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97 MDG hosts annual Network Provider Social Event

U.S. Air Force boom operator prepares group to tour KC-135 Stratotanker.

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Samantha Converse, 97th Air Mobility Wing superintendent of training, talks to a group of civilian and military medical professionals, April 12, 2019, at Altus Air Force Base, Okla. The 97th Medical Group hosted their largest annual event inviting civilian medical providers from surrounding cities to meet with 97th MDG leadership and clinicians. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Breanna Klemm)

U.S. Air Force boom operator gives speech to group.

A group of civilian and military medical professionals get briefed by a boom operator on a KC-135 Stratotanker, April 12, 2019, at Altus Air Force Base, Okla. Civilian medical professionals from surrounding towns were offered the opportunity to tour a KC-135 as part of the annual 97th Medical Group event. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Breanna Klemm)

Civilian medical health professional takes photo of woman in copilot KC-135 Stratotanker seat.

A civilian medical professional takes a photo of a woman sitting in the co-pilot seat of a KC-135 Stratotanker, April 12, 2019, at Altus Air Force Base, Okla. Medical professionals from surrounding cities had the opportunity to find out where their patients are coming from and why they have to get treated off-base. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Breanna Klemm)

U.S. Air Force firefighter gives crowd demonstration of gear.

U.S. Air Force Airman Aaron Flannery, a firefighter assigned to the 97th Civil Engineer Squadron, shows a group of civilian medical professionals how to properly wear fire gear, April 12, 2019 at Altus Air Force Base, Okla. Civilian medical professionals from surrounding towns were offered the opportunity to tour the base fire station as part of the annual Medical Group event. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Breanna Klemm)

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. gives speech to crowd.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Joseph Teresi, the NCO in charge of the Military Working Dog section at assigned to the 97th Security Forces Squadron, talks to a group of civilian and military medical providers, April 12, 2019, on Altus Air Force Base, Okla. Medical professionals from surrounding towns were offered the opportunity to tour the base’s working dog facility as part of an annual Medical Group event. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Breanna Klemm)

Army Capt. volunteers for Military Working Dog demonstration.

U.S. Army Capt. Kerstin Amezcua, an optometrist at Fort Sill, Okla., volunteers for an exercise with a 97th Security Forces Squadron Military Working Dog, April 12, 2019, at Altus Air Force Base, Okla. Amezcua was one of five other military medical professionals invited to attend the annual Network Provider Social Event hosted by the 97th Medical Group. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Breanna Klemm)

97th Medical Group Commander gives speech.

U.S. Air Force Col. Howard Givens, 97th Medical Group Commander, gives a closing speech, April 12, 2019, at Altus Air Force Base, Okla. The 97th MDG hosts the Network Provider Social Event each year in order to keep good relations with surrounding clinics who often treat Airmen from Altus AFB. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Breanna Klemm)

ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --

The 97th Medical Group hosted their largest annual event, inviting civilian medical providers from surrounding cities to meet with 97th MDG leadership and medical professionals, April 12, 2019.

This event allowed the 97th MDG the opportunity to educate civilian doctors and medical providers from Altus, Lawton and Wichita Falls about the base’s mission of training aircrew members of the KC-135 Stratotanker, C-17 Globemaster III and KC-46 Pegasus.

Civilian medical providers were given a tour around base, allowing them to see what the Airmen at Altus AFB accomplish and how they support the mission. Attendees toured a KC-135, the base fire department and the 97th Security Forces Working Dog section.

“We wanted to bring our civilian providers whom we work with on-base and give them an idea of what our mission is and to see what they are supporting,” said U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Torri Hurst, 97th Medical Support Squadron TRICARE Operations and Patient Administration (TOPA) flight commander. “By giving them the opportunity to see what we do, they can speak to individuals who they treat on a daily basis.”

The 97th MDG often utilizes outside providers to help Airman requiring specific treatment. By hosting this event, clinics from surrounding cities have the opportunity to find out where their patients are coming from and why they require their services.

“We keep a lot of the town employed with the amount of patients we send off-base each month,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Amanda Gilbert, 97th MDSS TOPA flight chief. “It’s a symbiotic relationship we have with the civilian specialists. The 97th MDG sends approximately 500 referrals off-base each month and a total of 6,000 a year.”

The 97th MDG members said that they strive to keep good relationships with the healthcare providers off-base because so many Airmen are referred to them. The 97th MDG continues to build relationships like these to help keep Airmen at the 97th AMW healthy and fit to fight.