Staff Sgt. Jonathon Cagle comforts his daughter, Skylar, Jan. 17 before leaving for Afghanistan from Travis Air Force Base, Calif. Sergeant Cagle, a biomedical equipment repair technician assigned to the 60th Medical Support Squadron, is one of more than 100 Airmen from the 60th Medical Group who have deployed to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, to staff the Air Force Theater Hospital there. (U.S. Air Force photo/Jim Spellman)
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNEWS) -- Approximately 100 Airmen from the 60th Medical Group at David Grant Medical Center deployed in January to the largest military hospital in Afghanistan.
The 455th Expeditionary Medical Group was activated during a ceremony Jan. 23 to assume operation of the Air Force Theater Hospital at Bagram Air Base under the command of Col. (Dr.) Bart Iddins, who deployed from the 59th Medical Wing at Lackland AFB, Texas.
This is the second theater hospital which is now under the Air Force's responsibility. The Air Force also staffs the theater hospital at Balad AB, Iraq.
"It is always an honor and a privilege to command, but it is especially a privilege to command in combat," Colonel Iddins said. "We are united by many common goals, many common priorities, and a commitment to first, last and always accomplish the mission."
Air Force, Army, Egyptian, Korean and Jordanian medical members are dispersed across a wide area of responsibility, working at several hospitals and forward-operating locations.
The majority of Travis AFB medics comprising the 455th EMDG deployed in early January. They are replacing outgoing members from the Army's 14th Combat Support Hospital at Fort Benning, Ga.
"It is particularly gratifying to be a part of the joint and coalition medical force supporting our forces in Afghanistan," said Col. (Dr.) Lee Payne, 60th MDG commander. "Meanwhile, we are also ensuring the continuation of world-class medical care and service to our customers at home."
The Air Force is expected to provide many of the Bagram AB hospital's staff for the foreseeable future. Travis AFB medics are also deployed with the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group in Iraq, as well as other locations throughout the world.
The 60th MDG, which operates the second largest readiness platform in the Air Force medical service and the largest in Air Mobility Command, is capable of deploying in support of a wide range of Air Force combat and humanitarian relief operations as well as in support of the 60th Air Mobility Wing's global mission.
They have the capability to send out deployable hospitals, mobile surgical teams and critical care air transportation teams capable of managing the aeromedical evacuation of critically injured people.
(Story written by By Jim Spellman of the 60th Medical Group and Sue Campbell
of the 59th Medical Wing) |
