Ellsworth’s exceptional group of medical providers celebrates 50 years

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Rebecca Imwalle
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D.-- --  The diverse group of medical professionals who make up the Air Forces' Biomedical Science Corps celebrated their 50th anniversary during this year's BSC Appreciation Week Jan. 26 to 30.

Made up of more than 2,000 officers who work in fields ranging from physical therapy to speech pathology and dietetics, members of the BSC contribute their time and knowledge to improving the health and medical care of Airmen.

First Lt. Jesse Gronsky, 28th Medical Operations Squadron physician assistant, said each BSC provider has a different role, but they all work together to support the mission to keep people healthy.

"Being in such different fields, members of the BSC actually work together more than you would think," said Gronsky. "I am seeing the people while the pharmacy is dispensing the medication, laboratory is drawing blood and running labs, and public health is updating the records of everyone on base. ... We all have different roles, but it all plays into the same mission."

The Corp's mission statement reads; The BSC's mission is to enhance Air Force combat capability and effectiveness by providing world-class customer service and scientific expertise, resulting in peak force performance, productivity, and quality healthcare to beneficiaries.

"We are a very diverse group," Gronsky said. "As a PA, I do a very different job than someone in another field. It's great having this corps, it kind of pulls all of us together so we can shadow other providers and pick their brain to see what can be done or how they do their job."

Capt. Casey Ruiz, 28th MDOS clinical social worker, has spent nine years in his career field gaining first-hand experience with the Corps.

"I think one of the main reasons it was important to start the Corps is that it provides another level of oversight and mentoring," Ruiz explained. "What I found so special about our Corps is that because it is such a diverse group, we learn a lot more about other jobs through this mentoring."

Ruiz said each base has a head BSC representative at the medical facility and explained that it is helpful to have someone there to address concerns about the medical field or share ideas with fellow providers.

"As a clinical social worker, I work alongside other mental health providers such as psychologists and psychiatrists," Ruiz explained. "We can also be in a family practice as behavioral health consultants [whereas] down range we can manage combat stress and mental health clinics. We [also] monitor and help with the mental health needs of the population, whether that is active duty or dependents."

BSC officers serve at every level of medical command, where they are heavily invested in research as well as fulfilling vital roles to meet the demands of the Air Force mission.

"I could really see the diversity of the BSC and how we work together during my deployment in Afghanistan," Ruiz noted. "I was managing a combat stress control team and we worked with a lot of other people such as public health members, physical therapists, nurses and occupational therapists."

Ruiz learns more about his fellow BSC members' careers, training and education each day, in an effort to take advantage of the Corp's opportunities.

"I personally think it's very interesting learning about other jobs that people do," Ruiz said. "It helps you realize that it really is everyone working together for the comprehensive wellness of an individual."

Ruiz says that in celebrating the 50th anniversary of the BSC, the Air Force continues to recognize its most vital resource - its Airmen.