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Medical Group adds missions, manpower

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Claire Behney
  • 193rd Special Operations Wing
MIDDLETOWN, Ps. --  After manning increased in 2015 to 117 total Airmen attached to the unit, the 193rd Special Operations Medical Group officially became the nation's largest Guard medical unit in the Air National Guard.

This increase in manpower resulted in added missions for the group that contribute to the 193rd Special Operations Wing's operational objectives.

"The medical group's additional three-part mission set allows us to meet the demands of this wing," said Col. Mike Cason, 193rd SOW commander. "Medical group personnel play a vital role in ensuring we are physically and mentally fit and prepared for today's battlefield landscape."

The wing's flying mission annually requires more than 250 flight physicals and more than 800 occupational health exams by medical group personnel, said Chief Master Sgt. Kenney Souders, 193rd SOW medical group superintendent.

The group's new, three-part mission set provides a vast array of medical support capabilities.

"The Air National Guard surgeon general transformation became a reality due to the three-part mission set that we are tasked with including in-garrison medical support for wing individual medical readiness; a Homeland Response Force, which consists of a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear enhanced response force package (or CERFP); and Title 10 Air Force Special Operations Command global health engagement missions," said Souders.

A 50-Airmen Guard medical unit that reports to Col. David Gann, 193rd SOMDG commander, comprises the in-garrison medial support at the wing's Middletown location. 

"Pennsylvania is one of 27 states that received the CERFP mission," said Souders.  "Initially, it was comprised of medical volunteers from the 193rd SOMDG, the 171st MDG and the 111th MDG and these personnel eventually were trained to the CERFP mission. Some joined the 193rd during this transformation."