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Annual workshop prepares AFMEDCOM's mission ready medics, senior leaders for future fight

  • Published
  • By Maristela Romero
  • Air Force Surgeon General Public Affairs

Part five of a five-part series covering the Air Force Surgeon General’s annual Senior Leadership Workshop. This year’s theme: ‘The Air Force Medical Service at 75 … Mission Ready, Operationally Relevant!’

During the Air Force Medical Service’s 2024 Senior Leadership Workshop, medical leaders shared the service’s continuing efforts to stand up the Air Force Medical Command, strategies to align them with its mission, and guidance to empower Airmen and Guardians to balance readiness and health care priorities at the installation level.

AFMEDCOM is focused on ensuring that they remain mission ready and medical personnel remain operationally relevant as the Department of the Air Force continues to prepare service members for Great Power Competition.

Throughout the four-day workshop, Lt. Gen. John J. DeGoes, U.S. Air Force and Space Force surgeon general, Chief Master Sgt. James Woods, Medical Enlisted Force and Enlisted Corps Chief, and senior leaders across the Total Force addressed the growing challenges the Department of Defense may face in a conflict with peers. Discussions with more than 430 medical leaders synchronized operational readiness efforts, set a standard of transparent communication, and reinforced a warfighter mindset of adaptability and resilience.

DeGoes highlighted his top readiness priorities, which are aligned with AFMS strategic imperatives, as the way forward in preparing medical personnel to operationally support warfighters at a moment’s notice while balancing health care delivery. Additionally, AFMEDCOM leaders updated participants on the timeline and steps necessary to fully establish the direct reporting unit, and empowered leaders to engage with Airmen, Guardians, and mission partners at their installations to innovate solutions while maintaining readiness to serve in an operational capacity in a complex, contested environment.

“We need to be integrated and be part of the unit of action,” DeGoes said. “Joint readiness support remains the same, but it has to be re-tailored and tooled for future threats in a contested environment. We are going to align our training and equipping to fit the threats of the future.”

Read the articles below for a detailed look into each day’s topics:

  1. Mission readiness: Air Force, Space Force Surgeon General kicks off annual workshop
  2. Air Force medical leaders, AFMEDCOM leadership synchronize medical readiness efforts
  3. Do no harm to medics: Air Force medical leaders discuss AFMS transition, AFMEDCOM at annual workshop
  4. Air Force medical leaders collaborate with Total Force, mission leaders