Country United States | Role Medical care | |
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Active 1955-1960; 2006–present Branch United States Air Force Part of Air Force District of Washington Garrison/HQ Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility | ||
The 79th Medical Wing is the United States Air Force's single unit planning and implementing Air Force and joint medical solutions within the National Capital Region. Activated on 10 May 2006, it is the largest wing within the Air Force District of Washington and one of two medical wings in the Air Force. The wing was originally active as an infirmary at Youngstown Municipal Airport between 1955 and 1960.
Contents
Mission
The 79th Medical Wing is a tenant unit on Andrews Air Force Base, and headquartered at Malcolm Grow Medical Clinics and Surgery Center. As part of its mission, the wing organizes, trains, equips and provides medical forces for Air and Space Expeditionary Force deployment, homeland operations and in support of joint operations within the National Capiral Region, and is the east coast hub for aeromedical evacuation aircraft returning sick or injured patients from the Atlantic area.
Additionally, the 79th Medical Wing is responsible for providing medical support to Presidential, Congressional, Joint and Air Staff special airlift missions.
79th Medical Wing special interests
Air Defense Command
The wing was first organized in August 1955 as the 79th USAF Infirmary at Youngstown Municipal Airport when the 79th Fighter Group was activated to replace the 502d Air Defense Group as part of Air Defense Command's Project Arrow, a program to restore fighter units that had compiled memorable records in the two World Wars. The unit absorbed the personnel and equipment of the 502d USAF Infirmary.
In May 1957, the unit became the 79th USAF Dispensary, when the Air Force renamed its small medical units. The dispensary was discontinued along with the 79th Group in March 1960, when the ADC turned its factilities at Youngstown over to Continental Air Command for use as a reserve station.
Predecessors at Andrews
The wing started as a Medical Detachment consisting of one officer (Capt. Isadore L. Epstein) and 11 enlisted men who reported to Camp Springs and set up a dispensary. The dispensary had an eight-bed ward, two private rooms, a pharmacy, a dental clinic with two chairs, an x-ray machine, kitchenette and offices. Five ambulances were available and Walter Reed General Hospital and Bolling Field Station Hospital were used for consultation and emergencies.
Named after Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Malcolm Grow in 1962, the center was dedicated to a man who served as a field doctor in both world wars, in 1949 was selected at the first Air Force Surgeon General and was active in military medicine until his death in 1960.
Originally named the USAF Hospital Andrews, construction began in June 1955 and was completed in May 1958 to the tune of $5.5 million. Staffed by Bolling and Andrews personnel, the facility opened Aug. 4, 1958 and provided care to more than 75,000 area military personnel and their families.
Today there are more than 600,000 eligible Department of Defense beneficiaries in the National Capital Region.
On a typical day in patient care, Malcolm Grow Medical Clinics and Surgery Center sees 930 outpatients, 90 dental patients, 72 Emergent Care Center patients, conducts seven surgical procedures, takes care of 30 patients transitioning at the Aeromedical Staging Facility and fills 1,963 pharmacy prescriptions.