LINCOLN, Neb. – The 155th Air Refueling Wing Medical Group underwent a Health Services Inspection conducted by the Air Force Inspection Agency March 1-3, in Lincoln, Neb., to evaluate the functionality and compliance of the medical group.
The evaluation assessed how the medical group became more efficient in daily work, adhered to the principles of clinical practice, and proposed improvements for conducting peacetime and wartime missions.
A four-member Inspector General team conducted the inspection. The medical group earned an overall satisfactory rating once the inspection concluded. Col. Richard J. Evans III, 155th ARW Wing commander, explained that although the three main areas inspected received outstanding ratings, the overall rating was standard due to a re-inspection.
“This score puts the overall result in the outstanding range,” said Evans. “This includes an amazing 100 score in Force Fitness, which grades their ability to support all aspects of medical readiness for our personnel.”
The purpose of the Health Services Inspection was to evaluate the operation and execution of Medical Services program on base and to provide senior leadership with accurate reports to implement when making base policy decisions. Also, the HSI is used to ensure the medical unit is ready and able to fulfill peacetime and wartime missions.
During the out briefing, the IG team expressed their satisfaction of the clinic’s efficiency to the Medical Group Commander, Col. Tami S. Thompson. There were three main areas inspected.
First, Expeditionary Operations received a 93 percent. The rating for this area confirmed the medical group was effectively supporting the wing in deploying personnel in several areas such as readiness, fitness, and immunizations. Second, in-garrison operations received a 96 percent and proved medical personnel were preparing themselves for deployment and ensuring all training was complete. The third area evaluated was Organizational Management, which received a 94 percent. This rating showed the leadership consistently led their members toward sustaining superior performance.
Ten medical group members were recognized and coined for excellent performance during the assessment. Three members were coined by the IG Team, three were coined by the Nebraska National Guard’s Assistant Adjutant General-Air, Brig. Gen. Daryl L. Bohac, and four participants were given the commander’s coin by Col. Richard J. Evans III.
Col. Evans emphasized how difficult an HSI can be and how well the medical group performed.
“This is one of the toughest inspections out there,” said Evans. “We are really pleased that they really dug into it, focused not only on getting better in the areas that needed improvement, but took things we did well on last time and improved on those. It was an across the board outstanding performance.”
Col. Tami S. Thompson smiled, appearing relieved once she had received the news of the medical group’s rating.
“The people have just been phenomenal. They have put a lot of time and effort in trying to prepare for the HSI,” said Thompson. “In reality, it was everybody working together to help us succeed.”