97 MDG shares mission with honorary commanders

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Katlyn Gorgus, foreground, and Airman 1st Class Ashleigh Chambers, center, both 97th Primary Care Flight aerospace medical technicians, show honorary commanders proper first aid procedures at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, Sept .17, 2021. The 97th Primary Care Flight is responsible for the majority of primary care in the medical group and is divided into the Family Health, Pediatrics, Allergy and Immunizations Sections. (U.S. Air Force photo by 2nd Lt Cameron Silver)

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97 MDG shares mission with honorary commanders

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Angelo Dela Cruz, left, and Airman 1st Class Aidan Boterenbrood, right, both 97th Bioenvironmental Engineering Flight bioenvironmental engineering specialists, demonstrate to honorary commanders how they detect radiation at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, Sept .17, 2021. The 97th Bioenvironmental Engineering Flight monitors 46 industrial shops, analyzes the drinking water quality, and manages the base radiation, electro and magnetic fields, and laser safety programs. (U.S. Air Force photo by 2nd Lt Cameron Silver)

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97 MDG shares mission with honorary commanders

Dr. Chad Wiginton, 97th Healthcare Operations Squadron honorary commander, attempts to identify a taped line to U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Delena Ruiz, 97th Mental Health Flight supervisor, while wearing “drunk goggles” at the Mental Health Clinic at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, Sept. 17, 2021. The honorary commanders learned about the assessment, treatment and education provided by the 97th Mental Health Flight on a wide range of psychological and emotional issues as well as how they manage the Family Advocacy Program and Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Program. (U.S. Air Force photo by 2nd Lt Cameron Silver)

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97 MDG shares mission with honorary commanders

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Daniel Moore, 97th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron (97 OMRS) commander, and Dr. Rose Ngishu, 97 OMRS honorary commander, discuss the differences between military and civilian hospitals at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, Sept .17, 2021. Dr. Ngishu is a doctor of internal medicine at the Jackson County Medical Center and has been an honorary commander for five months. (U.S. Air Force photo by 2nd Lt Cameron Silver)

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97 MDG shares mission with honorary commanders

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Richard Anderson, 97th Dental Flight dental laboratory technician, shows honorary commanders a ceramic mold of teeth he made at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, Sept .17, 2021. The 97th Dental Flight provides various dental services ranging from preventive dentistry to comprehensive care including endodontics, prosthodontics, operative dentistry and oral surgery. (U.S. Air Force photo by 2nd Lt Cameron Silver)

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97 MDG shares mission with honorary commanders

Johnny Barron, 97th Maintenance Operations Flight honorary commander, inspects a mosquito container at the Public Health Clinic at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, Sept. 17, 2021. The 97th Public Health Flight inspects over 20 facilities for food safety and sanitation and provides mosquito and illness surveillance for the entire base population. (U.S. Air Force photo by 2nd Lt Cameron Silver)

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97 MDG shares mission with honorary commanders

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Lin Evenson, 97th Optometry Flight optometry specialist, shows Preston Gunkel, 97th Air Mobility Wing Judge Advocate honorary commander, a scan of his eye at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, Sept .17, 2021. The 97th Optometry Flight’s services include glasses and contact lens prescriptions along with the treatment and management of ocular diseases that do not need surgical intervention. (U.S. Air Force photo by 2nd Lt Cameron Silver)

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97 MDG shares mission with honorary commanders

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Garrett Rockwell, 97th Medical Logistics Flight medical materiel specialist, demonstrates the safe handling of dry ice to honorary commanders at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, Sept .17, 2021. The 97th Medical Logistics Flight provides medical and non-medical materiel equipment, maintenance and services, and manages war reserve materiel and transportation in support of the medical mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by 2nd Lt Cameron Silver)

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97 MDG shares mission with honorary commanders

Published Sept. 23, 2021
By 2nd Lt. Cameron Silver
97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --

The 97th Medical Group hosted honorary commanders for an immersion day Sept. 17, 2021.

Each quarter, the 97 AMW honorary commanders visit and tour a different group on base. The goal of this visit was to showcase the Airmen of the 97 MDG and their mission: to ensure maximum wartime readiness and combat capability by promoting the health, safety and morale of active duty personnel at the 97th Air Mobility Wing. Additionally, they staff, train, mobilize and provide medical services in support of contingency operations worldwide.

The honorary commanders received briefings and demonstrations from the two squadrons within the group. The 97 Operational Medical Readiness Squadron is responsible for primary care, aerospace and operational medicine, optometry, public health, bioenvironmental engineering, mental health and dental while the 97 Healthcare Operations Squadron has oversight over resource management, health care operations and patient administration, medical information systems, medical logistics, medical readiness, pharmacy, laboratory and diagnostic imaging.

Honorary Commanders serve a two-year term attached to a particular unit at the 97th AMW. In this partnership, they leverage their positions as community leaders and influencers to act as advocates for the base at the local and federal level.