Lt. Col. Shani O. Thompson Burkes is a native of Miami, Florida, and commissioned as a
Quartermaster officer in 2002 after graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree from the United
States Military Academy, West Point, New York. In 2007, she received a Health Professions
Scholarship to attend dental school and earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Meharry
Medical College in 2011. She received her direct commission into the Dental Corps that same year.
Lt. Col. Thompson Burkes earned Master of Science degrees in Management from Troy University in
2004, and in Oral Biology from the Uniformed Services Health Sciences University in 2016.
Previous operational assignments include Adjutant, Area 1 West, Camp Red Cloud, Korea; Platoon
Leader, 305th Quartermaster Company, Yongsan, Korea; Admissions Outreach Officer, United States
Military Academy; Ammunition Officer and Battle Captain, 3rd Army ARCENT/CFLCC; Advanced Education
in General Dentistry Resident, Fort Carson DENTAC; Brigade Dental Surgeon, 528th Sustainment
Brigade (Special Operations)(Airborne); CJSOTF-A Dentist, 3rd Special Forces Group, Afghanistan;
Comprehensive Dentistry Resident, Fort Bragg DENTAC; and Commander, Fort Leavenworth Dental Clinic.
Her broadening assignments include Dental Corps Executive Fellow, U.S. Army Office of the Surgeon
General, and Assistant Executive Officer to the Deputy Surgeon General, U.S. Army.
Lt. Col. Thompson Burkes is a Comprehensive Dentist and three-time published author in peer-
reviewed scholarly manuscripts, ranging from the Journal of Oral Biology to the Army Medical
Department Journal. She has received recognition by the Academy of General Dentistry as an AGD
Fellow for her commitment to lifelong learning and exceptional oral health care and will receive
her Mastership designation this summer. She also represented Army Medicine as a lecturer at the
AMSUS Conference, discussing the U.S. Army Dentistry response to COVID-19.
Lt. Col. Thompson Burkes' combat experiences include deployments in support of Operation Iraqi
Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Her military education includes the Quartermaster Officer
Basic Course, Master Fitness Trainer Course, AMEDD Combat Casualty Course, Brigade Dental Surgeon
Course, Army Medical Department Advanced Course, the AMEDD Executive Skills Course, Command and
General Staff College, and the Defense Strategy Course.
Her awards and decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service
Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Commendation Medal (4 Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Achievement Medal
(1 Oak Leaf Cluster), National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal (1 Campaign Star),
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals,
Korea Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (Numeral 3), NATO Medal,
and the Parachutist Badge.