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Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Roudebush says thank you, farewell

  • Published
  • By Lt. Gen. (Dr.) James G. Roudebush
  • 19th AF Surgeon General
WASHINGTON --  The day is here. I will step into the ranks of retired Airmen on 6 August 2009.
Much has changed since I first pinned on butter bars some 36 years ago as one of the very first HPSP students. As my retirement approaches and I reflect on my time in the Air Force Medical Service, I think about how much we've accomplished and how much Air Force medicine has evolved. We have come far as an AFMS team and family, and I would like to share some thoughts and observations. 

We are creatures of habit who seek the familiar; we want a stable baseline that is manageable, predictable, and comfortable ... but that is simply unrealistic. We don't live in a vacuum ... we have seen dramatic changes in mission, doctrine, force construct, and the delivery of medicine over the years - all elements outside our control, all driving a need to meet new demands. Yet, we not only survived ... we have thrived. The key is deceptively simple; we must embrace, seize and use change to our advantage to remain relevant and effective. 

Militarily, we've gone from a strategy of Cold War "containment" to one of global engagement. This change drove us to rethink how we deploy to best support our Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines. We've gone from a heavy, forward-deployed medical footprint, to being light, lean, mobile and highly effective. Said another way, we've evolved from Post WWII/Cold War era contingency hospitals, and massive numbers of forward positioned personnel, to rapidly mobilized units that can deploy, anytime, anywhere. Rather than treating all casualties in place until they could return to duty, we stabilize and aeromedically evacuate them safely and expediently, literally within hours, back to definitive care here in the States. 

We have safely air-evaced more than 63,000 patients from Iraq and Afghanistan. Over 12,000 of those were battle casualties, and a significant number of those required enroute care by our critical care medical transport teams. This AF-unique capability, the CCATT, was unheard of a scant 15 years ago. We have relentlessly adapted, evolved and improved ... always with the right care, at the right time, in the right place. 

When I came on active duty as an Air Force physician some 34 years ago, we were a very insular military health care system where virtually all medical care was provided within our MTFs. Then TRICARE emerged and we moved forward, we progressed. We reached out, formed networks and partnerships, and now routinely engage local capabilities, to include our VA partners when needed, to provide care for our Airmen and their families. Both military and civilian medicine are the better for it, and certainly, so are all the great Americans that we care for. 

Of the factors that have kept us moving, changing and evolving to meet the mission, the expectations of those we serve are by far the most significant driver. Our commanders expect Air Force medicine to be there to support the mission. Our nation expects we'll be there as we were for our citizens and communities heavily impacted by Hurricanes Ike, Katrina and Gustav. But there is no greater driver for us than to meet the expectations of the men and women who raise their right hand and swear to support and defend. They expect us to be there, for them and for their families. And we owe it to the moms, dads, husbands and wives, to care for these wonderful patriots they have entrusted to us. We must, and we will, be there for them. 

All these drivers, expectations and changes that have driven us to be better, stronger, smarter and more effective, can be distilled to a single and compelling concept. That concept is trust. Our Airmen and their families trust us to be there for them. It's that trust that drives us to change, to grow and to remain fully relevant to the mission. We earn that trust every day. 

Now the time has arrived for me to step to the next chapter in my life and career. It is now your turn. You must continue to drive change--one mission at a time, one opportunity at a time, one day at a time. You are the keepers of the trust. It's in your hands, and it could not be in better hands. 

Cindy joins me in wishing each of you Godspeed as you continue to serve our Airmen, our joint brothers and sisters and our great Nation. It has been an honor and privilege to be part of your team and your family. Thank you.