Air Force Reserve Chief Receives International Award for Global Health Leadership

Courtesy Photo | U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. John P. Healy, chief of Air Force Reserve and commander of Air Force Reserve Command receives the International Health System Award from Col. Chelsea Payne, director of the International Health Specialist Program, April 7, 2026. Healy received the award for his outstanding support of the International Health Specialist Program over the past three years. He is the second recipient of the award, which was created by the inaugural recipient, Lt. Gen. John J. DeGoes. (Courtesy Photo)  

UNITED STATES

04.08.2026

Courtesy Story

Air Force Reserve Command   

The Air Force’s International Health Specialist program presented Lt. Gen. John P. Healy, Chief of Air Force Reserve and Commander of Air Force Reserve Command, with its International Health System Award in a ceremony at the Pentagon on April 7.

The award recognizes Healy’s significant role in championing Global Health Engagement missions worldwide. While accepting the honor, Healy emphasized that the award is a testament to the collective efforts of the hundreds of Reserve Airmen who serve as specialized healthcare providers.

“More than an individual honor, this award recognizes the Airmen executing our Global Health Engagement missions around the world,” said Healy. “They aren't just providing care; they are building the medical foundations of our national security. This program represents a powerful symbiosis, sharpening our mission readiness while reinforcing our commitment to our allies. We are strengthening global partnerships by putting the incredible skill of our Reserve on center stage.”

Healy noted that Global Health Engagement is a cornerstone of the Reserve Allies and Partners Program. Launched in 2024 under his leadership, RAPP is the Air Force Reserve’s commitment to building relationships with international reserve forces to meet emerging threats. Through key leader engagements, joint exercises, and military-to-military exchanges, the program advances Department of the Air Force objectives while strengthening deterrence.

The International Health Specialist program makes these key exchanges in the medical community possible.
“While Lt. Gen. Healy’s leadership made this mission possible, he would be the first to tell you that our Airmen are the true pulse of the program,” said Col. Chelsea Payne, International Health Specialist Program director. “They are the ones in the field, providing essential care and building the connections that sustain us.”

The IHS program is designed to improve global quality of life by fostering relationships with partner nations. By deploying medical teams with integrated airlift support, the program creates strategic effects that extend beyond conventional military operations. These partnerships are critical for securing future access, basing, and overflight rights, ensuring the U.S. and its allies are prepared for humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and future conflicts.

A key focus of these missions is interoperability. Airmen work alongside partner-nation counterparts on skills like tactical combat casualty care, ensuring medics can sustain patient care under fire.One recent example is the Resolute Sentinel exercise series in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility.

During the Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team exercise, or LAMAT, reservists from five medical squadrons and an aeromedical staging squadron deployed to St. Kitts and Nevis. The joint team conducted more than 2,300 patient encounters and logged nearly 3,000 hours of medical readiness training.

The professionalism of individual Airmen highlights the Reserve's commitment to global health. For example, Capt. Anthony Salas led a multinational humanitarian exercise from concept to execution during AMISTAD Peru 2025, while Tech. Sgt.Saul Vazquez Melendez provided public health oversight that led to 570 patient encounters and the distribution of over 2,000 pairs of eyeglasses.

For many reservists, the GHE mission offers a unique opportunity to apply civilian medical expertise on a global stage. The IHS program continues to seek motivated Airmen to join its elite cadre of specialists, proving that health diplomacy is one of the military's most powerful tools for global stability.

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• Date Taken: 04.08.2026
• Date Posted: 04.13.2026 12:35
• Story ID: 562573
• Location: US