June 12, 2009 CAFTT Airmen improve public health program, DFAC for Iraqi Air Force With the opening of a new Iraqi dining facility, featuring menu selections like kebabs, samoon-a flat bread-and baklava, the ability to prepare food safely is paramount. The Iraqi air force opened a new DFAC, with its greatly expanded food service capability, and served its first meal May 5, thanks
June 1, 2009 Wilford Hall team transports critically ill infants across the Pacific A team from Wilford Hall Medical Center rushed to Okinawa, Japan, May 24 to save the lives of two critically ill babies. The infants - one nine months old and the other twenty days old - were moved from Kadena Air Base, Japan, to San Antonio, Texas, May 26 aboard a C-17 Globemaster III. Both are
May 26, 2009 Senate confirms Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Green to be the AF's 20th surgeon general The Senate has confirmed Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Charles Bruce Green to become the Air Force's 20th surgeon general. General Green is currently the Air Force's deputy surgeon general, a position he has held since August 2006. He will replace Lt. Gen. (Dr.) James G. Roudebush, who is retiring. General Green
May 26, 2009 AFMC senior leader reflects on suicide close to home With a phone call on the night of Jan. 29, the "You Matter" suicide campaign at Robins suddenly became more personal to Maj. Gen. Polly Peyer. The commander of Warner Robins Air Logistics Center suspected something was wrong when the phone rang at 9 p.m. because most people who would be calling her
May 26, 2009 Apheresis broadens impact of blood donations Rose Weatherly plays a major role in providing life-saving blood products to patients at Keesler Medical Center and, literally, around the world. Ms. Weatherly, a registered nurse, is the apheresis supervisor with the 81st Diagnostics and Therapeutics Squadron's pathology and clinical laboratory
May 26, 2009 Enlisted graduate of foreign medical school commissioned, picked for residency training For newly-promoted Capt. (Dr.) Mauricio De Castro, April 24 was the culmination of a long-sought goal. He became an Air Force officer and, perhaps more significant, he will soon begin the internal medicine residency program at Keesler Medical Center. Col. Stephanie McCann, 81st Diagnostics and
May 26, 2009 Lifesaver 2009 exercise offers preparation for disaster Keesler joined with area, state and federal agencies to conduct a successful Lifesaver 2009 exercise, May 5-7. With an estimated 2,000 participants, this year's major Federal Coordinating Center and National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) exercise was the largest Lifesaver event since May 2005.
May 26, 2009 Maxwell nurse has three reasons to celebrate Mother’s Day Maj. Lynn A. Ammon, family nurse practitioner at the 42nd Medical Group, had three reasons to celebrate on Mother's Day. With the special occasion, it was also part of National Nurse's Week and she was now back with her family after a recent, six-month deployment to Afghanistan. As a mother of two,
May 26, 2009 Arabic translator’s career coming full circle Ali Aziz Resan's career as an Arabic translator for the U.S. government is coming full circle. In 2004 Mr. Resan was living in Nasiriyah, Iraq, a city near Tallil Air Base, when he was hired as an Arabic translator for the U.S. Air Force hospital there. He was the first known Iraqi national to serve
May 26, 2009 Strike team stays prepared, responds to real-world incident During the morning rush hour recently, Team Charleston members heard reports on local radio stations about a UPS Inc. distribution center being evacuated and the area being cordoned off because of a suspicious substance. It was around 7 a.m. when an employee in the Summerville center reported a
May 26, 2009 Air Force, Army internal medicine residents win at national competition Internal medicine residents from the San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium Internal Medicine Residency recently competed in the American College of Physicians 2009 Internal Medicine competition, held April 23-25 in Philadelphia.The residents won awards in every category. "It's
May 26, 2009 Stereotactic radiosurgery gives new hope for brain tumor sufferers. Pamela Bishop rested comfortably in a hospital bed at Wright-Patterson Medical Center. She had arrived from home early that morning to be fitted with a frame that surrounded her head. It was not uncomfortable, but she remarked that the installation, while not painful, had nevertheless given her a
May 26, 2009 PRT Panjshir medics improve medical sanitation As soon as the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team arrived in the Panjshir Valley in November 2008, they noticed a need for a more sanitary way of disposing of contaminated needles. "We saw that they were using cardboard boxes and buckets for [sharps] disposal. We also observed needles laying
May 26, 2009 Ultrasound course supervisor ends 32-year federal career Carolyn Teal was honored for 32 years of federal service at an April 23 retirement ceremony at Keesler Medical Center. Mrs. Teal ended her career as supervisor of the 81st Medical Operations Squadron diagnostic imaging flight ultrasound Phase II course. A native of Mobile, Ala., she entered civil
May 15, 2009 Wounded warrior receives surprise promotion Staff Sgt. Daniel Acosta woke May 7 thinking he was a senior airman. He was surprised to discover that he was promoted to staff sergeant without his knowledge. Lt. Col. Michael Glass, 59th Medical Support Squadron commander, advised Sergeant Acosta that Lt. Gen. Richard Newton, deputy chief of staff
May 15, 2009 Wilford Hall's emergency department much more than that At first glance, Wilford Hall Medical Center's emergency department appears to be just another level-1 trauma center, treating patients from not only Lackland Air Force Base but from San Antonio and the surrounding areas. Yet, much more is going on there than people realize. "The emergency
May 15, 2009 Prescription drugs can end your career A technical sergeant in my squadron took a single pill from his son's prescription bottle in May 2007, and that pill started him down the road toward a court-martial and discharge from the Air Force. The drug was a low-level amphetamine used to correct attention deficit disorder. Both the sergeant
May 15, 2009 Public health maintains high standards, healthy force Airmen in the 379th Expeditionary Medical Group constantly monitor the health of all individuals and check to see if illnesses of base personnel are isolated incidents or part of a trend at this air base in Southwest Asia. "Our main role is the prevention and control of communicable diseases," said
May 15, 2009 Sheppard nurse recieves Bronze Star Lt. Col. Susan Bassett, 882nd Training Group chief nurse, received the fourth highest combat award in the U.S. Armed Force May 5, following a 365-day deployment to Kandahar, Afghanistan. As a member of the 205th Afghan Regional Security Integration Command, her mission was to train and mentor nurses
May 15, 2009 First-term Airmen broaden skills in Dominican Republic Airmen on a Medical Readiness Training Exercise in Arenso, Dominican Republic, are stepping out of their traditional home-station roles and enhancing their existing skill sets by training in medical competencies they do not have the opportunity to experience back home. The Airmen face tough, sweaty,