Page 2 - March ARB Beacon 8-7-15

2 August 7, 2015
BEACON
THE
Volume 80, Number 31
452 AMW Public Affairs
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March ARB, CA 92518-1852
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EDITOR
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AF Surgeon General message to the
Air Force Medical Service
by Lt. Gen. Mark A. Ediger
Air Force Surgeon General
I am deeply honored to serve the Air- and committing ourselves to Excellence in (U.S. Air Force graphic/AFMS)
men and families of the world’s best Air All We Do.
Force as the 22nd Air Force Surgeon Gen- Service and the Military Health System
eral. I could not be more proud of the out- We have the solemn responsibility to continuously adapt our capabilities and
standing medical professionals with whom support and enhance the health and per- performance to meet a dynamic mission.
I serve--officers, enlisted and civilian Air- formance of Airmen, the Joint Team and
men--and those who laid the foundation their families as we all meet these current I thank each of you for the care and sup-
for today’s Air Force Medicine. and future challenges. I am excited about port you provide to those we serve--your
working with you as the Air Force Medical professionalism, resourcefulness, and ex-
Our Air Force faces many challenges pertise make “Trusted Care Anywhere” a
that require Airmen, including medical reality each and every day.
professionals, to be innovative, knowl-
edgeable, adaptive, resilient, and disci-
plined. As we enter this crucial time in
our history, we must prepare for and strive
to deliver our vision of the best patient-
centered, full-spectrum care to a rapidly
changing and evolving Air Force. The
people we serve place their trust in us ev-
ery day--from permitting us to treat their
wounds to delivering their babies and dis-
pensing medication. That trust is some-
thing we must earn every day by keeping
Purple Heart Day, to celebrate the courage
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Most people have never heard of Purple Heart Day, which “I am proud to have had a part in the forgotten Korean War, and
takes place annually on August 7th to commemorate the medals I am proud of the officers and men of the 1st Cavalry Division. But
origins and the more than 1.7 million combat-wounded Purple is with deepest humility that I share this part of my life, for I am a
Heart recipients. survivor. Every survivor leaves a part of himself with the real heroes
of any war.”
In 1782, George Washington, then the commander-in-chief
of the Continental Army, created the Badge of Military Merit, Murray Simon, WWII, on the award and reward:
today known as the Purple Heart medal. It represented Wash- “I believe that the guidelines for awards changed with each suc-
ington’s respect and acknowledgement of veterans’ combat val- ceeding war, such as the Korean, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Afghani-
or. Today, more than 232 years later, the medal is the oldest U.S. stan and Iraq conflicts … Nevertheless, with or without awards, we
military decoration still in use, and the inventory of veterans’ Dogface Soldiers did what had to be done on the ground to help
stories blends both heroic and tragic distinctions. make the world a better place for future generations. Winning the
war and living to tell the story was an awesome award.”
Jim Blaylock, of Military Order of the Purple Heart Service On Aug. 7, Purple Heart Day, instead of waving a flag, take some
Foundation, a Vietnam veteran and three-time Purple Heart re- time to listen to and share a veteran’s story of honor and courage.
cipient says, “The Purple Heart medal represents courage, sac- Through their stories we can truly celebrate this holiday and honor
rifice, commitment and ‘heart.’ The Purple Heart Foundation the sacrifice of all our veterans.
celebrates the heart of every veteran by providing emotional, To learn more, visit www.purpleheartfoundation.org.
physical, educational and financial support for veterans and
their families.”
These three veterans share what the Purple Heart means to them.
Lt. Gen. Patricia D. Horoho, Afghanistan, on the needs of
women warriors:
“As the population of female Purple Heart recipients grows, we
have an opportunity to build support networks and increase aware-
ness of the unique needs and challenges of women in the service
of our country ... With the recent announcement of opening combat
positions to all genders, we can expect that women will take on more
roles that will put them in harm’s way … The Purple Heart medal is
a testament to their heroism, sacrifice and resilience.”
Donald Summers, Korean War, on surviving war: