JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
The 779th Medical Group Aeromedical Staging Facility team members were awarded the Military Officers Association of America 2012 Community Heroes Award in the Military Caregivers category during a ceremony Oct. 30 in Arlington, Va., for their endless dedication to helping wounded warriors returning from overseas everyday at Joint Base Andrews, Md.
The ASF is manned by a multiservice military team comprised of anesthesiologists, mental health care providers, flight surgeons, nurses, medical technicians, health service administrators, chaplains, dietary technicians and Marine Corps and Army liaisons.
U.S. Navy Vice Admiral (ret.) Norb Ryan, MOAA president, thanked the ASF for their energy and devotion to helping others on a daily basis during a visit and tour of the facility in mid-October. There he shook hands with all members of the ASF who were unable to attend the ceremony presentation due to an incoming flight of patients that evening.
The ASF, a complex medical surgery unit, takes care of anything from chest tubes, to wound vaccinations, medication supply, treatment of physical battle injuries, psychological injuries, orthopedic injuries and everything in between. In a week's time, the ASF has three incoming missions and an average of six to eight missions sending wounded warriors east and west of the U.S. for further treatment or to be closer to home.
JBA's ASF housed at Malcolm Grow Medical Clinic stands as the focal point for other medical facilities in the NCR at Ft. Belvoir, Va., Ft. Meade, Md., and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. The ASF coordinates with the surrounding medical facilities to get returning Sailors, Soldiers, Coast Guardsmen, Marines and Airmen the proper care they need.
"Here, the patient is a priority, it doesn't matter who is in the building--if there is a patient that needs something, everything drops and their needs are met," said Maj. Nancy Salmans, 779th Medical Group Aeromedical Staging Facility commander. "They are the priority of everything that goes on here at the ASF."
The award-winning ASF team members are made up of 12 permanent party members and 32 deployed members currently from military bases in Alaska, Ohio, Virginia, New Jersey and Texas.
More than 500 people attended the MOAA's Annual Board Meeting that recognized outstanding wounded warrior caregivers in the NCR.
"It's nice to know that we're appreciated for what we do," said Salmans. "The team members of the ASF are always on call and they know that when a plane of warriors lands that everything drops to help those brave men and women."