A new look at Air Force health and performance

  • Published
  • By Col. Jody Ocker
  • 9th Medical Group commander
BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Every year, the Air Force Surgeon General, Lt. Gen. Tom Travis and Chief Master Sgt. Jason Pace, Medical Enlisted Force chief, hosts a senior leader workshop. They conveyed their vision and direction for the Air Force Medical Service. The AF/SG has set the sights of the AFMS on one significant goal: "Our supported population is the healthiest and highest performing segment of the United States by 2025."  

This vision is critical to sustaining our status as the world's greatest air force. The AFMS mission is tied to the AF mission, in that health in the context of mission is performance. The projection of superiority in air, space and cyberspace through the AF core mission, demands optimized integration and performance to achieve combat effectiveness. An Airman whose performance is degraded by illness, injury, stress, anxiety, lack of sleep, or poor nutrition is an Airman whose mission capability is diminished.  This in turn affects the unit's mission capability. 

How will we achieve this?  Accomplishing such a task will require increased emphasis on mission support, population health and relevant prevention. First, we must continue focusing on the mission and the specific performance requirements and stressors of the mission.  In the past, we focused on flyers and the unique performance requirements and stressors related to flight.  This approach has been expanded to other units/missions like explosive ordnance disposal, special ops and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.  The AFMS continues to expand this concept to all segments of the AF.   The performance requirements and stressors for security forces, logistics, maintenance, or force support are unique; therefore our approach to health and human performance for Airmen should be tailored. 

Population health management (analyzing health in the aggregate) will be used to develop programs to address identified health needs.  Relevant prevention strategies will be used to mitigate identified health risks.  In essence health care providers will be thinking about the health of Airmen in the context of the Airman's mission.  The result should be healthy capable Airmen primed to accomplish the mission: healthy Airmen available to do the mission.

The task will not be easy.  Reaching a goal of this magnitude will require the unified effort of the entire community.  Installation leaders must advocate for community designs conducive to healthy activities and safe activities such as, lighted walking and biking paths, playgrounds and parks.  Commanders and supervisors set policies for tobacco-free workplaces, physical training, and shift rotations.  Food services offer healthy food choices. Health services focus on prevention and health promotion.  Airmen and families see themselves as active participants in health rather than passive recipients of healthcare.  A community so engaged would not only benefit the mission, but also Airmen and families for a lifetime of good health.

In the context of Beale Air Force Base, the 9th MDG mission is tied to the Team Beale mission.  The medical group provides operational support to Team Beale, enabling optimal human performance in the delivery of globally integrated ISR and delivers patient-centered care to Airmen and their families.  We need the Beale Community to engage with us in our mission.  We need every commander and supervisor to be a health promoter by adopting policies, which encourage healthy behavior and sets an example for living well.  We need Airmen and families to do their part to prevent illness and injury by taking deliberate steps to improve healthy eating and activities at home.  The medical group is here to help by gathering and analyzing population health data, providing advice to unit leaders, and assisting Airmen and families to reach health goals.  Our goal is to see Team Beale lead the way as the healthiest, highest performing segment of the Air Force!  I hope each member of the community will join us in striving for that goal.