Page 2 - Desert Lightning News August 2016

2 August 5, 2016 Desert Lightning News
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Airman participates in EOD immersionFacebook.com/DesertLightningNews
port role for eight years now ordnance and the different fields in the Air Force.
Airman Nathan H. Barbour and it’s time to get my hands types of bombs and projec- “I make sure they appreciate
dirty,” McNally said. tiles,” McNally said. “It’s a lot
355th Fighter Wing Public A airs of information to take in.” what our job fully entails and
McNally applied for re- then let them know, honestly,
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR training and qualified for his EOD technicians must be what risk is involved,” Lock-
FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- Leav- first choice of explosive ord- able to perform intricate pro- hart said. “I have faced tragedy
ing a career field can be a nance disposal technician. cedures under high-stress con- (in this career field), howev-
scary proposition for an Air- ditions in all kinds of environ- er, the good we do outweighs
man who has been perform- “It’s a requirement in the Air ments. those negative experiences.”
ing and learning the ins and Force Instruction that you do
outs of their job for the better a 10 day immersion,” McNally “We’re always looking for The career field may attract
part of a decade. The new ca- said. “You work directly with good candidates for the pro- Airmen because of how the
reer they choose may or may EOD for two weeks straight.” gram because it takes a spe- risks involved encourage strong
not be a good fit. cial person to volunteer for bonds between wingmen.
This immersion course this type of duty,” said Se-
Despite that, Staff Sgt. Mi- serves a dual purpose of nior Master Sergeant Edward “My week here has been a
chael McNally, 355th Mainte- showing the Airmen exactly Lockhart, 355th Civil Engi- big eye opener to see what else
nance Group scheduler, recent- what EOD technicians do on neer Squadron EOD flight su- is out there in the Air Force.”
ly became eligible to retrain a regular basis and determin- perintendent. McNally said. “In the mainte-
into another career field, so he ing if the candidate is right for nance support role, you don’t
decided to change direction. the job. EOD is considered one of really find a brotherhood like
the most hazardous career you do here.”
“I’ve filled mainly a sup- “I’ve been learning all about

NEWS DOD awards TRICARE-managed care support contracts

Military Health System Communications O ce

Defense Health Agency

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AFNS) -- The Defense Department tronic referral process to reduce wait times for beneficiaries
announced on July 22 that the next generation of TRICARE- who need specialty care.
managed care support contracts were awarded.
After the nine-month transition period from the current
The new contracts, which go into effect nine months after contracts to the new ones, military hospitals and clinics will
the award, establish two TRICARE regions in the United have real-time access to medical management data. This in-
States: East and West, instead of the current three. The East creased ability to share data will improve both patient care
Region contract will go to Humana Government Business coordination and access to care. Through improved visibil-
Inc., in Louisville, Kentucky. In the West Region, the new ity of data, the Military Health System will be able to stan-
managed care contractor will be Health Net Federal Ser- dardize care between civilian and military facilities, which
vices LLC, in Rancho Cordova, California. These contracts promises both better care and greater patient safety.
are replacing current arrangements under which health care
is provided to eligible members of the uniformed services,
retirees and their families.

“I am pleased that our new TRICARE contracts are fo-
cused on enhancing the experience of care for our service
members, retirees and their families,” said Karen S. Guice,
the acting assistant secretary of defense for health affairs.

The new contracts will continue to provide for the delivery
of health care, customer service, claims processing and oth-
er administrative services to the estimated 9.4 million TRI-
CARE beneficiaries. The new contracts do not change the
TRICARE benefit and offer all the same TRICARE options.

“TRICARE is moving into a new era, making use of the
lessons learned in the first three contract phases,” said Vice
Admiral Raquel C. Bono, the director of the Defense Health
Agency. “Defense Department leadership and the incumbent
managed care support contractors are dedicated to manag-
ing a smooth transition to the new managed care support
contractors, with minimum disruption to our beneficiaries.”

The new contracts include a requirement to improve in-
tegration between military hospitals and the civilian com-
ponents of TRICARE. They also call for an upgraded elec-