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Air Force Medical Agency

The Air Force Medical Service is restructuring to advance Airmen and Guardians' health and readiness. With the approval of the Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff of the Air Force to develop an Air Force Medical Command, the move provides better support and advocacy for Department of the Air Force priorities in partnership with the Military Health System and Defense Health Agency.

This will be accomplished through the standup of two regional Air Force Medical Commands, or AFMED Regions. These AFMED Regions will be overseen by the Air Force Surgeon General to better support Air Force and Space Force priorities while integrating the DHA authorities for health care operations in military treatment facilities at DAF installations.

Why AFMED?

Readiness requirements within DAF strategies for Great Power Competition, coupled with the Congressionally-mandated assumption of authority, direction, and control over health care delivery by the DHA, required change to assure effective support to readiness and installation missions, while also balancing with the pursuit of efficiency in health care delivery.

The SecAF approved the AFMED concept June 14, 2023, and the CSAF directed it on July 18, 2023. To effectively meet the challenges of today and prepare for tomorrow, the SecAF authorized the AFMS to re-organize and establish AFMED.

The establishment of AFMED will:

  • provide the medical command authority needed to organize, train and equip for the future fight;
  • maximize AFMS focus on Force Generation medical support;
  • provide the DHA an Air Force-led intermediate management structure to exercise authority, direction and control over MTFs; and
  • improve deconfliction and prioritization of complex health care delivery and readiness priorities.
  • Frequently Asked Questions

    Frequently Asked Questions answer common questions from Air Force senior leaders, medics, Airmen and beneficiaries on what AFMED is, its significance, impact on different Air Force medical communities, and operations at military treatment facilities.


AFMED Leadership

AFMED Alpha Commander
Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Thomas W. Harrell

AFMED Bravo Commander
Maj. Gen. Jeannine M. Ryder

Intermediate Command Alignment

Air Education and Training Command
Air Force Global Strike Command
Air Mobility Command
Pacific Air Forces

Intermediate Command Alignment

Air Combat Command
Air Force District of Washington
Air Force Materiel Command
Air Force Special Operations Command
U.S. Air Force Academy
U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa
U.S. Space Force

Resources


Timeline

  • Initial Operating Capability: Oct. 1, 2023
  • Program Action Directive coordination: Begins December 2023
  • Full Operating Capability: Oct. 1, 2024 - Sept. 30, 2026

For the most current information regarding the timeline, see the AFMED Plan of Actions and Milestones.

Contact Us

Send us an email

Access MilSuite (Note: This site is restricted and requires a common access card; users without a common access card will receive a website error message)

AFMED address:
Defense Health Headquarters
7700 Arlington Boulevard, Falls Church, Virginia 22042-5101

“The Air Force has always been distinct from our sister services, from our structure and number of military treatment facilities, to how we train and deploy our medical forces. As the DHA and MHS have evolved over the past six years, it’s become apparent that the AFMS needed to restructure to ensure we could better advocate for our equities and execute the health service support mission at our installations and around the globe.”

– Lt. Gen. Robert Miller, U.S. Air Force Surgeon General