DGMC recognized by California legislature

Published March 8, 2007
By Tailwind Staff

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The men and women of David Grant USAF Medical Center were recognized for past and present accomplishments by the California Legislature in a ceremony held here March 1.

California State Senator Jeff Denham, (R-Merced), presented Senate Concurrent Resolution 122 to Col. Steve Arquiette, 60th Air Mobility Wing commander, and Col. (Dr.) Lee Payne, 60th Medical Group commander, recognizing DGMC as an important segment of America's Armed Forces and for the contributions they have made to world peace, America's freedom and the way of life enjoyed by the people of the state of California.

"I am proud to see the accomplishments of this facility and its contributions to our society," Senator Denham said. "It is reassuring to me, as a veteran, that my family has access to a premiere facility should we ever need their service."

During its 63 years of existence, the DGMC has treated countless active duty and retired military personnel and their families, as well as widows of retired military servicemembers from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.

"When medical services for the U.S. Army Air Forces first opened its doors to patients in July 1943, no one could have envisioned what would rise up in its place some 63 years later," Colonel Payne noted. "It's a great facility, but it is really about our people. Today, we have nearly 130 of our medics deployed in harm's way, providing the best medical care in the world for our wounded warriors."

DGMC, the largest military medical treatment facility of its kind on the west coast, is recognized by the medical community as an outstanding training facility and used by medical students and residents from many California universities, including the University of California at Davis, University of the Pacific in Stockton, Touro University and Pacific Union College.

DGMC is one of 15,000 medical facilities accredited by the Joint Commission, an independent, not-for-profit organization that is the nation's predominant standards-setting and accrediting body in health care.

DGMC has captured 16 individual titles and was nationally recognized in 2002 with the Picker Institute's Benchmark Hospital Award for the United States' Most Patient-Centered Hospital for the Emotional Support Dimension of Care.

It recently received the Department of Defense's 2006 Team Performance Patient Safety Award in recognition of outstanding achievement in creating a safer patient environment.

As the second largest readiness platform in the Air Force Medical Service and the largest within Air Mobility Command, DGMC is routinely called upon to support sustainment and surge operations, providing medical capability throughout the world.

With more than 1,000 hospital personnel assigned to mobility positions, DGMC continues to deploy in support of contingency operations such as Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, and numerous humanitarian missions while ensuring world-class medical care and service to its customers at home.

"I want to extend my, and Team Travis', appreciation to Col. Art Krause (retired) for all he did in making sure that DGMC received this recognition," Colonel Arquiette said. "Team Travis knows all about the hard work and dedication the men and women at the DGMC put in day after day. Now the entire community will know as well."