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NEWS | May 16, 2018

Malcolm Grow Medical Clinic celebrates 60 years of patient care

By Airman 1st Class Jalene A. Brooks 11th Wing Public Affairs

Malcolm Grow Medical Clinics and Surgery Center celebrated 60 years of patient care during an anniversary event here May 10, where service members recalled past accomplishments and looked to future ones.

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SLIDESHOW | 4 images | Malcolm Grow Malcolm Grow Medical Clinics and Surgery Center celebrated its 60th anniversary on Joint Base Andrews, Md., May 10, 2018. The MGMCSC recognized past commanders for their contribution to the clinic's growth.

“I just owe so much thanks to the former commanders," said Col. Leslie Knight, 11th Medical Group commander. "It is the foundation they laid that make us what we are now.”

Pictures and biographies of the 25 past commanders -- from Maj. Gen. Malcolm Cummings Grow, the first surgeon general of the Air Force and the clinic’s namesake, to Knight -- were displayed in the atrium to highlight their contributions to the growth of the clinic’s medical service capabilities.

After the Air Force became an independent branch of the U. S Army in 1947, Grow advocated for the Air Force to maintain sole responsibility for Airmen’s medical services. However, Air Force support functions, such as medical services, remained an Army responsibility. It took two years of advocating by Grow before the general order was established allowing the Air Force to support their own medical services. In 1958, the Malcolm Grow medical facility was established.

With a staff off nearly 1,500 active-duty military and civilian employees, the clinic started providing health care to more than 455,000 beneficiaries from all over the National Capital Region.

Today, medics with the 11th Medical Group serve nine other medical treatment facilities across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C, including Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Fort Belvoir Community Hospital and Fort George G. Meade's Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center.

In addition to providing direct patient care, the 11th MDG serves as a training facility for 48 medical residents and 31 health professionals with Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. They also provide medical support to presidential and congressional special airlift missions and maintain a 45-bed Aeromedical Staging Facility.

The MGMCSC is slated to become the regional outpatient surgical center of excellence by housing the majority of the NCR’s patients in need of general checkups, and surgeries. A new section of the MGMCSC is under construction on JBA and will house a new family health clinic, mental health clinic, dental clinic and advanced education and dentistry one-year residency program.