AF Surgeon General visits 20th MDG Airmen

Published Oct. 9, 2015
By Senior Airman Diana M. Cossaboom
20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- Lt. Gen. Mark Ediger, the U.S. Air Force Surgeon General, and Chief Master Sgt. Jason Pace, Medical Enlisted Force and Enlisted Corps chief, visited 20th Medical Group Airmen Oct. 1.

Ediger and Pace toured the four squadrons that make up the 20th MDG and held an all call for Airmen and civilians assigned to the 20th MDG and U.S. Air Forces Central surgeon general.

"Our ability to provide safe and high quality care to meet the needs of our patients is what makes us ready," said Ediger. "If we are familiar with the tools and processes that provide the best care at home stations, that's what we are going to take into a deployed environment."

Ediger also communicated new programs and changes that are being made in the medical side of the Air Force, but highlighted the importance of maintaining both readiness and performance within the Medical Group and to push for excellence.

"Regardless of where we go, regardless of what we do as an Air Force Medical Service," said Pace, "I think there are three core things as medics that we need to remain true to. I call them my three C's. The first one is commitment, the second is courage, and the last is compassion."

Pace encouraged the Airmen and supervisors to continue its commitment to making the 20th MDG a better organization, to cultivate courage to speak up when something needs to be changed, and to be tenacious in what they do.

"We have a 96 percent survival rate," said Pace, "the highest in history, because of the dedication of our medics."

Compassionate care and confidence is what Ediger and Pace urged 20th MDG personnel to maintain to ensure high-quality healthcare is given to Airmen not just at their home station, but while deployed as well.