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DAF installation support under AFMEDCOM

  • Published
  • Air Force Surgeon General Public Affairs

AFMS Around the AFMS Button

FALLS CHURCH, Va. -- The Air Force Medical Service reorganization under the Air Force Medical Command has sparked numerous questions among installation commanders about the effect of proposed changes on staffing, priorities, and decision-making at the installation level.

During the 2024 Senior Leadership Workshop, Department of the Air Force medical leaders elaborated on how AFMEDCOM will better equip Airmen and Guardians to be mission-ready for future warfare.

While change may create temporary uncertainty, it’s critical to understand this transformation is designed to empower installation commander, not hinder them. U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Thomas W. Harrell, commander, Medical Readiness Command Alpha, framed the responsibility of installation commanders:

“Medics have two responsibilities under AFMEDCOM - be ready for war and provide safe, quality care. My job is to ensure you have what you need to execute those two things.”

This directive is simple yet straightforward. It outlines how every leader can maintain the AFMS mission of delivering care anytime, anywhere, ensuring that medical forces are always ready to meet the demands of the battlefield.

U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Thomas W. Harrell, Air Force Medical Readiness Agency commander, speaks at the Medic Rodeo 2022 competition opening ceremony hosted at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., Aug. 15, 2022. The 27th Special Operations Wing hosted the 13th iteration of Medic Rodeo; this year incorporated the MEDIC-X initiative which organizes, trains and equips medics to create a more agile, multi-proficient, and interoperable force, capable of accomplishing tasks outside of their core Air Force specialties. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Mateo Parra)

2022 Medic Rodeo

U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Thomas W. Harrell, Air Force Medical Readiness Agency commander, speaks at the Medic Rodeo 2022 competition opening ceremony hosted at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., Aug. 15, 2022. The 27th Special Operations Wing hosted the 13th iteration of Medic Rodeo; this year incorporated the MEDIC-X initiative which organizes, trains and equips medics to create a more agile, multi-proficient, and interoperable force, capable of accomplishing tasks outside of their core Air Force specialties. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Mateo Parra)
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University of Nebraska Medical Center

(From left) Lt. Gen. John J. DeGoes, U.S. Air Force Surgeon General, and CMSgt. James M. Wood, chief, medical enlisted force, receive a tour of the Negatively Pressurized Conex at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, Nov. 1, 2024 (Courtesy photo by Kiley Cruse)
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USAFE-AFAFRICA’s 2023 European-African Military Nursing Exchange conference

Brig. Gen. Jeannine M. Ryder, commander of the 59th Medical Wing, San Antonio Military Health System, and Chief Nurse of the U.S. Air Force, kicks off the USAFE-AFAFRICA 2023 European-African Military Nursing Exchange conference with her presentation on the state of the U.S. Air Force’s Nurse Corps, May 31, 2023. This year’s EAMNE conference featured talks from various international medical professionals, centered on the theme, ‘Military Medics: Optimizing Partnerships and Readiness.’ Nurses and medical professionals from 24 Allied and partner nations attended this year’s conference to share medical knowledge and professional best practices. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Jose Davis)
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The AFMS mission: Empowering installation commanders for success

The AFMS reorganization is about enabling Airman and Guardians on the ground to operate more effectively in an era where the speed and complexity of decision-making are critical. This effort aims to streamline processes and empower commanders to make decisions at their level, where they know their people and their challenges best.

Lt. Gen. (Dr.) John J. DeGoes, U.S. Air Force Surgeon General, emphasized the strategic intent behind this shift:

“We can’t keep operating in an environment where there are unnecessary layers of bureaucracy for every decision. The AFMS reorganization is about trust and empowerment, and supporting our installation commanders to succeed on their own terms, while still aligning with the larger mission.”

The importance of risk management

A critical element of this transformation is embracing risk management as a core leadership skill.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Jeannine M. Ryder, commander of Medical Readiness Command Bravo, captured this sentiment:

“We’re building a culture of trust and accountability. We trust commanders to assess their situations, weigh the risks, and act in the best interest of their mission. This is how we prepare for the challenges of the future.”

Each installation has unique challenges and circumstances that must be addressed by commanders. Understanding how this reorganization will affect individual installations requires every Airman and Guardian to be resilient and adaptive to change and senior leaders to facilitate conversations that will create the path forward. Harrell and Ryder's framework of the AFMS mission - enabling trust and accountability to deliver medical readiness and safe, quality care - is the foundation for addressing these challenges.