Airmen selected for physician assistant training Published May 12, 2010 81st Medical Group and 81st Training Wing Public Affiars KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Two Keesler Airmen have been selected for the fiscal 2011 Physician Assistant Training Program and another is an alternate. The announcement was made April 23. Staff Sgt. Wyatt Cherry, 332nd Training Squadron, starts his training in December, and Senior Airman Kristen Block, 81st Medical Operations Squadron, begins her training in August 2011. Senior Airman Anthony Manney, 81st Surgical Operations Squadron, is an alternate for 2011 and is almost assured to be selected for the 2012 program. Physician assistants are medical providers similar to nurse practitioners. They're very versatile and can work in the emergency room, surgery or family practice clinics." Airmen selected for the program attend the Physician Assistant School at San Antonio's Fort Sam Houston for a little more than a year before completing a residency program at one of several Air Force medical facilities. After completion of the 29-month program, graduates are commissioned as first lieutenants. Sergeant Cherry has spent the last three of his nine years in the Air Force at Keesler as an instructor in the precision measurement electronic laboratory apprentice course. He's earned Community College of the Air Force associate degrees in electronic systems technology and instructor of technology and military science. He also earned associate degrees from the University of Maryland University Colleges in general studies and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in humanities. He's from Sierra Vista, Ariz. Sergeant Cherry was interested in pursuing physician assistant training because of "the opportunity to stay on active duty while pursuing a degree in the medical field." Airman Block marks three years of Air Force service, all at Keesler, in June. She's earned two associate degrees -- one from the Community College of the Air Force in allied health science and another in science from Highland (Kan.) Community College before enlisting in the Air Force. "I'm pretty thrilled about being selected," said Airman Block, a native of Hiawatha, Kan. "I actually decided on applying for the program while in tech school (at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas), where they told us about the various programs available to us. The more I looked into it, the more I wanted to apply." Airman Manney, who is a sixth alternate, "probably will be picked up for the April, August or November 2012 class." Airman Manney, who calls Carlisle, Pa., home, marks four years in the Air Force this month, the entire time at Keesler. "I learned of the program while in Phase II training at Nellis (AFB, Nev.). I was working with some PAs there. I'm really excited. I want to help people at a higher level of care and this is a stepping stone. I know it's a process and I'm hopeful I'll be selected next year." One of eight alternates, Airman Manney explained 31 Airmen were selected for the PA program out of 85 applicants. Steve Pivnick, 81st Medical Group Public Affairs chief, and Susan Griggs, Keesler News editor, contributed to this report.