11th Medical Group becomes 579th MDG

  • Published
  • By LaDonna Bowen
  • 79th Medical Wing Public Affairs
ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md. --  It was standing room only in Hangar 3 on Andrews May 12 during a change-of-ceremony that deactivated two medical groups and stood up the Air Force's second medical wing.

Maj. Gen. Robert L. Smolen, Air Force District of Washington Commander, presided over the historical event where he both received and relinquished command of the 11th and the 89th Medical Groups and activated the 79th Medical Wing, assigning command to Brig. Gen. Thomas W. Travis as the new wing's commander.

"Under this new wing, all Air Force medical assets in the National Capital Region will come together under a single commander," said Maj. Gen. Smolen.

This wing will be unlike anything in recent memory and reflects the expanding need of today's military into this new age of the Global War on Terror, said Gen. Smolen.

Community leaders, personnel from both commands and some of the Air Force's most senior medical leaders attended the ceremony that featured the pomp and panache of both the U.S. Air Force Band and the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard.

"You don't stand up a new wing every day, so that makes this a special day for the Air Force," said Gen. Travis in his remarks.

Upon assuming command of the 79th MDW Brig. Gen. Travis activated and designated command of the 579th Medical Group at Bolling, to Col. Brenda J. McEleney and activated the 79th Medical Group on Andrews -- whose commander has yet to be identified.

As part of AFDW and the Air Force National Capital Region Headquarters command, standing up the 79 MDW helps to align all Air Force medical assets in this region under a single commander to better serve the Air Force mission and the nation when responding to contingencies, said General Travis.

"This [wing] positions us to better plan and respond as a force," said General Travis. "That makes this wing, doing this mission, more than just a consolidation of assets under one commander."

Aside from its warfighting mission, establishing the 79 MDW will more closely resemble the hierarchy of other regional military services.

"In the near future, under the most recent Base Realignment and Closure law, the military health system in this region will be more joint, and this new medical wing provides the Air Force with a similar command-and-control structure as the Army and the Navy, which better postures the Air Force for the important work ahead to build medical readiness and training capabilities in this region." said General Travis.

The 79 MDW serves nearly 400,000 beneficiaries in the National Capital Region and has more than 1,500 Airmen and civilian personnel assigned. As commander of the 79 MDW, General Travis also serves as the Air Force District of Washington command surgeon.