Air Force maintains preventive health measures for medical and operational readiness

Published Oct. 7, 2024
By Maristela Romero
Air Force Surgeon General Public Affairs

FALLS CHURCH, Va. --

Preventive health is a proactive approach to avoiding illness and disease, addressing the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of individuals.

With flu season approaching, ongoing efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and a global health emergency for Mpox declared by the World Health Organization, the Air Force remains vigilant in ensuring the health and safety of Airmen and their families. This includes active surveillance of respiratory illnesses and the implementation of preventive health measures across Air Force installations.

Airmen plate food for themselves. — Airmen assigned to the 92nd Maintenance Squadron sample healthy meals during a nutrition class at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, Oct. 31, 2023. The OST taught this class to help Airmen assigned to the 92nd MXS learn how easy meal preparation can be along with how simple it can be to make healthier food choices. This class was a part of the embedment of the OST into the 92nd MXS that began in July of 2023. This embedment was the first to occur at Fairchild AFB as a part of a newly implemented program to decrease work related injuries to ensure Airmen are continuously ready to complete the mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Clare Werner)

Evidence-based preventive health initiatives vary by installation, depending on local challenges and needs. These practices are woven into readiness requirements for Airmen and Guardians to optimize health and encourage healthy personal habits.

Baseline preventive health efforts include tracking illness transmission rates, offering vaccination sites, and providing health education to Airmen and Guardians at each installation.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Patrick Dideum, Department of the Air Force chief of preventive medicine, explained that public health officers at military treatment facilities monitor disease trends on base and health alerts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for COVID-19 activity and upticks in flu cases to help manage the spread of viruses.

“Some prevention methods are specific to risk factors within certain locales and deployments. It can be very individualized,” said Dideum. “For many military treatment facilities, large scale operations are needed to efficiently implement measures. Often, vaccination lines will be set up fordays or weeks having dedicated medical personnel on hand.”

U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Joseph Anthony, medical technician with the 911th Aeromedical Staging Squadron, administers a vaccination to a member of the U.S. Army Reserve’s 336 Engineering Company Command and Control, Chemical Radiological and Nuclear Response Enterprise Team at the Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station, Pennsylvania, April 11, 2019. Department of Defense issued vaccinations are used to prevent a variety of diseases that military members may encounter in the course of their duties. (U.S. Air Force photo by Joshua J. Seybert)

Dideum noted that since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, the Air Force’s preventive health approach has re-emphasized the importance of outbreak surveillance, following testing protocols, and understanding when and how to communicate reportable events that affect service members and surrounding populations to minimize the risk of illness.

A Defense Health Agency documentary, published in August 2024, highlighted the Department of Defense’s response to COVID-19. It showcased how capabilities within the Military Health System, in coordination with the public health services, delivered preventive health measures that enabled rapid medical and operational support to manage the virus and improve care.

In addition to providing capabilities for global emergency support, the Air Force Medical Service work to ensure Airmen and Guardians are informed on a variety of health-related concerns. Beyond immunization and practicing non-pharmacological interventions like proper hand hygiene, the Air Force’s medical personnel provide health education on common conditions such as musculoskeletal injuries, obesity, and metabolic disease, which affect active duty members.

According to Integrated Operational Support team members, U.S. Air Force Maj. Valerie Bedsole, chief of prevention, and U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Minette Herrick, chief of human performance, regular exercise, nutritious diets, restorative sleep, and healthy stress management are essential both to prevent and treat these conditions.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Ember Ryals, operational support team flight commander, times Airmen holding a plank position at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., June 8, 2023. An operational support team is embedded with the 627th Communications Squadron; an OST is a small, multidisciplinary health and human performance outreach team composed of musculoskeletal and mental health clinicians. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Rachel Williams)

“These daily habits influence everything from our ability to handle life’s challenges, complete mandatory physical training, and accomplish the mission,” Bedsole said.

Practicing healthy habits is a long-term, sustainable method that can extend lifespans and elevate readiness to a higher caliber.

Bedsole and Herrick shared that IOS teams often use the resources below to inform unit leadership on preventive health practices to aid in unit action planning and optimizing their unique operational missions:

Health and Readiness Optimization, known as HeRO, targets health behavior and gives recommendations on setting personalized health goals.
The Human Performance Resources by Champ is a comprehensive, branch-specific source for servicemembers to explore Total Force Fitness in the areas of: physical training, sleep and stress management, performance nutrition, mental health, injury prevention and recovery, and more.
Operation Supplement Safety, a Department of Defense program developed by the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, provides evidence-based guidance on how to choose safe dietary supplements for promoting health, enhancing performance, bodybuilding, losing weight, and more.

USAF. (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Rosario "Charo" Gutierrez)