WASHINGTON - The DoD plans to cut its civilian workforce by 5% to 6% by the end of fiscal year 2018, including more than 5,000 from the Military Health System.

TEMPLE, TX - Retired Brig. Gen. James T. Turlington, MD, may no longer be an active duty general officer in the Air Force, but he’s still practicing medicine — and still making a difference.

U.S. military forces, now in the second decade of war, benefit from the vast achievements Army, Navy and Air Force medics have jointly made in deployed and enroute health care since 2001. With a 96% survival rate, we have never been better prepared to support our war-fighters.

MADISON, WI — At age 21, Jeffrey Unger said he already had a clear vision of what would become one of his lifelong goals — to help returning veterans get the care they needed.

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, CA — The Air Force had good timing for its survey of energy drink consumption within the service: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently released a new report showing a doubling of energy drink-related emergency department (ED) visits between 2007 and 2011.

WASHINGTON — Pilots will be able to breathe easier as a result of changes to the oxygen systems in the F-22 aircraft, Air Force officials recently assured a House committee. The F-22 fleet has been under intense scrutiny after some pilots flying the aircraft mysteriously experienced an unexplained loss of oxygen, causing hypoxia-like symptoms.

JOINT BASE ANDREWS, MD — While deployed to Afghanistan, Air Force Capt. Gina Fasciani, RN, BSN, wasn’t afraid to don battle gear and leave her bunker to take care of patients.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. military continues to use improper processes to diagnose significant numbers of servicemembers with pre-existing personality disorders (PD) and then discharge them, according to government documents obtained by an advocacy group.

WASHINGTON — Reporting the results of an investigation begun after an Army physician opened fire and shot more than 40 people at Fort Hood in 2009, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) says the military services need to do a better job of complying with physician and privileging requirements.

By Lt. Gen. Charles B. Green, MD
Air Force Surgeon General
Through more than a decade of sustained combat, the men and women of the Air Force Medical Service have answered our nation’s call and maintained a standard of excellence second to none.