Courtesy Photo | (From left) Lt. Gen. John J. DeGoes, U.S. Air Force Surgeon General, and CMSgt. James...... read more read more
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.
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.
| Date Taken: | 04.28.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.28.2025 13:11 |
| Story ID: | 496301 |
| Location: | FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 372 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, DAF installation support under AFMEDCOM, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
