AFMSA: The face of Air Force medicine

Published Oct. 29, 2008

WASHINGTON -- On Sept. 5, Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Byron Hepburn assumed command of the Air Force Medical Support Agency from Col. (Dr.) Brian Masterson during a ceremony at the Bolling AFB officers club that was presided over by Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Bruce Green, Air Force deputy surgeon general.

Excerpted comments from General Green and General Hepburn are provided here because they describe the evolution of AFMSA from "a disparate group of health care professionals focused on informatics" to becoming "the face of Air Force medicine."

Maj. Gen. Green's comments:

Today we gather for the change of command to thank Col. Brian Masterson for a job well done and to install Brig. Gen. Byron Hepburn as the new commander of the Air Force Medical Support Agency. The evolution of mission in AFMSA is complete; three years ago we established AFMSA as exemplary support to our modernization directorate. Previous to that AFMSA had been a disparate group of healthcare professionals focused on informatics.

This is the third change of command in as many years for AFMSA as we have used this organization to focus and resolve our most perplexing problems:
-- How to measure quality
-- How to manage health information
-- Where to focus research
-- How to test new technologies

You have excelled in finding pragmatic solutions and implementing them.

Colonel Masterson came to us from command of the AF theater hospital in Balad, Iraq. His operational focus increased the visibility of your mission and provided extraordinary leadership in times of tumultuous change. Over the last year, AFMSA has consolidated Air Force Medical Service contracting support; established a Theater Research Cell at Balad; consolidated servers and databases; built research capability in Iraq to enhance deployed care; and improved care across the Air Force.

Colonel Masterson is departing but will continue to work closely with you to transition technology to our operators as the chief liaison for the surgeon general to the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency.

AFMSA has been so successful that we are expanding your mission. Continuing the same vital work, we are adding subject matter experts in finance, operations, programming, education and training, personnel, and readiness. AFMSA will be the face of Air Force Medicine -- working issues with other Services and Health Affairs. The organization is ready to take the AFMS to the next level of achievement through research, policy development, and expert oversight of the AFMS.

General Hepburn comes to us with a wealth of experience. As a pilot physician, he understands better than most the operational mission of the Air Force. He has commanded medical center and multiple other organizations. He has superb joint experience as Command Surgeon of EUCOM. He has overseen the highly successful AE system as AMC/SG the last two years. This wealth of experience will serve AFMSA exceptionally well as we set a new expanded vision.

Byron and Debbie, welcome to the Washington AOR. The men and women of AFMSA stand ready for every challenge.

Thank you.

Brig. Gen. Hepburn's comments:

This truly is a new beginning for the AFMSA with an expanded scope of responsibility to serve the SG staff across all directorates.

Lt. Gen. Roudebush, I thank you for the privilege of commanding this important agency. I fully recognize its vital role in the AF SG's success.

I can assure you the 578 personnel of AFMSA will support your vision and goals fully,and seek continual organizational improvement. We will be strong team players and strive for synergy and synchrony with the entire SG staff to include our partners at the AF Medical Operations Agency in San Antonio.

For our Army and Navy and VA partners, I promise we will always strive to communicate and collaborate in a professional manner with a focus on mission success.

To the men and women of AFMSA, we must live our AF core values, and never lose sight of our ultimate objective -- the delivery of high quality medical support at home and abroad. The 2008 National Defense Strategy states that we in the Department of Defense must have "institutional agility and flexibility to plan early and respond effectively alongside interdepartmental, non-governmental and international partners."

We in AFMSA have that charge as well and will do so.

As a strong team, we must be productive and respond to a dynamic ever-changing environment. We must plan, organize, train, and equip our medical service so we will excel in all environments and assigned mission areas from stability operations to kinetic warfare.

Team, as we move forward in the months ahead, we must never lose sight that there are 1,500 AF medical service personnel deployed around the world -- many in harm's way -- far from their families.

Prior to leaving Scott Air Force Base, I was given a U.S. flag that flew over the hospital at Camp Salerno in Eastern Afghanistan on the 4th of July. There are 20 Air Force medics at that forward location, and you should know that it has recently been frequently rocketed and attacked -- they are doing heroic life-saving surgeries day in and day out.

I will have this flag prominently displayed in my office to remind me and the staff that we must demonstrate that same level of duty and commitment to our mission here in Washington and support those men and women forward to the fullest. We will do just that.

AFMSA teammates, we will capably fulfill our responsibilities and we will strive to enjoy the journey, growing professionally, leading by example and demonstrating to our line AF colleagues that we have a true commitment to wellness that allows us to provide that mission focus and excellence every day. We will be true wingmen to each other and our families. And in that regard I thank my wingperson, Debby, in advance for her support in the weeks and months ahead.

In closing, I thank you all for being here today. I thank you all for your service to our nation and look forward to working with you as we move forward with our very noble and important mission.

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