The mission

  • Published
  • By Col. T. Michael Dye
  • 60th Medical Surgical Operations Squadron commander
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Approaching retirement after 26 years in the Air Force, I find myself searching for the elements that have lead to my success. Reflecting on my career, I always return to a single, defining focus ... the mission. Understanding and defining your unit's mission is essential to success. 

My first assignment as a new second lieutenant was as a navigator/weapons systems officer flying the F-111 Aardvark fighter-bombers in the United Kingdom. The squadron commander, a veteran of flying F-105 "Thuds" in Vietnam, very succinctly defined the unit's mission as "bombs on target on time." Everything the squadron did, mission plans, weapons training, flying and professional development was geared to perfecting this ability. The results of this mission focus were best realized with our unit's success in the air strikes against Libya in 1986. 

Later in my career as an orthopedic surgeon, I was selected to lead a new surgical and critical care unit for Air Force Special Operations Command. The wing's motto was "Anytime, Anyplace." This was the focus of our efforts: provide combat surgical stabilization and transport on short-notice, anywhere in the world. Once again, training, equipment design/packaging, physical fitness and family preparedness were all directed to meet that task. The unit we created and trained repeatedly delivered top-notch care, forward deployed around the world in less than 48 hours notice, anytime, anyplace. 

Now as commander of a surgical squadron, I find the focus of our mission more difficult to define. Why do we have surgical squadrons in the Air Force? The medical mission seems much too diverse to readily simplify it to a simple phrase. Looking at the Air Force medical service as a whole, there are many mission focuses. We are dedicated to providing a fit force, we train new doctors, surgeons and medics, we provide dependent and retiree care, we provide a ready response to disasters, and we provide a ready force for deployment to support the combatant commands. But how are we unique as Airmen medics? A fit force can be provided through contracted medical services. Training, family and retiree care can be done by local providers and hospitals. Disaster response can be handled by the Red Cross and other volunteer organizations. 

The unique service we provide through our medical and surgical squadrons is to the combatant commanders. We can project world-class medical and surgical care anywhere in the world on short notice and can provide immediate evacuation of even the most critical patients back to the United States in mere hours. This capability wasn't designed in Washington, D.C. It wasn't the result of a university research study. It has grown from the concerted efforts of the medical professionals from the Air Force and our sister services, throughout time developing a comprehensive light and agile expeditionary medical force to meet the needs of today's and tomorrow's contingencies. 

The result of this effort is the best combat survival in history. During Vietnam, our casualties waited an average of 45 days to return home. In Desert Storm, the survival rate from combat injury was 75 percent, and it took 10 days to get our casualties back to the United States. Now, we are reaching an unbelievable 98 percent survival rate, and our warriors are back in the U.S. in 72 hours or less. The emergency and operating rooms at Craig Theater Hospital at Bagram, Afghanistan, are the busiest trauma centers in the world. They are staffed by physicians, surgeons, nurses and technicians from David Grant USAF Medical Center. The Critical Care Air Transport Teams provide a flying intensive care unit, combining with our Air Mobility Command aircraft to enable a phenomenal aeromedical evacuation capability unparalleled in the world. 

My squadron's mission focus? Every surgeon, anesthesia provider, nurse and technician needs to be fully proficient in trauma and trauma transport, and ready to deploy. This is the capability toward which all our efforts are directed. It is achieved by providing top-notch care at home, training for the worst casualty contingencies, and being personally ready to deploy. How do I define our mission? "Healthy warriors, home alive."