81st MDG wins five individual, three team awards from AETC

Published Dec. 7, 2011
By Steve Pivnick
81st Medical Group Public Affairs

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Members of the 81st Medical Group earned five individual and three team honors in the 2011 Air Education and Training Command Air Force Medical Service Awards announced Nov. 22. The award period covered Oct. 1, 2010 through Sept. 30, 2011.

AETC winners compete at Air Force level against other major command winners.

Senior Airman Ashley Jordan, an 81st Aerospace Medicine Squadron bioenvironmental
engineering journeyman, is the outstanding base bioenvironmental engineering airman of the year. Among the achievements cited in her nomination, she conducted an assessment of a $2.1 million Air National Guard fully-contained combat arms range -- the first of its kind in Air Force -- with the data used to re-engineer future projects. Jordan also engineered a just-in-time fit test for 100 81st Medical Group members, preventing exposure to the H1N1 flu virus and resulting in uninterrupted health care for 49,000 people.

Staff Sgt. Billy Wince, noncommissioned officer in charge of the 81st AMDS bioenvironmental engineering flight environmental compliance element, was selected for the outstanding base bioenvironmental engineering noncommissioned officer of the year award. His nomination noted, among many actions, he was lead occupational and environmental health advisor for six major 81st Training Wing projects resulting in 2,000 approved base work orders with the cross-functional team, ensuring contracts valued at $152 million were completed on time. Wince also coordinated the initial response to a water emergency response, leading notification and sampling requirements which protected the health of 49,000 Keesler people.

Tech. Sgt. Michael Richardson, former noncommissioned officer of the 81st Medical Support Squadron logistics flight's medical equipment repair center, is the outstanding
biomedical equipment repair NCO of the year. He was recognized for leading the second
largest Air Force MERC, with 34 members maintaining $66 million in assets, completing 4,700 work orders all of which helped care for 80,000 beneficiaries. Among his other achievements, Richardson directed a $7.2 million congressional radio frequency identification project at the Keesler Hospital, the Air Force test site. More than 1,500 items were tagged enabling 100 percent equipment tracking. He is currently assigned to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey.

Maj. (Dr.) Robert Cromer, 81st Surgical Operations Squadron and director of the hospital's general surgery residency program, is the physician educator of the year. He was cited for leading the largest Air Force general surgery residency with 25 residents, "mastering (its) reaccreditation." By obtaining advanced trauma life support course director status, he was able to offer three courses per year, training more than 50 Air Force, Navy, National Guard and Reserve providers, resulting in an annual saving of $40,000. Cromer also "streamlined the preoperative process, eliminating more than 200 unneeded appointments annually which increased patient satisfaction."

Lt. Col. John Childs, 81st MSGS and director of Keesler's musculoskeletal research, was selected biomedical clinician field grade officer of the year. Among his accomplishments, he was recognized for his landmark lower back pain prevention study," resulting in 20,000 fewer Military Health System LBP visits, saving $93 million and resulting in 15 fewer medical evacuations as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom. Childs, "a world-renowned researcher," was appointed National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin safety officer for a $2 million project that resulted in reducing lower-extremity injuries by 20 percent. Also, the Department of Defense consultant received a $19.5 million Bader Grant and established rehabilitation guidelines for wounded warriors within a $100 million+ infrastructure.

The 81st Inpatient Operations Squadron has received the best inpatient facility patient safety program team award. Among the squadron's achievements was testing contingency operations for a pandemic illness with a 39-bed expansion, demonstrating staff redistribution and community readiness. The unit "skillfully cared for 2,900 inpatients, taught 50 registered nurses, 20 technicians and 240 students and 'grew' 95 new physicians, saving $39 million in civilian care." The team was also cited for "championing a $1.4 million AFMS document system and developing an interface with the Biloxi Veterans Affairs Medical Center, enhancing care for 374 DOD/VA patients." In addition, they focused mock code training, exported patient simulation lab capabilities to units and "solidified TeamSTEPPS communication
for 200 personnel."

The 81st MDSS logistics flight received for the outstanding medical logistics large activity account of the year team award. Among the team's accomplishments, personnel directed a $7.2 million congressional RFID project as the Air Force test site, tagging
1,600 items and enabling 100 percent tracking of the equipment.
The unit managed 160 contracts valued at $42 million and employing 269 people. They also removed the obligation of $3.5 million in excess funds and alleviated shortfalls.
In addition, the flight operated the Air Force's second largest Air Force MERC with 34
members maintaining $66 million in assets, completing 4,700 work orders that helped
care for 80,000 beneficiaries.

The 81st MDSS medical information management flight earned the Surgeon General's medical information services team award. The flight's achievements include completing 34,500 work orders, deploying six Military Health System systems and conducting four pilot programs successfully.

In addition, the AETC inspector general identified the flight's automated data processing
equipment data base as a "benchmark" product, cited as a key component of the 81st
MDG's 'Excellent' rating received during the 2010 Inspector General Compliance Inspection." The flight also was recognized as a "hub for modernization as the AFMS
lead site for development of telepathology, a congressional special-interest item."