Air Force medical personnel begin transfer to AFMEDCOM

Medical Readiness Command-Bravo leaders began aligning medical Airmen in the Air Force District of Washington to the Air Force Medical Command, the Air Force’s newest direct reporting unit.

Air Force leaders initiated the inter-command transfer process on March 17, 2025, to align medical Airmen at Joint Base Andrews’ 316th Medical Group and Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling’s 316th Medical Squadron to the 79th Medical Wing, a new echelon under MRC-B.

This is the first in a series of inter-command transfers, grouped by major command, to occur over a two-year period. This deliberate, sequential approach will ensure the continuity of administrative responsibilities necessary to care for the Airmen. The process also enables Air Force medical leaders to continue prioritizing operational readiness while partnering with the Defense Health Agency to deliver health care.

“There are so many synchronized actions that have to take place to ensure smooth alignment, not only of capabilities for the major commands into AFMEDCOM but also for the processes that will ensure we meet our operational mission sets with minimal disruption,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Jeannine M. Ryder, who serves in the dual-hatted role of MRC-B commander and Defense Health Network Continental director.

In December 2024, Air Force Medical Service senior medical leaders underscored the necessity of a deliberate, conditions-based approach to establishing AFMEDCOM during the Senior Leadership Workshop.

“We understand the risk to our credibility if we don’t have things in place,” said Ryder. “We are going to build a command that can deconflict service equities, readiness requirements, and the health care delivery that we provide in all our medical groups every day.”

The ICT process:
• The Department of the Air Force authorizes a medical unit’s inactivation under the major command it is currently aligned under.
• Next, the new medical unit is activated under its medical wing in the AFMEDCOM structure.
• Personnel actions and records are adjusted in the Military Personnel Data System.
• The Unit Identification Code is updated to reflect changes in manpower and personnel.
• The ICT is executed 15 days after the UIC update and completed within 10 days.

Strengthening relationships between medical wings and host installations

In the months preceding AFMEDCOM’s first ICT, Ryder and U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Jerry Dunn, MRC-B command chief, led town hall meetings at Air Force and Space Force installations addressing questions about AFMEDCOM’s support to the warfighter and echoing the do no harm to medics approach medical leaders follow.

“The primary thing to know is that medical Airmen are continuing to support Airmen and Guardians throughout this change,” Dunn said. “We are also accounting for potential gaps so that the transition does not disrupt medical personnel from doing their jobs or the resources they need.”

He said the change is more of a cultural shift.

“We will see changes in naming conventions of our medical facilities and a shift in administrative responsibilities that will promote more efficiency,” Dunn said. “This should have a minimal effect on a medical Airman’s day-to-day life and work.”

AFMEDCOM leaders have maintained regular communications with DAF leaders and medical personnel sharing updates and seeking feedback.

“We’re proud of our transparency with the line,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Matthew Hanson, MRC-B deputy commander. “It doesn’t matter if it’s here at Headquarters Air Force, Headquarters Space Force, or any other command; we will absolutely be transparent about what we can and can’t do so we can manage the risk associated with standing up this new structure.”

ICT begins with 79th Medical Wing, Air Force District of Washington

U.S. Air Force Col. Jeffrey Fewell, 79th MDW commander, said the new structure reinforces the Air Force’s commitment to readiness and the warfighter.

“What we’re about to step into with this new organization is an opportunity to realign and refocus on our core mission – providing ready medics to combatant commanders in supporting global deployment requirements,” Fewell stated.

The transition is designed to be minimally disruptive for medical Airmen, especially those at the group level and below.

“The way Airmen are cared for and supported under the AFMEDCOM construct will largely remain the same,” Fewell assured. “We are codifying these relationships through support agreements between medical groups and host installations to ensure continued support.”

Anticipating the historic AFMEDCOM transition

As AFMEDCOM progresses, leaders remain focused on their guiding principle – ensuring that Air Force medics are equipped, prepared, and positioned for success in their mission to support the Department of the Air Force and warfighters worldwide.

“We are committed to getting this right, setting the benchmark for future ICTs, and ensuring that we do no harm to our Airmen, their career or life,” Fewell said.

He said change is constant within the Air Force.

“As leaders, we have been accustomed to leading through several organizational changes in our recent history,” Fewell said. “This most recent change to the AFMEDCOM construct is the latest opportunity to ensure we are in alignment with CSAF priorities and ensure we are posturing our Airmen for maximum success.”