"High 5!"
Members of an 81st Medical Group orthopedic surgical team display five fingers as a two-fold symbol following completion of an Aug. 19 surgical procedure. Surgery technician Senior Airman Christine Villarreal, left, orthopedic surgeon Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Kory Cornum, 81st Medical Group commander, and operating room nurse Ms. Missy Allen hold up their hands to signify Airman Villarreal’s selection for promotion to staff sergeant (E-5). The other members of the OR team are, from left, certified registered nurse anesthetist Capt. Richard Huff, surgery technician Airman 1st Class Karol Kowalczuk and orthopedic surgeon Maj. (Dr.) Thomas Paynter. The team was performing hand surgery on retired Air Force Tech. Sgt. Ronald Bogart when the staff sergeant list was released at 8 a.m. The scrub nurse checked the computer in the OR for the promotion list and showed everyone the great news. This was Airman Villarreal’s first time eligible for staff sergeant. The hand surgery also marked General Cornum’s first elective surgery case since becoming Group commander. He had performed emergency surgery a few weeks prior while serving as the on-call orthopedic surgeon for the medical center. The general sees patients in the clinic every week and operates as often as he finds patients needing surgery. The other team members are assigned to the 81st Surgical Operations Squadron.