology in the auto manufacturing world speaking at national conferences on the topic.

In 2015 Green proposed a pilot program to test an innovative solution to healthcare. The idea provides a reduced amount of healthcare dollars on a swipe card for Medicaid patients giving them choice and control. The incentive is that any dollars not spent go to the patient as an addition to their earned income check. SJR 88 passed and was signed by the governor. Currently, the request for a waiver to test the program is at CMS for approval.

Green was opposed for re-election in the 2016 Republican primary but he won 84% to 16% over Lori Smith of Clarksville, Tennessee. In the general election, Senator Green won re-election defeating Democrat David Cutting 67% to 33%. On January 4, 2017, Green officially filed paperwork to raise money for a potential run for Governor as a Republican candidate for the 2018 Tennessee gubernatorial election.

Nomination as U.S. Army Secretary
In April 2017, Green was nominated by President Donald Trump to be United States Secretary of the Army. Green was Trump's second nominee for this position after initial nominee Vincent Viola withdrew from consideration.

Green drew attention for his opposition to transgender people. After Green was nominated for the position, several news agencies stated he had "said transgender was a disease”, and past comments he had made regarding LGBT individuals, Islam, and evolution were criticized. Those comments included his claim that psychiatrists believe being transgender "is a disease" and his support for a state law which defined access to public restrooms for transgender individuals matching their legal sex, rather than gender identity. He also stated that his duty as a state senator is to "crush evil." Green also stated that if school districts "want to have a bathroom that’s separate for all of the you know guys or gals with question marks" but were concerned the "AFL-CIO is going to sue you, well I got your back." It is assumed Green meant the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) not the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL–CIO). Green has also said that he would "not tolerate" students learning about Muslim beliefs and practices.

Green withdrew his nomination on May 5, 2017.

Personal life
Green is a Biblical creationist and rejects the theory of evolution. He and his wife, Camie, reside in Ashland City, Tennessee. They have two children.