MDSS, the best supports the rest! Published Aug. 5, 2011 By Lt. Col. Vito Smyth 22nd Medical Support Squadron MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. -- Sir Winston Churchill, one of the great political figures of the 20th century, said in 1938 that, "the more you are prepared and the better you are known to be prepared, the greater is the chance of staving off war and of saving Europe from the catastrophe that menaces it." His words regarding preparedness are as relevant today as they were more than 70 years ago. As a military fighting force, the 22nd Medical Support Squadron takes preparedness to heart. Along with its partner squadrons, the 22nd Medical Operations Squadron and the 22nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron, we help to ensure medically ready war-fighters and families by optimizing the health of our beneficiaries. Here is what our various flights do to help ensure the wing provides ready people to execute its multi-faceted missions. The Diagnostics and Therapeutics Flight, led by Maj. Marcio Fletes, consists of three sections: pharmacy, radiology and laboratory. In a typical week, the flight dispenses more than 3,100 prescriptions, draws more than 2,500 laboratory tests and performs more than 100 diagnostic imaging procedures. The D&T Flight also provides special clinics for patients in need, plays a major part during disease containment operations and coordinates use of the pharmaceutical stockpiles with local agencies. The D&T Flight supports the deployment function line, Drug Demand Reduction Program, homeland defense and public health operations. The TRICARE Operations and Patient Administration Flight, led by Capt. Miji Dalton, provides customer service to all eligible beneficiaries. The TOPA Flight manages 32 Air Force instruction-driven programs, executes the TRICARE program serving more than 21,000 eligible beneficiaries and manages over 19,000 medical records. The TOPA Flight also supports utilization and referral management of over $21million in private sector care, is liaison to the Managed Care Support Contract, executes the Integrated Disability Evaluation System, implements Patient Administration, and leads the Group Patient Advocacy program. The Medical Information Systems Flight, led by 1st Lt. Jimmie Southwood, serves as the group focal point for the support and maintenance of the many computerized systems which Medical Group relies upon. During the course of a duty day, the MIS Flight oversees more than five major clinical and clinical-support systems, as well as other systems which support its financial and manpower function. The MIS Flight also works with its partners in the communications squadron to ensure that our network remains robust and secure. Maj. Damon King serves as the Resource Management flight commander, which oversees all aspects of manpower and money. The flight ensures that our Active Duty and Civilian personnel are positioned to realize mission accomplishment. The flight also acts as vigilant stewards of our taxpayer funded financial resources, an important characteristic in these present times of fiscal constraint. 2nd Lt. Scott Blair leads the Medical Readiness Flight as well as the Medical Logistics Flight for Capt. Anson Lloyd who is currently deployed. The Medical Readiness Flight ensures training is up-to-date, medics are appropriately positioned in deployment bands and the appropriate individual is matched with a specific tasking. They start the pre-deployment process, procure the necessary equipment and finally see the deploying member off. The flight coordinates with disaster team chiefs during exercises, gathers after action reports and helps maximize the overall readiness posture of the medical group. The Logistics Flight is responsible for the supply chain serving the medical group, ensuring medicine and medical supplies are available, and keeping the equipment and facilities looking and functioning at their best. The men and women of the 22nd MDSS go the extra mile every day to ensure Team McConnell (Airpower!) is medically ready to perform its missions every day.