JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. – This edition of Voices of the VaANG introduces 1st Lt. Beverly West, a medical services administrator with the 192nd Medical Group, 192nd Wing, Virginia Air National Guard. She serves as one of the VaANG’s many examples of citizen Airmen, leveraging both civilian and military experience to achieve goals while also aligning with the 192nd Wing’s priority of producing elite, empowered and effective members.
Originally from Alaska, West joined the VaANG in 2012 as a dental assistant. She added to her family’s legacy of military service, following in the footsteps of her grandfather, father and brother.
“I joined the VaANG on March 6, 2012. I joined because I wanted to continue my family legacy of military service,” said West. “I was currently living in Virginia at the time that I was considering joining the military, and I did not want to leave the area.”
While enlisted in the VaANG, West rose to the rank of master sergeant. After reaching the senior noncommissioned officer tier, she wanted to lead from a different perspective. She used tuition assistance to earn her bachelor’s degree, and after 13 years of service was commissioned to the rank of first lieutenant on Sept 6, 2025.
“In this new role, I monitor, manage and direct health service programs,” said West. “I also ensure our medical personnel are trained and equipped for in-garrison and deployed mission requirements.”
West added that in a deployed environment, a medical services administrator plays a crucial role in the efficient and effective delivery of medical care. They confirm the availability of resources, ensuring operations run smoothly and patients receive the best possible care in unpredictable and challenging environments.
In addition to the VaANG, West works for Air Combat Command’s office of the command surgeon as a medical readiness specialist. In this role, she assists in the development of expeditionary ground medical capabilities. The office writes mission capability statements for new unit type codes. They also organize and plan rehearsal of concept and validation exercises for new UTCs.
On Jan. 31, 2025, the previous 192nd Wing commander published a memorandum outlining his vision, intent and priorities. One of the areas of improvement identified was medical clearance. For West, both her new position and civilian occupation directly support the mission of providing mission ready Airmen.
“My civilian role provides me with a valuable strategic perspective on medical readiness and an inside look at MAJCOM-level operations,” said West. “This enhanced understanding of the broader medical readiness landscape allows me to effectively integrate the 192nd Medical Group's capabilities into the larger context of potential enemy conflicts. I can then leverage this knowledge in my military role to better ensure the readiness and preparedness of our medical personnel.”
West utilizes her civilian job to effectively shape future medical forces in deployed environments across the entire Air Force Medical Service. As a member of the VaANG, she directly impacts the health and readiness of the personnel in the wing.
“Overseeing the execution and management of our health services programs allows me to ensure our members receive the highest quality care when they come to see us,” said West. “I'm also deeply committed to medical readiness. I find great pride in guaranteeing the medical group is trained, qualified, and fully prepared to deploy and support the mission.”