“I couldn’t be prouder of my group,” said Col. Charles A. Shurlow, Commander of the 178th Medical Group.
The ranking is proof of the collaboration between the Medical Group and the rest of the base, Shurlow said. They understand the importance of being medically ready for deployment, Shurlow said.
“We have to be able to go at a moment’s notice,” Shurlow said.
The airmen must pass all six sections of their exam, including health assessments, immunizations, dental, duty limiting conditions and medical equipment. The fitness assessment includes a 1.5-mile run, push-ups, sit-ups and waist measurement, Shurlow said.
The group has 44 employees, Shurlow said, and provides medical assistance to the 178th’s two units, the 251st Cyber Engineering Installation Group, 269th Combat Communications Squadron and the 123rd Air Control Squadron in Blue Ash. It also provides free basic medical care for the Springfield community, including optometry and dental care.
Springfield has a great reputation as a quickly deployable unit, both around the state and the nation, ranking near the top of the rankings for the last five years, Shurlow said. He previously served as the Chief Flight Surgeon at the Toledo Air National Guard Base, and their goal was always to be like the Springfield base.
“We want to be the best of the best and I think we’re almost there,” Shurlow said.
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